Dabistan-i-Mazahib - A 17th Century Chronicle in Persian

Dr. Jasbir Singh Sarna*

* History scholar. Address: Near Super Bazar, Baramulla-193101 (Kashmir)

The FARSI magnum opus of seventeenth century, Dabistan-i-Mazahib has been ascribed by

many writers to Mulla Mohsin Fani Kashmiri. But when examined in depth this authorship is

assailed by doubt. Many biographers have mentioned Mohsin Fani, but not a single

historiographer has ascribed the Dabistan to him.

The Dabistan-i-Mazahib has nothing to do with Mohsin Fani Kashmiri. There are many reasons

for this argument. The prose style of Mohsin Fani is quite different from that of Dabistan-i-

Mazahib.

There are 395 pages of the Dabistan, out of which 134 pages deal with the various Iranian

religious sects, particularly the Parsi and Sapasi faiths.

For Islam and its various sects, only 38 pages (6th Chapter) are reserved wherein the information

is at best from secondary sources, mostly based on hearsay and what other scholars had told him.

Mulla Mohsin Fani Kashmiri was doubtless a great scholar of his time. His Masdarul-Athar

Mathnavi reveals his profound knowledge of Islam. In dealing with contemporary Sufis the

author has not mentioned Muhibullah Allahabadi, of whom he was a devout disciple, and whom

he could never ignore.

The author of the Dabistan-i-Mazahib, had probably lived in Kashmir for several years, but he

never claimed Kashmir as his native home, while Mulla Mohsin Fani was unquestionably a

native of the valley of Kashmir.

Recent researches tend to show that Maubad Zulfiqar Ardistani (C.1615-1670), a Zoroastrian

priest was the author of the Dabistan-i-Mazahib. Zulfiqar had spent a lot of time in Kashmir,

Punjab, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Patna in Bihar where he spent his childhood.

The main reason that has creeped in historiography about Dabistan’s author as Mohsin Fani,

because some of the Manuscripts of Dabistan, in the beginning, read "Mohsin Fani Says", and

then follow two couplets of Muhsin Fani. In this regard, the judgment of Mulla Firuz is crystal

clear, "That a careless or ignorant reader may have considered the words, "Mohsin Fani says," as

forming the commencement of the volume, and containing the name of the author of the whole

book; whereas they merely indicate the author of the couplets that follow" (The Dabistan-i-

Mazhib, Vol.I, P.XI).

Dr. S.A.H. Abidi in his Mathnawiyyat-I-Fani Kashmiri says, "Sir Willian Jones thought that the

book was composed by Mohsin Fani and his judgment gave weight to the idea of somehow or

other linking the book with the name of Fani Kashmiri.

On the other hand William Erskin discovered an account of Mohsin Fani in the Gul-i-Raina, but

says, "it is to be observed that Lachhmi does not mention the Dabistan as a production of Mohsin

Fani". (The Dabistan-I-Mazahib, Vol-I, P-XI).

Similarly Shay and Troyer Say, "Erskine.......concludes that it seems improbable that Mohsin

Fani and the author of the Dabistan were the same person............ he coincides with...................

Vans Kennedy". (Op. Cit; Paris).

Nevertheless, Mulla Mohsin Fani (Fani was his penname) was a Kashmiri. He was the pupil of

Mulla Yakub Safri (death : 1605 A.D.) and Muhibullah Allahabadi (death : 1648-49 A.D.).

Muhsin Fani was the teacher of Ghani Kashmiri (death : 1668-69 A.D) and Salim Kashmiri

(death : 1707 A.D.). Mohsin Fani Kashmiri also remained courtier of Prince Dara Shukoh for

several years. He was in the service of Nazr Mohd Khan (death : 1650 A.D.), the ruler of Balkh.

He also remained in the service of Shah Jahan for sometime and became Chief Judge. When

Murad Bakhsh defeated Nazr Mohd, there was found in the library of the latter a copy of Fani’s

Diwan which contained qasidas in praise of Nazr Mohd. Fani was dismissed from the post of

Chief Judge but was permitted to receive a small pension. After his certain dismissal from the

service, Mohsin Fani began to lead a retired life in his native home Kashmir. In Kashmir, Fani

spend most of time in teaching well known persons, writers, scholars, teachers used to visit him

regularly. The name of Mohsin Fani’s house was ‘Hauz Khas’.

According to the Masnawiyyat-i-Fani Kashmiri, when Zafar Khan became the Governor of

Kashmir, Fani was very jubilant and wrote a number of lines in the praise of Zafar Khan. Later

on, they had a disagreement. Mohsin Fani was in deep love with a dancing Kashmiri girl known

as NIJI, who was loved by Zafar Khan also. When the girl did not respond to Zafar Khan he

satirized both NIJI and Mohsin Fani. Fani in his return lampooned Zafar Khan. In these

prevailing circumstances, Mohsin Fani had to leave his birth place, Kashmir and take refuge in

Delhi. Some of his couplets show that Fani had a great love for his motherland Kashmir. One of

the contemporary of Mohsin Fani, Mulla Mufid Balakhi has written that Fani was addicted to

opium and wine during the last years of his life and died in 1670-71 A.D.

