Hindu Vivek Kendra
A RESOURCE CENTER FOR THE PROMOTION OF HINDUTVA
   
 
 
«« Back
 

Claims of William Dalrymple on Babur debunked by Babur himself

Author: Aabhas K Maldahiyar
Publication: Organiser.org
Date: May 9, 2019
URL:      https://www.organiser.org//Encyc/2019/5/9/Claims-of-William-Dalrymple-on-Babur-debunked-by-Babur-himself.html

William Dalrymple, author of several books and a favorite of the Lutyens historians, recently in a vile tweet claimed that 'Babur scarcely refers to Islam" and quoted from the book of Stephen Dale. More than truth about Babur, it was evident that Dalrymple wanted to score against those who opposed his version of history which claimed Babur was not an Islamic invader and did not destroy temples nor built Mosques over them. Aabhas Maldahiyar demolished such claims on Babur in a series of Tweets and established that Babur indeed fought in the name of Islam and saw Hindus as Kafirs or infidels.

SadarPranam to “Ishwara” within you @DalrympleWill ji. Babur’s truth is neither the baby in arms of “William” nor ”Sanghis” that it can be tailored per choice. Read 👇🏼 where I quote from “Baburnama” which tramples your rhetoric. You may respond in full capacity.
...................................................................................
(w. Bdbur leaves Agra against Rdjtd Sangd.)

{Feb. nth) On Monday the 9th of the first Jumada, we got out of the suburbs of Agra, on our journey {safar) for the Holy War, and dismounted in the open country, where we remained three or four days to collect our army and be its rallying-point. As little confidence was placed in Hindustan! people, the Hindu-stan amirs were inscribed for expeditions to this or to that side : — 'Alam Khan ( Tahangari) was sent hastily to Gualiar to Fol. 3093. reinforce Rahlm-dad ; Makan, Qasim Beg Sanbalt {Sambhalz) Hamid with his elder and younger brethren and Muhammad Zaitun were inscribed to go swiftly to Sanbal.

(«. Defeat of the advance-force.)

Into this same camp came the news that owing to Rana Sanga's swift advance with all his army, our scouts were able neither to get into the fort (Blana) themselves nor to send news into it. The Blana garrison made a rather incautious sally too far out ; the enemy fell on them in some force and put them to
 
 T. chapduq. Cf. the two Persian translations 215 f. 20<b and 217 f. 215 ; also Ilminsky, p. 401.

 bulghan chlrlki. The Rana's forces are thus stated by Tod {Rdjastdn ; Annals of Marwar Cap. ix) : — " Eighty thousand horse, 7 Rajas of the highest rank, 9 Raos, and 104 chieftains bearing the titles of Rawul and Rawut, with 500 war- elephants, followed him into the field." Babur's army, all told, was 12,000 when he crossed the Indus from Kabul ; it will have had accretions from his own officers in the Panj-ab and some also from other quarters, and will have had losses at Panipat ; his reliable kernel of fighting-strength cannot but have been numerically insignificant, compared with the Rajput host. Tod says that almost all the princes of Rajastan followed the Rana at Kanwa.
...................................................................................

On Monday the 9th of the first Jumada, we got out of the suburbs of Agra, on our journey (safar) for the Holy War... Babur writing abt the battle against the Rajput Confederacy led by Maharana Sangram of Mewar. In Babur-Nama, translated by A.S. Beveridge, pp. 547
...................................................................................
and the help that cometh from on high. '' Every soul is prone unto evil' (and again) ''This is the bounty of God; He will give the same unto whom He pleaseth ; and God is endued with great bounty'' 

Our motive for these remarks and for repeating these state- ments is that, by reason of human frailty, of the customs of kings and of the great, all of us, from the Shah to the sipahT, in the heyday of our youth, have transgressed and done what we ought not to have done. After some days of sorrow and repentance, we abandoned evil practices one by one, and the gates of retrogression became closed. But the renunciation of wine, the greatest and most indispensable of renunciations, remained under a veil in the chamber of deeds pledged to appear in due season and did not show its countenance until the glorious hour when we had put on the garb of the holy warrior and had encamped with the army of Islam over against the infidels in order to slay them. On this occasion I received a secret inspiration and heard an infallible voice say "/$• not the time yet come unto those who believe that their heaj-ts should humbly submit to the admonition of God, and that tt'uth which hath been revealed ? " 3 Thereupon we set ourselves to extirpate the things of wickedness, and we earnestly knocked at the gates of repentance. The Guide of Help assisted us, according to the saying "Whoever knocks and re-knocks, to him it will be opened ", and an order was given that with the Holy War there should fol. 313*5. begin the still greater war which has to be waged against sensuality. In short, we declared with sincerity that we would subjugate our passions, and I engraved on the tablet of my heart " / turn unto Thee with repentance, and I am the first of true believers ".4 And I made public the resolution to abstain from wine, which had been hidden in the treasury of my breast. The victorious servants, in accordance with the illustrious order, dashed upon the earth of contempt and destruction the flagons and the cups, and the other utensils in gold and silver, which in their number and their brilliance were like the stars of the firmament. They dashed them in pieces, as, God willing ! soon
...................................................................................

