1873.] H. Blochmann —Geography and History of Bengal. 
261 
3. Shaikh ’ Alauddin 'Ala-ulhaq. 
’Ala-ulhaq was the son of Shaikh As’ad of Lahor, and one of the 
spiritual successors of Shaikh Akhi Sirajuddin ’Usman. According to the 
JHa drij-ulwildyat, he was a true Quraislii Hashimi, and traced his descent 
from Khalid bin Walid. He was at first exceedingly proud of his origin, 
wealth, and knowledge, so much so, that Shaikh Akhi complainingly told 
Nizamuddi'n Aulia that he was no match for ’Ala-ulhaq. But Nizam 
told him not to mind it, as ’Ala would in time become his (Akin’s) pupil. 
It seems that ’Ala in his pride called himself Gang i Nabdtf and when 
Nizam heard this, he cursed him, and said, “ May God strike him dumb!” 
The curse instantly took effect; nor was ’Ala-ulhaq’s tongue loosed till 
he became the humble pupil of Shaikh Akhi. As Shaikh Akhi travelled a 
great deal on horseback, ’Ala-ulhaq accompanied him walking barefoot 
and carrying his master’s pots filled with hot food on his head, till he became 
quite bald. Nor did he feel concerned when Shaikh Akhi, with a view of 
humbling him, passed on his journey the houses of his brothers, who were 
all Amirs and rich men. 
Once some travelling faqirs came to ’Ala-ulhaq’s cell. One of them 
had a cat with him ;f hut whilst in ’Ala’s house, the cat was lost. The 
owner asked the saint to ‘ make’ him a new cat; hut when ’Ala said that he 
did not know from what to make one, he replied, “ What do I care from 
what you make it, make it out of the horn of a stag, if you like.” ’Ala was 
annoyed and said, “You shall feel the horns.” Thereupon another of the 
faqirs, in order to vex the saint, said, “ Well, can I make a cat from my 
testicles ?” and ’Ala replied, “ There you shall feel it.” When the faqirs 
had left the house, the former was killed by an ox, and the second got an 
attack of orchitis, of which he died. 
’Ala-ulhaq spent large sums in feeding pupils, beggars, and wanderers. 
But the king of the land got envious, because the public treasury even 
could not have borne such a heavy expenditure, and he drove the saint to 
Sunnargaon. He stayed there for two years, and gave his servants orders 
to spend twice as much as before. And yet, he only possessed two gardens, 
the income from which was eight thousand silver tankahs per annum; 
hut as he gave a beggar the land as a present, all money must have been 
supplied him from the unseen world. 
* Fariduddin ’Attar, tho great saint of Pak Patan (Ajodhan) in tlie Panjab has 
the title of Oanj i Shalcar, ‘ store of sugar.’ But shafcar may bo unrefined, whilst 
nabdt is applied to the best refined sugar. ’Ala-ulliaq, therefore, placed himself 
above Farid. 
f What the dog is to Europeans, is the cat to Indians. To kill or loso a cat 
is most unlucky. 
