204 Translations from the Tdrikh i Firiiz ShahL [No, 4, 



The Sultan accordingly directed the wine to be removed from the 

 assembly, and no one was permitted to remain in it, but Ulugh Khan, 

 Zafar Khan, Nucrat Khan and Alap Khan, all the other nobles being 

 called upon to retire. The Sultan then said to 'Alaulmulk, " What- 

 ever plan or designs has occurred to your mind for the execution of 

 these two projects, do you now in the presence of these my four 

 companions and of myself explain it, in order that I may proceed to 

 carry it out." 



'Alaulmulk prefacing his speech with an apology (for his bold- 

 ness) spoke as follows : " The subject of religion with its tenets and 

 " doctrines should certainly never be discussed and commented on by 

 " your Majesty ; for that is the duty of the prophets, not of kings. 

 " Religion springs from divine inspiration, and cannot be founded on 

 " human intellect and wisdom. From the time of Adam to the pre- 

 " sent day, has religion been instituted by the prophets, while kings 

 il have exercised worldly sway and sovereignty ; and since the world 

 " began, is now and ever shall be, the spirit of prophecy has never 

 " been exercised by kings, although prophets have sometimes held 

 " kingly sway. Your humble servant's petition at the throne there- 

 " fore is this : That henceforth your Majesty will never either under 

 " the influence of wine or without it, speak a word about founding 

 " any form of faith or religion, or such matters as are within the 

 (l especial province of the prophets, and which have been finally 

 " determined by our own (last and greatest) Prophet. For, should 

 " expressions of this kind reach the ears of the public generally, the 

 " whole of them will turn from their allegiance, not a Musalman will 

 " approach your royal person, tumult and sedition will arise on every 

 " side, and vast dangers assail the ' State, arising solely from such 

 " sentiments as these. Your Majesty may have heard too, how, not- 

 " withstanding the torrents of blood that Changiz Khan caused to flow 

 u from all the cities of the Musalmans, he was unable to implant 

 " among them the civil and religious institutions of the Mughuls. 

 " Most of the latter in fact turned Musalmans, and professed the 

 " Muhammadan creed ; while not a single Musalman turned Mughul, 

 " nor adopted their faith. As for myself, I am your loyal servant, 

 " and my life and soul is bound up in your Majesty's existence. 

 " Should sedition arise in the royal dominions, I should neither be 



