Poets From Iran

"While mankind remains mere baggage in the world It will be swept along, as in a boat, asleep. What can they see in sleep? What real merit or punishment can there be?"

"I am fallen person in a thousand sorrows In each breath my life's looking in end with no sin I am prisoner with no reason fallen in trouble stars have sworn to hurt me the sky has come to fight with me today in pains I'm higher than the yesterday this year my soul's lesser than last year I had many selected friends what has become no one's remain every night the sky's made sad with my painful sadness cryings I fell in jail, why? I don't know I just know: I'm not still nor wicked to much desires I had before oh alas! where is my lost desires"

"There is a Witness in the world, but we are idle; There is a draught left in the cup, but we remain sober. Arise! Let us set to rest, with the water from our faces, The wind blowing from this deceitful heap of earth. Let's sally forth on a raid and let's destroy The marketplace where this black-faced soul thrives!"

"چو کهنه بود و قدیمی بنای نیشابور نهاد روی سوی او خرابی از هر جا خدای خواست که بازش ز نو بنا سازند بعهد دولت نوشیروان عهد ابقا خدایگان جهان پادشاه روی زمین جهانگشای عدوبند، شاه شهرگشا"

"Do you know what I benefitted from this world? Nothing And what I gained from the days of life? Nothing I am a candle of wisdom; but when extinguished, nothing I am the cup of Jamshid; but when broken nothing"

"To me the heart is a sheikh who teaches me, And I am the child who understands his language. When I bow my head I pay him my fee, When I put my head on my knees I attend his school. Not on every knee his school can be found; Not all moments are tablets to receive his words. Not every sea hides shells, Not every drop is an April shower. Kneeling down is only a school, Like Noah's Ark, to him Whose sorrow is a frothing Flood, To whom Ararat is a heaven. However, to him who, once, Enters this school be kneeling down, The Ararat will not be higher than his ankle-bone, The Flood will not reach his shank. No one qualifies for this school Unless he has a sorrow so great that, With each breath he inhales, four Floods Invade the four elements of his body. The school of kneeling down is meant Especially for those men who, being lions, Like a dog shy away behind a knee From all the agitation among men."

"Others are heedless,—do thou be wise, and on this path keep thy tongue silent. The condition laid on such a one is that he should receive all food and drink from the Causer, not from the causes. Go, suffer hardship, if thou wouldst be cherished; and if not, be content with the road to Hell. None ever attained his object without enduring hardship."

"چون تیشه مباش و جمله زی خود متراش چون رنده ز کار خویش بی بهره مباش تعلــیم ز اره گیر در امــر معاش چیزی سوی خود میکش و چیزی می پاش"

"“The narrative of thy battles eclipses the stories of Rustam and Isfandiyar. Thou didst bring an army in one night from Dhangan to Jalandhar… Thou didst direct but one assault and by that alone brought destruction upon the country. By the morning meal not one soldier, not one Brahman, remained unkilled or uncaptured. Their beads were severed by the carriers of swords. Their houses were levelled with the ground with flaming fire… Thou has secured victory to the country and to religion, for amongst the Hindus this achievement will be remembered till the day of resurrection.”"

"Don't be like axe and don't offend anyone Don't be useless like a plane Just be like a saw in your life Do something for yourself and something for others"

"“As power and the strength of a lion was bestowed upon Ibrahim by the Almighty, he made over to him the well-populated country of Hindustan and gave him 40,000 valiant horsemen to take the country, in which there were more than 1000 rais… Its length extends from Lahore to the Euphrates, and its breadth from Kashmir to the borders of Sistan… The army of the king destroyed at one time a thousand temples of idols, which had each been built for more than a thousand years. How can I describe the victories of the king…”"

"He who knows not his own soul, how shall he know the soul of another? and he who only knows hand and foot, how shall he know the Godhead? The prophets are unequal to understanding this matter; why dost thou foolishly claim to do so? When thou hast brought forward a demonstration of this subject, then thou wilt know the pure essence of the faith; otherwise what have faith and thou in common? thou hadst best be silent, and speak not folly. The learned talk nonsense all; for true religion is not woven about the feet of everyone."

