Emperor Aurangzeb:
On the topic of Emperor Aurangzeb, we Muslims are told stories about his justice, honesty and piety. Also, we are told he was among the best Muslims, and his services to Islam were brilliant, and his edicts are often quoted by Muslim scholars of South Asia. We are told he was so ‘great’ and down to earth that he was running his financial matters by making head caps in his spare time.
Non-Muslim writers and historians do not agree with all of the above. He spent most of his life fighting either with his family or with non-Muslims, so when was making these valuable head caps to run his financial matters? What kind of head caps did he make that he generated sufficient income to run his financial matters?
Leaving that aside, William Dalrymple a Scottish historian and author of many books on the Sub-continent in his book wrote:
On his deathbed, Aurangzeb acknowledged his failures in a sad and defeated letter to his son, Azam: "I came alone and I go as a stranger. The instant which has passed in power has left only sorrow behind it. I have not been the guardian and protector of the Empire. Life, so valuable, has been squandered in vain. God was in my heart but I could not see him. Life is transient. The past is gone and there is no hope for the future. The whole imperial army is like me: bewildered, perturbed, separated from God, quaking like quicksilver. I fear my punishment. Though I have a firm hope in God’s grace, yet for my deeds anxiety ever remains with me."
https://x.com/DalrympleWill/status/1884123524530364496
Non-Muslim writers and historians do not agree with all of the above. He spent most of his life fighting either with his family or with non-Muslims, so when was making these valuable head caps to run his financial matters? What kind of head caps did he make that he generated sufficient income to run his financial matters?
Leaving that aside, William Dalrymple a Scottish historian and author of many books on the Sub-continent in his book wrote:
On his deathbed, Aurangzeb acknowledged his failures in a sad and defeated letter to his son, Azam: "I came alone and I go as a stranger. The instant which has passed in power has left only sorrow behind it. I have not been the guardian and protector of the Empire. Life, so valuable, has been squandered in vain. God was in my heart but I could not see him. Life is transient. The past is gone and there is no hope for the future. The whole imperial army is like me: bewildered, perturbed, separated from God, quaking like quicksilver. I fear my punishment. Though I have a firm hope in God’s grace, yet for my deeds anxiety ever remains with me."
https://x.com/DalrympleWill/status/1884123524530364496
No comments:
Post a Comment