192 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XVI, 
ene, ane, “gal, 2a, ‘Sad,’ “Zad,’ ‘Ta,’ ‘Za,’ ‘Ain,’ 
‘Ghain’ and ‘ Qaf’ are altogether absent in Indian words and 
Indian speech, are never used in writing or pronunciation, and 
are not reckoned as letters at all. In place of the ‘alif,’ the 
‘ain’ and the ‘hamza’ they have a letter [¥] which is written 
[in that form] and sounded [as such] only at the beginning of a 
word, but never in its middle or end. But of the ten or 
twelve vowel signs which are employed (lit. fixed) for (i.e. in 
writing) Hindi words and which are indispensable for combin- 
ing (t.e. vocalising) their letters, one is called the Kana 
[the sign of the long vowel in 41] and this alone is used (lit. 
with the approval of the critical Emperor, and orders were 
I 1 
an ‘alif’ should be written instead of the ‘ha’, e.g. Bangala 
(¥Ex), Malwa (‘,/le), Baglina (44). Whosoever is acquainted 
with the Hindi alphabet must profoundly appreciate (Jit. medi- 
tate upon) the propriety (lit. beauty, elegance) [of this dis- 
. . 
tinction]. 
letter ¥ was the true equivalent of the Arabic ‘ alif,’ that the 
Kana or upright stroke which took its place in the middle or 
been employing a ‘ha’ (8) to represent it, were in error. He 
was therefore of opinion that we should write YE, tbe 
ALB ps és 
LAR IG), Le, Iyliee, 1y98, 4 5 etc. The argument appears to have 
found favour not only with Aurangzeb, but with his successors, 
and the numismatic evidence indicates that a lasting change 
was effected in the official system of transliteration. 
We possess no coins of Malwa or Baglana and none of 
1 Mir Hadi Fazail Khan was a favourit i 
: H Zail Ki ‘ @ of the Prince Muhammad 
A‘azam Shah and one of the most learned men of his times. Having in- 
curred ngz 
d pleasure, w graced and imprisoned in the 
perinbe of Daulatabad in the 25th year of the rei . fterwards 
Fir spe Spent Several years in retirement at gra. Aurangzeb th 
ce more into favour, and he was appointed Mir Munshi and 
Mahsiru-l-U Te 
angiru-lUmara Ill, 38-40. There are several references to him in 
the Maagir--Alamgiri also. Bibl. Ind. Text, 352, 361 432, 457 and 471. 
