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A HISTORY OF INNER ASIA

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The Shaybanids 157<br />

also serve as an indicator of the Turkic dimension of this otherwise so<br />

Arabo-Persian cultural atmosphere, for unlike the Qarakhanid waqfname<br />

from the eleventh century written in Arabic, and that from the fourteenth<br />

century written in Persian, this order (nishan or yarliq) is in Turki<br />

(although peppered with Arabo-Persian technical terms).Here are a few<br />

excerpts: 5<br />

We recognize that it befits our lofty discernment to treat with affection,<br />

munificence, respect, consideration, and veneration the great descendants and<br />

noble progeny of His Holiness Khwaja Ubaydallah…[A report] has reached<br />

our august presence that since several years a certain person (bir kishi) has taken<br />

and, contrary to the pure sharia, has held as usufruct (mutasarrif bulghan irmish)<br />

the properties and buildings (amlak va havilar) listed on the back of this document,<br />

– [properties belonging to] Khwaja Muhammad Yahya, may his elevated<br />

status last, who is a grandson of the above-mentioned Holiness ...Since our<br />

generous thought is favorable in the highest degree to the above-mentioned<br />

well-born person, having examined and understood [the situation] ...we seize<br />

and give [this grantee] as soyurghal (musallam tutub soyurghab birdik) the properties<br />

and objects, orchards, store, and houses with yards ...so that the representatives<br />

of this high person annually receive the tithe (dahyak) and double tithe<br />

(dahdu) of the revenue, and expend it on their sustenance ...[Moreover, tax<br />

collectors] must not levy taxes (mal) [of any kind on these properties] – such as<br />

the double tithe (mal-i dah-du), the extraordinary expenditure tax (kharj-i kharajat-i<br />

avariz), bikar (unemployment tax?), [impose] corvée (hashar), homestead tax<br />

(dudi), tithe (dahyazdah), gift (savari), wedding tax (madad-i toyana), victory tax<br />

(fathana), or any [other] tax imposed on this province ...[The properties in question]<br />

should be known as free and exempt ...And if there is a general levy (Agar<br />

harz-i kull bulsa), the perceptor and scribe (harraz va bitikchi) must not enter [these<br />

properties] in order to [include them in the] collection ...[These officials] must<br />

not act contrary to [our] order (yarlighin khilaf itmesinlär), and must not request<br />

[every] year a new order and regulation (nishan va parvancha) ...[This] order<br />

(nishan) was issued (lit.written, bitildi) on the third [day] of the month of<br />

Shawwal, the year of the hare (tavushqan yil), the date being 950 [of the Hijra;<br />

30 December 1543].<br />

Another illustration of the status, vitality and adaptability of Ahrari<br />

shaykhs is the fact that they retained the benefits of royal favors throughout<br />

the vicissitudes of Central Asian politics, when power passed from<br />

one branch of the Shaybanids to another, and, at the turn of the century,<br />

from the Shaybanids to the Toqay-Timurids.Their authority even<br />

invaded the hitherto unchallenged preserve of the secular clergy, for in<br />

5 Published, together with a Russian translation and commentary, by Olga D.Chekhovich,<br />

Samarkandskie dokumenty XV-XVI vv.: O vladeniyakh Khodzhi Akhrara v Sredney Azii i Afghanistane<br />

(Moscow, 1974), doc.16 on pp.311–15.

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