(Holy-War~Jihad), isn’t it @DalrympleWill ji? Now let me take you further thru “Baburnama”. “On this occasion I received a secret inspiration and heard an infallible voice say: 'Is not the time yet come unto those who believe... that their hearts should humbly submit to the admonition of God.” Can you notice word “God(Allah)” William Ji? Doesn’t it cripple your tweet & the source you quote?
...................................................................................
and the help that cometh from on high. '' Every soul is prone unto evil' (and again) ''This is the bounty of God; He will give the same unto whom He pleaseth ; and God is endued with great bounty'' 

Our motive for these remarks and for repeating these state- ments is that, by reason of human frailty, of the customs of kings and of the great, all of us, from the Shah to the sipahT, in the heyday of our youth, have transgressed and done what we ought not to have done. After some days of sorrow and repentance, we abandoned evil practices one by one, and the gates of retrogression became closed. But the renunciation of wine, the greatest and most indispensable of renunciations, remained under a veil in the chamber of deeds pledged to appear in due season and did not show its countenance until the glorious hour when we had put on the garb of the holy warrior and had encamped with the army of Islam over against the infidels in order to slay them. On this occasion I received
...................................................................................

Babur also writes: “...the glorious hour when we had put in the garb of the holy warrior & had encamped with the army of Islam over against the infidels in order to slay them.” Babur-Nama, translated by A.S. Beveridge, pp. 554.
...................................................................................
O Thou the Exalter of the pillars of Islam, Helper of thy faithful minister, Overthrower of the pedestals of idols, Overcomer of rebellious foes, Exterminator to the uttermost of the followers of darkness!

Lauds be to God the Lord of the worlds, and may the blessing of God be upon the best of His creatures Muhammad, Lord of ghdzis and champions of the Faith, and upon his companions, the pointers of the way, until the Day of judgment.

The successive gifts of the Almighty are the cause of frequent praises and thanksgivings, and the number of these praises and thanksgivings is, in its turn, the cause of the constant succession of God's mercies. For every mercy a thanksgiving is due, and every thanksgiving is followed by a mercy. To render full thanks is beyond men's power ; the mightiest are helpless to discharge their obligations. Above all, adequate thanks cannot be rendered for a benefit than which none is greater in the world and nothing is more blessed, in the world to come, to wit, victory over most powerful infidels and dominion over wealthiest heretics, " these are the unbelievers, the wicked!' ' In the eyes of the judicious, no blessing can be greater than this. Thanks be to God ! that this great blessing and mighty boon, which from the cradle until now has been the real object of this right-thinking mind (Babur's), has now manifested itself by the graciousness of the King of the worlds ; the Opener who dispenses his treasures without awaiting solicitation, hath opened them with a master- key before our victorious Nawab (Babur), so that the names of our 3 conquering heroes have been emblazoned in the records of glorious ghdzis. By the help of our victorious soldiers the Fol. 317. standards of Islam have been raised to the highest pinnacles. The account of this auspicious fortune is as follows : —
...................................................................................

He further writes: “...thanks can’t be rendered for a benefit than which none is greater in the world & nothing is more blessed,in the world to come,to wit,victory over most powerful infidels & dominion over wealthiest heretics, these are the unbelievers,the wicked.” (PP 560)
...................................................................................
the judicious, no blessing can be greater than this. Thanks be to God ! that this great blessing and mighty boon, which from the cradle until now has been the real object of this right-thinking mind (Babur's), has now manifested itself by the graciousness of the King of the worlds ; the Opener who dispenses his treasures without awaiting solicitation, hath opened them with a master- key before our victorious Nawab (Babur), so that the names of our 3 conquering heroes have been emblazoned in the records of glorious ghdzis. By the help of our victorious soldiers the Fol. 317. standards of Islam have been raised to the highest pinnacles. The account of this auspicious fortune is as follows : —
...................................................................................

