Hundred Great Muslims

484 HundredGreatMuslims
a Pushto poet of repute and a good writer of Arabic prose and poetry. Being
hardly fond of usual princely hobbies of hunting, pleasure making and other
frivolities, he devoted his spare time to literary pursuits. It is said that he
attended a musical party only once in his lifetime. His poetry bristles with
simplicity, sincerity and faith which are characteristics of his personality. His
poems speak of virtue, ambition, sacrifice and nationalism.
A number of commentaries are extant on this less known aspect of his life.
Muhammad Ghaus has written a 200-page Persian manuscript entitled "Shart:
al-Sharh" on the Arabic prose and poetry of the great conqueror. The Kabul
Academy at the instance of Mr. Daud Khan, at that time Prime Minister of
Afghanistan, has published the Pushto Diwan of Ahmad Shah comprising 3,000
couplets, including ghazals and quatrains. It has been edited by the celebrated
Pushto scholar, Abdul Haiy Habibi. A monograph on the life of the conqueror
written by Mir Ghulam Muhammad Ghubar, which was to serve as an
introduction to his Pushto Academy, was considered a bit lengthy and has been
published separately by the Kabul Academy.
The real greatness of Ahmad Shah Abdali lies in his humane nature. He
was great as a conqueror but greater still as a man. Few conquerors in the
world possessed so much valour with so much humility. The brighter and more
attractive side of his personality lies in his humility, forbearance, affability and
above all humanity. He was chivalrous in the true sense of the word-one who
combined valour with humanity in himself.
Ahmad Shah Abdali was a democratic ruler. He abhorred the usual pomp
and pageantry practised by the monarchs of the world. He led a simple lifenever
wore a crown and never sat on a throne. He discarded the un-Islamic
practice of obeisance in which the visitor used to kiss the floor or even the
feet of the ruler.
There are numerous stories relating to his humility and kindness to his
subordinates and subjects. The messenger who brought him the message seeking
his help for saving Muslim India died in the battle of Panipat. Ahmad Shah
Abdali accompanied by his dignitaries visited the house of the poor messenger to
offer his personal condolence to his young widow and orphans and entrusted
them to the care of the new Mughal Prime Minister.
At another occasion while he was camping a short distance from Qandhar,
a sepoy taking advantage of the closeness of his family broke into his house.
Instead of welcoming him, the wife of the sepoy rebuked him "How could you
dare to come to your family when Ahmad Shah Baba is away from his house?"
The sepoy again slipped away into the Imperial army. When Ahmad Shah came
to know of the story, he greatly appreciated the spirit of the woman and
awarded her a 'Karez', which is still known as 'Ainos Karez'.