ZAFARNAMAH MU’IN UL-MULK An unpublished manuscript, Zafarnamah Mu’in ul-Mulk, is a book written in 1748–49 by Ghulam Muhaiy ud-Din Khan. It gives an account of Ahmad Shah Durrani’s first two invasions of India. Copies of the manuscript are available at the University of the Punjab, Lahore; Khalsa College, Amritsar; and the Punjab Historical Studies Department of Punjabi University, Patiala. The author appears to have been either a courtier or a great admirer of Mu’in ul-Mulk, the Mughal governor of Punjab from 1748 to 1753, whose dauntless courage and administrative capabilities he profusely praises. The author seems to have been well-read, as his scholarly style of writing is rich in quotations from Arabic texts.
A sizable portion of the book is written in verse. The historical information contained within appears to be based on the author’s personal knowledge and is generally accurate and valuable. The Zafarnamah (lit. “Record of Victories”) begins with an invocation to God followed by a qasidah (panegyric) praising the book’s protagonist, Mu’in ul-Mulk. Known to Sikh chroniclers as Mir Mannu, Mu’in ul-Mulk was the son of Wazir Qamar ud-Din, the prime minister of the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah.
When Ahmad Shah Durrani invaded India for the first time in January 1748 with fifty thousand horsemen, Shah Nawaz Khan, the governor of Lahore and Multan, fled to Delhi, offering only feeble resistance. The invader occupied Lahore, which, according to the author, was thoroughly plundered, with parts of it set on fire.
The Battle of Manupur Emperor Muhammad Shah sent a massive force led by Wazir Qamar ud-Din under the nominal command of the crown prince, Ahmad Shah, to repel the invader. Mu’in ul-Mulk accompanied his father. At the beginning of the battle fought at Manupur, 15 km northwest of Sirhind, Qamar ud-Din was mortally wounded by a cannon shot. Mu’in ul-Mulk immediately took command, suppressing his grief. He hurriedly buried his father’s body beneath his sleeping tent, leveled the ground with sand, and launched a fierce attack on the enemy.
A severe battle followed, with heavy casualties on both sides, but the Mughals emerged victorious. Ahmad Shah Durrani retreated quietly at night, first to Lahore and then to his homeland. During his return journey, Durrani was harassed and looted by the Sikhs. Around this time, news arrived of the emperor’s imminent death in Delhi. Prince Ahmad Shah instructed Mu’in ul-Mulk to assume the governorship of Lahore and Multan, while he hastened back to Delhi, where he ascended the throne following his father’s demise.
Administrative Reforms Mu’in ul-Mulk, upon reaching Lahore, immediately addressed the shattered civil administration of the province and provided relief to the oppressed populace. He replaced Lakhpat Rai with Kaura Mall as his diwan and confirmed Adina Beg Khan in the faujdar position of Jalandhar Doab.
The Second Invasion Ahmad Shah Durrani invaded Punjab again in December 1748. Mu’in ul-Mulk promptly dispatched a strong force to confront the invaders on the banks of the River Chenab. Ahmad Shah offered to retreat on the condition that the Punjab governor pay arrears and agree to regular payments in the future for four districts—Gujrat, Aurangabad, Sialkot, and Pasrur—which he claimed had been assigned to Nadir Shah and were now rightfully his.
Mu’in ul-Mulk prudently agreed to these terms, arguing that it was senseless to engage in a battle where Muslims on both sides would be killed. This diplomatic decision led Ahmad Shah to return to Qandahar.
References:
- Kirpal Singh, ed., A Catalogue of Persian and Sanskrit Manuscripts, Amritsar, 1962