"The bird that sings the song of pain is love The courier who knows the tongue of the Unseen is love The existence that call you to nonexistence is love And that which redeems you from you is love"

"“Thou didst depart with a thousand joyful anticipations on a holy expedition, and didst return having achieved a thousand victories… On this journey the army destroyed a thousand idol-temples and thy elephants trampled over more than a hundred strongholds. Thou didst march thy arm to Ujjain; Malwa trembled and fled from thee… On the way to Kalinjar thy pomp obscured the light of day. The lip of infidelity became dry through fear of thee, the eye of plural-worship became blind…”"

"گردوں بہ رنج و درد مارا کشتہ بود اگر پیوند و عمر من نہ شدے نظم جان فضائے"

"One night I saw Master Hafiz in a dream; I said, 'O thou who art peerless in excellence and learning Wherefore didst thou take to thyself this verse of Yazid, Notwithstanding all this virtue and eminence?' He answered, 'Thou understandest not this matter; The infidel's goods are lawful spoil to the true believer!"

"Love came and flew as blood in my veins Emptied me of myself and filled me with beloved. Each part of my being she conquered Now a mere name is left to me and the rest is she."

"What sweeter than this in the world! Friend met friend and the lover joined his Beloved. That was all sorrow, this is all joy Those were all words, this is all reality."

"The first step in Sufism is the breaking of inkpot and the tearing-up of books and the forgetting of all kinds of intellectual knowledge."

"Freedom from lower qualities is an essential qualification required for spiritual progress."

"If you wish that God should dwell in your heart, purify your heart from all save Him for the king will not enter a house filled with stores and furniture. He will only enter a heart which is empty of all save Himself."

"Take one step out of yourself that you may arrive at God."

"When I was a lion, panther was my prey; I caught everything which I hunted. When I came to embrace tightly love for you, A lame fox drove me from den."

"Through love we're slain, the world's our slaughter house We've no food nor sleep, the world's our cookhouse. We've no desire for paradise, because Our hell's a hundred times loftier than that."

"If you don not come to repent your existence, You'll never approach the circle of gnostics and drunkards Unless in other's eyes you become an infidel, In the creed of lovers, you'll never be Muslim."

"Hell is where you are and Paradise where you are not."

"Evil is thou', and the worst evil is thou', which thou knowest it not."

"There is nothing inside this coat except Allah."

"Near the river of Sodra Kutbu-d din killed four fierce tigers at the roaring of which the heart was appalled, and on the day after crossing that river, he joined the camp of the king on the bank of the Jelam, and was received with royal kindness. They mounted their horses and swam them like fish across the Jelam, and on the bank of the river entered on their plans for the approaching action, and arranged all the preparations for fight after joining together in consultation. Kutbu-d din suggested that it was not right for the king to expose his person against such enemies and suggested that the command of the Musulman army should be entrusted to himself alone; but the persuasion of his general seemed to have had no effect upon the resolution of the Sultan. [There was] battle near the ford of the Jelam, the waves of which were filled with blood, and in which the armies of infidelity and true faith commingled together like waves of the sea, and contended with each other like night and day or light and darkness. Shamsu-d din was also engaged in this fight. [p. 91] The Kokars were completely defeated, and, in that country there remained not an inhabitant to light a fire. Much spoil in slaves and weapons, beyond all enumeration, fell into the possession of the victors. One of the sons of the Kokar Rai, the chief instigator these hostilities, rushed into the river with a detachment of his Satanical followers, and fled with one horse from the field of battle to a fort on the hill of Jud, and escaped the sword, threw into it the last breathings of a dying man. The next day, Muhammad Sam advanced towards the hill of Jud, where the action was renewed, which ended in the capture of the fortress, and the Hindus like a torrent descended from the top of the hill to the bottom. The Rai of the hill of Jud, putting on the robes of a Brahman, presented himself like a slave, and kissed the face of the earth before the Sultan, by whom he was admitted to pardon. Immense booty was taken in the fort...."

"[p. 93 Îltutmish’s reign. Capture of Jalor ] After some time, they represented to his Majesty that the inhabitants of the fort of Jalewar (Jalor) had [p. 94] determined to revenge the blood which had been shed, and once or twice mention of the evil deeds and improprieties of that people was made before the sublime throne.... ‘Udi Shah, the accursed, took to the four wall of Jalewar, an exceedingly strong fortress, the gates of which had never been opened by any conqueror. ... The Sultan then returned to Delhi, which is the capital of prosperity and the palace of glory, and after his arrival, [p. 95] not a vestige or name remained of the idol temples which had reared their heads on high; and the light of faith shone out from the darkness of infidelity, like the sun from a curtain of sorrow, or after its emerging from an eclipse4 and threw its shade over the provinces of Hind and Sind, the far and near countries of idolatry; and the moon of religion and the State became resplendent from the heaven of prosperity and glory."

