Note 59 — Chapter III · MUGHAL VICEROYS. a.d. 1573–1758. (continued 2)

Of the death at the age of nine years of this son of Saint Sháh-i-Álam the Mirăt-i-Áhmedi (Printed Persian Text, II. 26) gives the following details: Malik Seif-ud-dín, the daughter’s son of Sultán Áhmed I., had a son who he believed was born to him by the prayer of Saint Sháh-i-Álam. This boy who was about nine years old died. Malik Seif-ud-dín ran to Sháh-i-Álam, who used then to live at Asáwal, two or three miles east of Áhmedábád, and in a transport of grief and rage said to the Saint: ‘Is this the way you deceive people? Surely you obtained me the gift of that boy to live and not to die? This I suppose is how you will keep your promise of mediating for our sinful souls before Alláh also?’ The Saint could give no reply and retired to his inner apartments. The stricken father went to the Saint’s son Sháh Bhíkan, who, going in to his father, entreated him to restore the Malik’s boy to life. The Saint asked his son ‘Are you prepared to die for the boy?’ Sháh Bhíkan said ‘I am ready.’ The Saint, going into an inner room, spread his skirts before Alláh crying ‘Rájanji,’ a pet name by which the Saint used to address Alláh, meaning Dear King or Lord, ‘Rájanji, here is a goat for a goat; take thou this one and return the other.’ Lamentations in the Saint’s harem showed that half of the prayer was granted and the Malik on returning to his house found the other half fulfilled. ↑