@DalrympleWill do you notice the word “Ghazis”? I’m sure that you needn’t be told what “Ghazi” means. Let me take you further through “Jihadi” assertions of Babur.
...................................................................................
933 AH.— OCT. 8th 1526 TO SEP. 27th 1527 AD. 563

Heart, having joined with other pagans, dark-fated and doomed to perdition, advanced to contend with the followers of Islam and to destroy the foundations of the law of the Prince of Men (Muhammad), on whom be God's blessing ! The protagonists of the royal forces fell, like divine destiny, on that one-eyed Dajjal  who, to understanding men, shewed the truth of the saying. When Fate arrives, the eye becomes blind, and, setting
before their eyes the scripture which saith. Whosoever striveth to promote the true religion, striveth for the good of his own soul FoL 3 18*5. they acted on the precept to which obedience is due, Fight against infidels and hypocrites.
...................................................................................

Babur writes: “... and setting before their eyes the scripture which saith, whosoever striveth to promote the true religion, striveth for the good of his own soul, they acted on the precept to which obedience is due, Fight against infidels and hypocrites...” PP 563
...................................................................................
(c. Military movements

{March 17th, 1527) On Saturday the 13th day of the second Jumada of the date 933, a day blessed by the words, God hath blessed your Saturday, the army of Islam was encamped near the village of Kanwa, a dependency of Blana, hard by a hill which was 2 kurohs (4 m.) from the enemies of the Faith. When those accursed infidel foes of Muhammad's religion heard the reverberation of the armies of Islam, they arrayed their ill-starred forces and moved forward with one heart, relying on their mountain-like, demon-shaped elephants, as had relied the Lords of the Elephant 3 who went to overthrow the sanctuary {ka'ba) of Islam.

' " Dejal or al Masih al Dajjal, the false or lying Messiah, is the Muhammadan
...................................................................................

He further writes: “...the army of Islam was encamped near the village of Kanwa,a dependency of Biana, hard by a hill which was 2kurohs from the enemies of the faith.When those accursed Infidel foes of Muhammad’s religion heard the reverberation of armies of Islam,.they arrayed their Ill-starred forces & moved forward with one heart, relying on their mountain like,demon shaped elephants,as had relied the Elephant who went to overthrow the sanctuary of Islam.”
...................................................................................
In that array no rent was frayed by timid souls;

Firm was it as the Shahanshah's resolve, strong as the Faith;

Their standards brushed against the sky;

Verily we have granted thee certain victory.

Obeying the cautions of prudence, we imitated the ghdzis of Rum 7 by posting matchlockmen {tufanchidn and cannoneers {rdd-anddzdn) along the line of carts which were chained to one another in front of us ; in fact, Islam's army was so arrayed and so steadfast that primal Intelligence and the firmament {'aql-i-
pir u charkh-i-asjr) applauded the marshalling thereof To effect this arrangement and organization, Nizamu'd-din 'All Khalifa, the pillar of the Imperial fortune, exerted himself
...................................................................................

@DalrympleWill what does 8/n-10/n indicate? Doesn’t it talks about “war against non-Islam forces”? What do you think are the Muhammad’s religions army? Wasn’t Babur considering his army to ge that fighting for Islam? Let me take you further though Baburnama. Yet again Babur talks of “Ghazis” & “Army of Islam”. PP 564
...................................................................................
933 AH.— OCT. 8th 1526 TO SEP. 27th 1527 AD. 569

Creative Majesty {i.e. God), the one distinguished by the particular grace of the mighty Sovereign who commands to do and not to do {i.e. Babur), Muhammad Humayun Bahadur. This Mustafa of Rum had the carts {ardbahd) ' brought forward and broke the ranks of pagans with matchlock and culverin dark Hke their hearts (?). In the thick of the fight, the most glorious brother Qasim-i-husain Sultan and the pillars of royal retainers, Nizamu'd- dln Ahmad-i-yiisuf and Qawam Beg, obeying orders, hastened to their help. And since band after band of pagan troops followed each other to help their men, so we, in our turn, sent the trusted in the State, the glory of the Faith, Hindu Beg, and, after him, the pillars of the nobility, Muhammadi Kukuldash and KhwajagI Asad Jdn-ddr, and, after them, the trusted in Fol. 322. the State, the trustworthy in the resplendent Court, the most confided-in of nobles, the elect of confidential servants, Yunas- i-'all, together with the pillar of the nobility, the perfect in friendship. Shah Mansur Barlds and the pillar of the grandees, the pure in fidelity, *Abdu'l-lah the librarian, and after these, the pillar of the nobles, Dost the Lord-of-the-Gate, and Muhammad Khalll the master-gelder {akhta-begz}.'

The pagan right wing made repeated and desperate attack on the left wing of the army of Islam, falling furiously on the holy warriors, possessors of salvation, but each time was made to turn back or, smitten with the arrows of victory, was made to descend into Hell, the house of perdition; they shall be thrown to burn therein, and an unhappy dwelling shall it be. Then the trusty amongst the nobles, Mumin Ataka and Rustam Turkman betook themselves to the rear s of the host of darkened pagans ; and to help them were sent the Commanders Khwaja Mahmud and *All Ataka, servants of him who amongst the royal retainers is near the throne, the trusted of the Sultanate, Nizamu'd-din 'All Khalifa.
...................................................................................