"From that place the royal army proceeded towards Benares, which is the centre of the country of Hind, and here they destroyed nearly one thousand temples, and raised mosques on their foundations; and the knowledge of the law became promulgated, and the foundations of religion were established; and the face of the dinar and the diram was adorned with the name and blessed titles of the king. The Rais and chiefs of Hind came forward to proffer their allegiance. The government of that country was then bestowed on one of the most celebrated and exalted servants of the State, in order that he might distribute justice and repress idolatry...."

"When the army was mustered, it was found to amount to fifty thousand mounted men clad in armour and coats of mail, with which they advanced to fight against the Rai of Benares. The king ordered Kutbu-d din to proceed with the vanguard, consisting of one thousand cavalry, which fell upon the army of the enemies of religion, and completely defeated it. On its return to the king, the officers were presented with robes of honour... The Rai of Benares, Jai Chand, the chief of idolatry and perdition, advanced to oppose the royal troops with an army, countless as the particles of sand, and the noise of the war-drum proclaimed to the ears of the worshippers of one God, aid comes from the Almighty, and the sound of the silver kettle-drum and the blast of the brazen trumpets resounded to heaven. Rai of Benares, who prided himself on the number of his forces and war elephants, seated on a lofty howdah, received a deadly wound from an arrow, and fell from his exalted seat to the earth. His head was carried on the point of a spear to the commander, and his body was thrown to the dust of contempt. The impurities of idolatry were purged by the water of the sword from that land, and the country of Hind was freed from vice and superstition... “Immense booty was obtained, such as the eye of the beholder would be weary to look at, “including one (some copies say three) hundred elephants. The royal army then took possession’ ‘of the fort of Asni where the treasure of the Rai was deposited,” and there much more precious spoil of all kinds rewarded the victors."

"The Musulmans did not dare to attack them in that strong position, especially as in that very place Muhammad Sam Ghori had been wounded, and it was considered of bad omen to bring on another action there, lest a similar accident might occur to the commander. The Hindus seeing this hesitation, and misconstruing it into cowardice and alarm, abandoning the pass, turned their faces towards the field of battle and the plain of honour and renown; for they were persuaded that fear had established itself in the hearts of the protectors of the sacred enclosure of religion. The two armies stood face to face for some time, engaged in preparations for fight, and on the night preceeding Sunday, the 13th of Rabi’u-l awwal, in a fortunate moment the army of Islam advanced from its camp, and at morn reached the position of the infidels. A severe action ensued from dawn to mid-day, when the army of idolatry and damnation turned its back in flight from the line of battle. Most of their leaders were taken prisoners, and nearly fifty thousand infidels were despatched to hell by the sword, and from the heaps of the slain, the hills and the plains became of one level. Rai Karan effected his escape from the field. More than twenty thousand slaves, and twenty elephants, and cattle and arms beyond all calculation, [p. 86] fell into the hands of the victors. You would have thought that the treasures of the kings of all the inhabitants of the world had come into their possession."

"After some delay, the various servants and officers of the Province became aware of what had really happened, and the intelligence of the true circumstances was spread throughout the far and near countries of Hind and Sind. Upon this, the tribe of Kokars (Gakkhurs) (God annihilate them!) said that from anyone who had the least knowledge and sense, it could not be concealed that if the sacred person of the Sultan had been alive, the like of these transactions could never have been done by Aibak Bak, and that therefore the great king had exchanged his throne of empire for one of dust, and had departed from the house of mortality to the world of holiness. In consequence of these impressions, seditious thoughts entered the brains of the Hindus, and the madness of independence and dominion affected the heads of Bakan and Sarki, the chiefs of the Kokars, who thrust their heads out of the collar of obedience, and opened their hands for the destruction of villages and the plunder of cattle, and kindled the flames of turbulence and sedition between the waters of the Sodra3 and the Jelam, by the aid of a crowd of the dependents of Satan. When their ravages had exceeded all bounds, Bahau-d din Muhammad, governor of Sangwan, with his brothers, who held lands (akta’) within the borders of Multan, accompanied by many of the chief people of the city, marched out against them, determined to repress the violence of those accursed rebels and enemies of the State and religion; but many of them were captured or slain by the exertions of the army of the infidels, in number like the [p. 90] drops of rain or leaves of the forest. Their power consequently increased day by day and a general named Sulaiman was obliged to fly before the superior numbers of the enemy. When these circumstances were reported to Muhammad Ghori, he determined on proceeding to the scene of action, and sent on the Amir Hajib, Siraju-d din Abu Bakr, one of his confidential servants, to inform Kutbu-d din of his intentions. In consequence of which, Kutbu-d din advanced to meet his Majesty at the opening of the cold season. At every stage intelligence reached him from the royal camp urging his advance and informing him that the blood-thirsty sword would be sheathed and the camp would halt, and that no measures would be taken to exterminate the infidels until he had passed the river, (Chinab) which intervened between his and the royal camp...."

