Nov 4, 2001

Here is a lesson from Mughal History. The only way to integrate any people into a larger whole is to make sure that the talented ones get employment at the level they deserve and that troublemakers are given quick and condign punishment.

This principle was applied to Afghans Rajputs Marathas Jats or whoever.

Our example is from the life of an Afghan noble. The father was the focus of a rebellion against Mughal hegemony. The son, tackled judiciously, transformed into a pillar of the empire. He served with distinction in Central India and in Telingana in the South. As in all good governance a crisis was transformed into an opportunity and a liability converted into an asset.

In the Ma”asir-ul Umara or the biographies of the nobles of the court of the Mughals the chronicler records

“His name is “Allah Daad” or the Gift of Almighty God and his title Rashid Khan”. “He is the son of the well known Shaikh, Jalaaluddin Raushanaai, who raised the standard of being a chief [sardaar] and lawgiver [Qaid] of the Afghans to lead them in insurrection and rebellion”.

Shaikh Baayezeed Peer Raushan was born in Jalandhar [now in the Punjab, India] in 1525. After receiving the education and training appropriate for his station he found opportunities limited as the Mughals were in power. Along with his mother Behbeen Khanum, Jalaaluddin moved to Kaalee Karam in the area of Roh in Afghanistan where the father lived.

Jalaaluddin wrote a treatise in Pushto on ” The Oneness of all Being” [Wahdat ul Wajood] called it “Khair-ul-Bayaan”. It was ornamented with the aphorisms and sayings of earlier Sufi Masters.

By 1542 the Shaikh was well established as a divine and many tribes had formally become his devotees [Mureed]. Other Afghan tribes accused him of apostasy [ilhaad] and unbelief [kufr] and kept away from him.
When the Shaikh attended the court of Mirza Muhammad Hakim younger brother of Akbar at Kabul the exposition and discourse on his own viewpoint on Islam exasperated the orthodox Mullahs.

At the death of Shaikh Jalaaluddin Pir Raushan the son also called Jalaaluddin succeeded to the sajjaada or prayer mat although he was only fourteen years of age. He was presented to Akbar when the Emperor was crossing the Yoalum mountain pass. Although Akbar paid him attention and gave him gifts and honour the quantum was not found adequate. Jalaaluddin left without formal permission and dismissal to take up residence with tribes like Yourukzai, Aafreedee and Shardaad who had been devotees of his father.

Discontent grew. In the twenty-first year of Akbar”s reign the tribes of the area around Peshawar, Taaeef Mohmand and Ghariyeh Khail, rose in rebellion. They made Jalaala their chief and leader stormed the citadel and killed the governor Syed Haamid Bokhari.

They next proceeded to Teereh a mountain pass sixty -four miles long and upto twenty-four miles in width. Teereh is most important as it has Peshawar to the East Maidan to the West, and Qandahar to the north and Baareh to the South. It has many narrow passages with steep inclines and descents.

The governor of Kabul, Raja Man Singh Kachhwaahaa of Amber rushed to Teereh and punished the main tribe responsible, the Aafreedees by burning their encampment and looting their livestock and goods.

Zain Khan Koka was appointed to extirpate the rebellion and he engaged the tribes in many battles. Jalaala was forced out of Teereh and took shelter with the Yousufzaees in Bajaur and Swat. Zain Khan continued the pressure. Jalaala was about to be captured when a change of guard caused laxity in the alert being maintained at the exit of mountain passes and he escaped.

The Aafreedees and Warakzais were pressurized until they agreed to cooperate by handing over Mulla Ibrahim who was so close to Jalaala that he called him “son”. The
wary Mulla did not trust anyone and moved to Transoxiana.

The Afghans handed over the Mulla”s family to the Mughals.

When Mulla Ibrahim returned to the Afghan area to resume the leadership of the rebels The Emperor deputed Asaf Khan Ja”afar to deal with the uprising. The Afghans made a commitment that they would drive the Mulla from their area.

Asaf Khan took the relatives of the Mulla into custody.

In 1598/9 Jalaalaa captured Ghazni with the help of the Lohani tribe but could not establish himself. In 1600 he went to the battle of Shaadmaan Hazaaraa. Wounded he retreated to Rabaat. He was pursued and executed.

Ahad Daad a cousin and son-in-law succeeded. He set new standards of bravery and valour. In the reign of Jahangir there were many battles of which he won some and lost some. Finally he was besieged in a fort and died of a bullet.

It is said that the day before his death he was reading the “Khair-ulBayaan” and remarked that the next day would be his last.

Abdul Qadir son of Ahad Daad succeeded and attacked the Imperial forces and took great plunder. He was [document ends]