128 Badaoni and his Works. [No. 3, 



beautiful mirage. My attendance at Court has brought me no profit, 

 and I look forward to an act of God's mercy, to get rid of the awkward 

 fetters which have fallen on my neck." 



The part which 'Abdul Qadir took in the religious discussions 

 held by Akbar at Fathpur Sikri, has been noticed in my translation 

 of the A'in i Akhari, (pp. 171 to 179). Though his argumentative 

 skill raised him in the eyes of the emperor, 'Abdul Qadir, in the 

 pride of his success, forgot that he challenged his own set, and was 

 actively working against his own advantages ; and when after the 

 downfall of the 'Ulamas in 987 (Ain y pp. 186, 187), and the res- 

 umption by Akbar of nearly all grants of madad i ma? ash tenures 

 throughout the whole empire, 'Abdul Qadir was allowed to retain his 

 thousand bigliahs, he owed his luck more to the generosity of Akbar, 

 who never forget an old servant, and to the good will of Faizi and 

 Abulfazl, his old school comrades, than to distinguished services of 

 his own. 



In 983, 'Abdul Qadir once more met with old patron, Husain 

 Khan, who had been brought to Fathpur Sikri dangerously wounded 

 on one of his customary expeditions. The wound was badly treated, 

 and would not heal up, dysentery (is-hdl i Icabid) having acceded, to 

 which the hero succumbed (II, p. 228). In the beginning of 984, 

 'Abdul Qadir joined an expedition against Rana Kika, whose strong- 

 holds, G-ogandah and Konbhalner, were to be attacked by Rajah 

 Man Singh. When the expedition started from Ajmir, where Akbar 

 had visited the tomb of the Saint Mu'in, 'Abdul Qadir accompanied 

 for a short distance some of the courtiers that took part in the 

 expedition. " As I felt much inclination," says he, " to join an 

 expedition against Infidels, I returned, and reported myself to Shaikh 

 'Abclunnabi, and asked him to obtain for me the permission of the 

 emperor to go to the scene of war. Though he had no objection, 

 he left the matter to his headman, Sayyid 'Abdurrasul ; and as he 

 delayed to accede to my wishes, I applied to Naqib Khan, whom I 

 looked upon as my brother. At first, he was unwilling, and said, 

 " If the emperor had not appointed a Hindu* as Commander, I would 



* The jealousy of the Muhammadan courtiers was always roused when a 

 Hindu was appointed to a high command. Even when Todar Mall, in 971, 

 was appointed to assist Muzati'ar 'Ali, then minister of finance, the Muham- 

 madan^ courtiers, in a body, complained to Akbar, and asked the emperor, to 