"After staying sometime at Delhi, he marched in the year 590 H. (1194 A.D.) towards Kol and Benares, passing the Jun (Jumna) which, from its exceeding purity, resembled a mirror. He took Kol, which is one of the most celebrated fortresses of Hind. Those of the garrison who were wise and acute were converted to Islam, but those who stood by their ancient faith were slain with the sword. The nobles and chiefs of the State entered the fort, and carried off much treasure and countless plunder including one thousand horses..."

"“The conqueror entered the city and its vicinity was freed from idols and idol-worship; and in the sanctuaries of the images of the gods, mosques were razed by the worshippers of the one God”."

"[In 1206, Muhammad Ghauri marched to exterminate the recalcitrant Khokhar rebels who had established their sway in regions of Multan. The slaughter of the rebels was so thorough that none survived to light a fire.] ‘Much spoils in slaves and weapons, beyond all enumerations, fell into the possession of the victors’."

"Kutub-ud-din, on whose fortunate forehead the light of world-conquest shone conspicuous … purged by his sword the land of Hind from the filth of infidelity and vice, and freed the whole of that country from the thorn of God-plurality, and the impurity of idol-worship, and by his royal vigour and intrepidity, left not one temple standing."

"'The Government of the fort of Kohram and of Samana was made over by the Sultan to Kutbu-d din... [who] by the aid of his sword of Yemen and dagger of India became established in independent power over the countries of Hind and Sind' He purged by his sword the land of Hind from the filth of infidelity and vice, and freed the whole of that country from the thorn of God-plurality, and the impurity of idol-worship, and by his royal vigour and intrepidity, left not one temple standing'"

"A severe action ensued from dawn to mid-day, when "the army of idolatry and damnation turned its back in flight from the line of battle.... fifty thousand infidels were despatched to hell by the sword... and from the heaps of the slain, the hills and the plains became of one level."

"He accordingly prepared for an expedition again the Rai, and mounted his steed, of which there is a poetical description. “The Victorious army on the right and on the left departed towards Ajmir.” “When the Kola (natural son) of the Rai of Ajmir, the vaunts of whose courage had reached the ears of far and near, heard of the approach of the auspicious standards and the victorious armies, he advanced for the purpose of fighting, and having adjusted the robe of slaughter and the arms of battle, marched on over hills and deserts with a well-equipped army, the number of which cannot be conceived in the picture-gallery of the imagination. “When the crow-faced Hindus began to sound their white shells on the backs of the elephants, you would have said that a river of pitch was flowing impetuously down the face of a mountain of blue.”...The army of Islam was completely victorious, and an hundred thousand grovelling Hindus swiftly departed to the fire of hell. The Rai of Ajmir was taken prisoner during the action, but his life was spared. After this great victory, the army of Islam marched forward to Ajmir, where it arrived at a fortunate moment and under an auspicious bird, and obtained so [p. 69] much booty and wealth, that you might have said that the secret depositories of the seas and hills had been revealed....While the Sultan remained at Ajmir, he destroyed the pillars and foundations of the idol temples, and built in their stead mosques and colleges, and the precepts of Islam, and the customs of the law were divulged and established..."

"The Government of the fort of Kohram and of Samana were made over by the Sultan to ‘Kutbu-d din, on whose fortunate forehead the light of world-conquest shone conspicuously, and who by his lofty courage and pure faith without doubt was worthy of the kingdom and suitable for the throne of sovereignty; and by the aid of his sword of Yemen and dagger of India became established in independent power over the countries of Hind and Sind. He purged by his sword the land of Hind from the filth of infidelity and vice and freed the whole of that country from the thorn of God-plurality, and the impurity of idol-worship, and by his royal vigour and intrepidity, left not one temple standing. He extinguished the flame of discord by the splendour [p. 71] of the light of justice, and the smoke of the darkness of oppression vanished from the face of the earth..."