He further writes: “The pagan right wing made repeated & desperate attack on the left wing of the army of Islam, falling furiously on the holy warriors, possessors of salvation, but each time was made to turn back or, smitten with the arrows of victory,..” PP 569
...................................................................................
572 HINDUSTAN

At the moment when the holy warriors were heedlessly flinging away their lives, they heard a secret voice say, Be not dismayed, neither be grieved, for, if ye believe, ye shall be exalted above the unbelievers, and from the infallible Informer heard the joyful words, Assistance is from God, and a speedy victory I And do thou bear glad tidings to true believers, Then they fought with such delight that the plaudits of the saints of the Holy Assembly reached them and the angels from near the Throne, fluttered round their heads like moths. Between the first and second Prayers, there was such blaze of combat that the flames thereof raised standards above the heavens, and the right and left of the army of Islam rolled back the left and right of the doomed infidels in one mass upon their centre.

When signs were manifest of the victory of the Strivers and of the up-rearing of the standards of Islam, those accursed infidels and wicked unbelievers remained for one hour confounded. At length, their hearts abandoning life, they fell upon the right and left of our centre. Their attack on the left was the more vigorous and there they approached furthest, but the holy warriors, their minds set on the reward, planted shoots {nihdl) of arrows in the field of the breast of each one of them, and, such being their gloomy fate, overthrew them. In this state of affairs, the breezes of victory and fortune blew over the meadow of our Foi. 324. happy Nawab, and brought the good news. Verily we have granted thee a manifest victory. And Victory the beautiful woman {shdhid) whose world-adornment of waving tresses was embellished by God will aid you with a mighty aid, bestowed on us the good fortune that had been hidden behind a veil, and made it a reality. The absurd {bdtit) Hindus, knowing their position perilous, dispersed like carded wool before the wind, and like moths scattered abroad Many fell dead on the field of battle ; others, desisting from fighting, fled to the desert of exile and
...................................................................................

I quote Babur further: “At the moment when the holy warriors were heedlessly flinging away their lives, they heard a secret voice say, Be not dismayed, neither be grieved, for, if ye believe, ye shall be exalted above the unbelievers, and from the infallible Informer heard the joyful words, Assistance is from Allah & a speedy victory! & do thou bear glad tiding to true believers.“ (pp 572) @DalrympleWill to whom is Babur referring to as “Holy Warriors”? Why he uses “Accursed Infidels” if he wasn’t Jihadi warrior?
...................................................................................
574 HINDUSTAN

They turn their backs. The command of God is to be performed. Now praise be to God, All-hearing and All-wise, for victory is from God alone, the Mighty, the Wise.' Written Jumada II. 25th 933 (ah. — March 29th 1527 A.D.).

MINOR SEQUELS OF VICTORY.

{a. Bdbur assumes the title of GhdzL)

After this success Ghdzi (Victor in a Holy-war) was written amongst the royal titles.

933 AH.— OCT. 8th 1526 to SEP. 27rH 1527 AD. 575

Below the titles {tughrd)  entered on the Fath-ndma, I wrote the following quatrain : —

For Islam's sake, I wandered in the wilds,
Prepared for war with pagans and Hindus,
Resolved myself to meet the martyr's death.
Thanks be to God ! a ghdzi I became.

{b. Chronograms of the victory?)

Shaikh Zain had found {tdpib aidi) the words Fath-i-pddshdh- i-isldm 3 (Victory of the Padshah of the Faith) to be a chronogram of the victory. Mir Gesu, one of the people come from Kabul, had also found these same words to be a chronogram, had composed them in a quatrain and sent this to me. It was a coincidence that Shaikh Zain and Mir Gesu should bring forward precisely the same words in the quatrains they composed to embellish their discoveries.' Once before when Shaikh Zain found the date of the victory at DibalpOr in the words Wasat- i-shahr Rabtu'l-awwal (Middle of the month Rabi* I.), Mir Gesu had found it in the very same words.
...................................................................................

Babur further writes:
 
“I wrote the following quatrain:
For Islam's sake, I wandered in the wilds,
Prepared for war with pagans and Hindus,
Resolved myself to meet the martyr's death,
Thanks be to Allah! a ghazi I became.” PP 574-75
 
- End

- The article is a compilation of tweets of the author. He tweets at @Aabhas24)
 
«« Back
 
 
 
  Search Articles
 
  Special Annoucements