The remarkable work of Mohsin Fani Kashmiri was his "The kulliyat-e-Fani" (Manuscript

No.3565, Rampur). The Diwan of Fani contains 5000-7000 Verses.

Masnawis 4 Couplets 7366

Ghazals - Verses 5265

Qasidas 5 Verses 1680

Quatrains 166

Total: 13131

The masnawis of Mohsin Fani are as follows:

Naz-u-Niya (historical love story), Maikhane (in this, he praised gardens, streams, rivers and

beautiful places of Kashmir). In this mathnawi, Fani poet satirised qazis for their dubious

character; Masdarul-Attar (In praise of Shah Jahan); Haft-Akhtar (Dedicated to Alamgir). Beside

these Mohsin Fani has composed many qasidas, Ghazals, quatrains. Mohsin Fani has also

introduced a number of Hindi words in his mathnawi and qasidas. Mohsin Fani has also written

marginal notes in prose on the ‘Shah-i-Aqaid’ in Arabic. This manuscript is preserved under Ms.

No. 794, Islamia College, Peshawar.

Zulfiqar Ardistani, who is the real author of Dabistan-i-Mazhib (Schools of religions) died at

Gulzarbagh, Patna (Bihar) in 1670 A.D.

Dabistan-i-Mazhib mentions some of the aspects of philosophy and partial History of the

religions prevalent in the sub-continent during the seventeenth century. This book contains

introduction and main aspects of the following religions into fourteen chapters viz Parsis,

Hindus, Tibetians, Jews, Nanak Panthis (Sikhs), Muslims, Sachikes, Bahudies, Roshnies,

Illahies, Hakims, Sufies, Kabir Panthies, etc.

The author of the Dabistan had met Guru Hargobind Sahib and Guru Har Rai Sahib in Kashmir,

during their travels. According to the Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer, "Ardastani has recorded

several basic postulates of the Sikh philosophy as well as the History of the Sikhs for that period.

Though there is some incorrect data and minor flaws but still his depiction is almost near reality.

(The Sikh Reference Book, Canada, 1997, P. : 266).

The main postulates in the Dabistan about Sikhism are:

The Sikhs believe that all Guru Sahiban were Nanak(s) in spirit. Those who did

not believe this were considered heretical.

The Sikhs worshipped only one Creator timeless person : Akal Purukh.

The Sikh gave no special regard to Sanskrit language sacred to the Hindus, and

used folk language for disseminating faith.

The Sikhs were found every where (cosmopolitan).

Mention is also made about the army, the horsemen, the guns of the Guru Sahib, the Masand

system, the battles of Guru Hargobind Sahib, etc.

The Dabistan-i-Mazhib has been translated into several languages, including the early Punjabi

scripts, ‘Takre’ and ‘Nagri’ between 1870 to 1880 A.D. ‘Takre’ Manuscript is lying in the Dogri

Deptt., Jammu University, Jammu under No.: 380/156 - when author of these lines saw this

manuscript its leaves were slightly damaged. This manuscript was shifted from Srinagar to

Jammu in 1980. This manuscript begins with a word in ‘Takre’ followed by ‘Sri Wahe-Guru

Sahib’ in Persian. It has about 250 pages (handwritten).

The ‘Nagri’ script is still preserved in the Research Library, University of Kashmir, Srinagar.

Every page of this manuscript has 24 lines and are beautifully written. This manuscript has 519

pages.

The chapter on the Sikhs "Nanak Panthis" is included from 223-240 pages. This Dabistan is

believed to be written in 1645 A.D.

The author of the Dabistan was an admirer of Guru Hargobind Sahib and his account of the

Sikhs and Sikhism of those days is therefore of great value to a research student of Sikh history

and religion.

The work has been translated into English by Shea and Troyer, and section on the Sikhs or

Nanak Panthies has been translated by S. Umrao Singh Majithia in English. Shea and Troyer

have apparently made major mistakes while translating some of the lines which form the basic

postulates of Sikhism. The well know historian, Dr. Ganda Singh translated, in 1939, a portion

on "Nanak Panthis" in latter stage, both in English and Punjabi, along with footnotes. This

translation was published in Journal of India : History published by Kerala University,

Trivandrum. The ‘Dabistan-Mazhib was compiled in 1055 A.H., (1645 A.D.). It was published

in book form by Nawal Kishore press, Cawnpore in 1904.