"'Such was the man who was sent on an embassy to Ajmir, in order that the Rai (Pithaura) of that country might see the right way without the intervention of the sword, and that he might incline from the track of opposition into the path of propriety, leaving his airy follies for the institutes of the knowledge of Allah, and acknowledging the expediency of uttering the words of martyrdom and repeating the precepts of the law, and might abstain from infidelity and darkness, which entails the loss of this world and that to come, and might place in his ear the ring of slavery to the sublime Court (may Allah exalt it!) which is the centre of justice and mercy, and the pivot of the Sultans of the worldand by these means and modes might cleanse the fords of good life from the sins of impurity'...'The army of Islam was completely victorious, and 'an hundred thousand grovelling Hindus swiftly departed to the fire of hell'... After this great victory, the army of Islam marched forward to Ajmir, where it arrived at a fortunate moment and under an auspicious bird, and obtained so much booty and wealth, that you might have said that the secret depositories of the seas and hills had been revealed....'While the Sultan remained at Ajmir, he destroyed the pillars and foundations of the idol temples, and built in their stead mosques and colleges, and the precepts of Islam, and the customs of the law were divulged and established'"

"Hasan Nizami writes that after the suppression of a Hindu revolt at Kol (Aligarh) in 1193 AD, Aibak raised “three bastions as high as heaven with their heads, and their carcases became food for beasts of prey. The tract was freed from idols and idol-worship and the foundations of infidelism were destroyed.” In 1194 AD Aibak destroyed 27 Hindu temples at Delhi and built the Quwwat-ul-Islãm mosque with their debris. According to Nizami, Aibak “adorned it with the stones and gold obtained from the temples which had been demolished by elephants”. In 1195 AD the Mher tribe of Ajmer rose in revolt, and the Chaulukyas of Gujarat came to their assistance. Aibak had to invite re-inforcements from Ghazni before he could meet the challenge. In 1196 AD he advanced against Anahilwar Patan, the capital of Gujarat. Nizami writes that after Raja Karan was defeated and forced to flee, “fifty thousand infidels were despatched to hell by the sword” and “more than twenty thousand slaves, and cattle beyond all calculation fell into the hands of the victors”. The city was sacked, its temples demolished, and its palaces plundered. On his return to Ajmer, Aibak destroyed the Sanskrit College of Visaladeva, and laid the foundations of a mosque which came to be known as ADhãî Din kã JhoMpaDã. Conquest of Kalinjar in 1202 AD was Aibak’s crowning achievement. Nizami concludes: “The temples were converted into mosques… Fifty thousand men came under the collar of slavery and the plain became black as pitch with Hindus.”"

"After settling the affairs of Ajmir, the conqueror marched "towards Dehli (may God preserve its prosperity and perpetuate its splendour !) which is among the chief (mother) cities of Hind. When he arrived at Dehli, he saw " a fortress which in height and strength had not its equal nor second throughout the length and breadth of the seven climes." The army encamped around the fort. " A torrent of blood flowed on the field of battle, and it became evident to the chiefs that if they did not seek for safety from the sword of the king of the earth, and if they should deliver into the hands of Satan the time of option and the reins of good counsel, the condition of Dehli would be like that of Ajmir ; so from the dread of kingly punishment, the Rai and mukaddams of that country placed their heads upon the line of slavery, and their feet within the circle of obedience, and made firm the conditions of tribute [mdlguzdrt) and the usages of service."

"“The other miracle is that before his arrival the whole of Hindustan was submerged by unbelief and idol-worship. Every haughty man in Hind pronounced himself to be Almighty God and considered himself as the partner of God. All the people of India used to prostrate themselves before stones, idols, trees, animals, cows and cow-dung. Because of the darkness of unbelief over this land their hearts were locked and hardened. “All India was ignorant of orders of religion and law. All were ignorant of Allah and His Prophet. None had seen the Ka‘ba. None had heard of the Greatness of Allah. “Because of his coming, the, Sun of real believers, the helper of religion, Mu‘in al-din, the darkness of unbelief in this land was illumined by the light of Islam. “Because of his Sword, instead of idols and temples in the land of unbelief now there are mosques, mihrab and mimbar. In the land where there were the sayings of the idol-worshippers, there is the sound of ‘Allahu Akbar’. “The descendants of those who were converted to Islam in this land will live until the Day of Judgement; so too will those who bring others into the fold of Islam by the sword of Islam. Until the Day of Judgement these converts will be in the debt of Shaykh al-Islam Mu‘in al-din Hasan Sijza and these people will be drawing closer to Almighty Allah because of the auspicious devotion of Mu‘in al-din.”"

"Sir-ul-Awliya, the most famous history of the Chishtiyya school written by Khwaja Amir Khurd, another disciple of Nizam-ud-din Awliya, tells the following story: “His [Muin-ud-din’s] blessed tongue uttered spontaneously, ‘We have handed over Pithora alive to the army of Islam.’ In those very days, Sultan Muiz-ud-din Sam arrived in Ajmer from Ghazni. Pithora had to face the army of Islam. He was captured alive by Sultan Muiz-ud-din… The Khwaja [Muinud-din] was a worker of great wonders. Before he reached Hindustan, all its cities right upto the point of sunrise were sunk in tumult and infidelity and were involved with idols and idolatry. Everyone among the rabble [Gods] of Hindustan claimed to be the great God and a co-sharer in the divinity of Allah. The people paid homage to stones, sods of clay, trees, quadrupeds, cows and bulls and their dung. The darkness of infidelism had made still more firm the seals on their hearts… Muin-ud-din was indeed the very sun of the true faith. As a result of his arrival, the darkness that had spread over this country was dispelled. It became bright and glowed in the light of Islam... Anyone who has become a Musalman in this country will stay a Musalman till the Day of Dissolution. His progeny will also remain Musalman… The people [of Hindustan] will be brought out of dar-ul-harb into dar-ul-Islam by means of many wars.""

"Mu‘in al-din is believed to have been Allah’s appointed evangelist in Hindustan, to have been instrumental in the victory of the Muslim armies in their final invasion of India, to have had authority over Mughal emperors, to have performed countless miracles, embodied the values of Islam, to communicate readily with God and man, and to watch constantly over the welfare of his devotees. However, this faith in Mu‘in al-din rests on assumptions about his life and about the origins of the cult which subsequently developed that have only very limited historical justification."

"When Mu ‘in al-din heard of this he said, ‘We have caught Rai Pithaura alive and have given him to the army of Islam.’ Accordingly in those days Sultan Mu‘izz al-din came with his army from Ghazni and fought with Pithaura who fell alive into the hands of the Sultan."

"From there the Khwaja went to Ajmer. ... Reaching there he decided to sit under a tree, but the camel keepers ordered him away as the area belonged to the Ra'i. The Khwaja and his followers moved to a place near the Anasagar Lake. His servants killed a cow and cooked kebabs for him. Some members of the Khwaja’s party went to Anasagar and the others to Pansela Lake for ablutions. There were one thousand temples on the two lakes. The Brahmans stopped the ablutions and the party complained to the Khwaja. He sent his servant to bring water for his ewer. As soon as the ewer touched the Pansela Lake, all the lakes, tanks and wells around became dry. The Khwaja went to the Anasagar Lake temple and asked the name of the idol. He was told it was called Sawi Deva. The Khwaja asked whether the idol had talked to them. On receiving a negative reply he made the idol recite kalima and converted it into a human being, naming it Sa‘di. This caused a sensation in the town. Prithviraj ordered his prime minister Jaipal who was also a magician, to avert the evil influence of the Khwaja. Jaipal proceeded to fight the Khwaja with 700 magical dragons, 1,500 magical discs and 700 disciples. The Khwaja drew a circle bringing his party within it under his protection, and succeeded in killing all the dragons and disciples. Pithaura and Jaipal begged the Khwaja’s forgiveness. The Khwaja’s prayers restored water to the lakes, tanks and wells. A large number of people accepted Islam. Jaipal decided to compete with the Khwaja in the performance of miracles. Sitting on his deer skin he flew to the heavens. ‘The Khwaja ordered his slippers to bring Jaipal back to earth, which they did. On Jaipal’s request to show him some miracles, the Khwaja’s spirit flew to the highest heaven, where Jaipal also joined him. Getting nearer to the divine presence, on the Khwaja’s orders Jaipal accepted Islam in order to gain the full benefit of that spiritual bliss. When they returned the Khwaja and his party stayed in the town. Pithaura refused to accept Islam and the Khwaja prophesied he would be handed over to the Islamic army.“ (from the Jawahir-i Faridi written in 1623) p.117"