French tourist Bernier writes that when Aurangzeb was a child, Shah Jahan appointed a scholar, Mullah Saleh, to be his teacher. Once Aurangzeb Alamgir’s education was complete, Mullah Saleh submitted a thorough report to Shah Jahan that the prince had access to all sciences, different languages and he has strengthened his mind with political philosophy. Shah Jahan was happy and rewarded Mullah Saleh with agricultural lands near Kabul. He happily accepted and settled there. Many years passed before Mullah Saleh heard the news of the first civil war and then the victory of his student Rashid Aurangzeb Alamgir.
When he learned that the war was over, he hurried to Delhi. He hoped that in the reign of his disciple he would be counted among the nobles of the kingdom. Arriving in Delhi, he reached out to Princess Roshan Ara and other elites to facilitate him to the King’s court. For three months, Aurangzeb was unaware of the presence of his former teacher in a crowded court. When Aurangzeb Alamgir came to know about his arrival, he summoned him separately. At that time he was accompanied by only a few close advisors. One of Aurangzeb’s companions later narrated this story.
The king said, “Oh duplicitous Mullah, you want to be counted among the nobles in the kingdom. “Only if you had given me a suitable education, it should have been so. Bring to me a single individual in this kingdom who has been educated on the right lines, and then it will be difficult for me to decide whether he needs to be more respectful towards his teacher in comparison to his father”.
You kept feeding me that the whole of Europe is an insignificant area. You told me that the kings of France and Spain have the same status as any ordinary elite in Mughal sultanate and the glory of the king of India is far greater than the kings of the whole world. You assured me that the kings of China and Persia trembled upon hearing about Mughal Dynasty.
You should have taught me about government systems in diverse parts of the world. Different religions people of those lands follow. Some insights about their languages, their customs and traditions. You should have educated me about different civilizations and how they developed and thrived.
Instead of introducing me to the history of humanity, you kept reminding me about the glorious past of my ancestors. You did not make me aware of their lifestyle nor provided any details of their struggles. It is important for a king to be familiar with the languages of neighboring countries. But you only taught me Arabic. Instead of learning something useful, I wasted my precious time correcting my grammar.
Didn’t you know that childhood is a time of learning? At this age, the human mind absorbs many of the sciences that are later required to accomplish great deeds. Tell me, is Arabic only for praying purposes? Or can we just read the law in Arabic? Can we study science only in Arabic?
You assured my father Shah Jahan that you had taught me philosophy. I remember very well that you harassed my mind by narrating fictitious things which had nothing to do with real life. Those words had no purpose other than to exhaust the mind. When you completed my education, I had no knowledge of science except of a few nonsense terms.
Only if you had taught me philosophy in its true spirit, or had nourished my mind to look for reason. Even if you had guided me about the basic human values and nature. If you had taught me about the system of the universe and the movement of bodies. If you had guided me about mutual co-existence, tolerance and respect for all, I would have valued you more than Alexander treasured Aristotle.
Tell me, O adulator, did you teach me what rights the king and his people have over each other? Did you ever think that one day I would have to fight my brothers for my life and for the throne with a sword in my hand? (This was mostly the fate of royal families in Mughal Dynasty of India)
Did you ever teach me how to strategize for a war? How to besiege a city? How to march the troops on the battlefield? Thankfully, there were far more intelligent people around me than you. I learned a thing from them myself.
Now, go back to your town. No one must ever know who you are. However, it was Aurangzeb’s naiveness that made him think that Mullah Saleh had gone back. Many kings ascended the throne and died. Several Empires vanished in the dust of history. But Mullah Saleh survived. This evil still haunts our cities, towns and villages. I am amazed at how every institution and political party in Pakistan fails to recognize and to get rid of their own Mullah Saleh.
This same Mullah Saleh is sitting to the right of Prime Minister Imran Khan. He also whispers in Nawaz Shairf’s ear. Bilawal too has him as an ally. Be it primary schools or universities. Be it our civil services or military, our corporate sectors or Judicial court rooms, he is casting his spell everywhere.
It is thanks to him that we still believe the United States and Russia are afraid of us. We are the center of hope for the Islamic world. The whole world is trembling with our terror. Imagine that we are taught in history that Babar introduced paper writing in Indian-subcontinent, but we are not taught the comparison that the press in Europe started publishing books thirty years before Babar’s birth. We are taught the struggles of Sultan Tipu, but we are not taught that ten years before his martyrdom, the United States had made its own constitution and started electing its president. I was in primary school when I learned about the fall of Dhaka. But I cannot recall attending a lecture ever in school, college or university on the reasons why the country was divided. If we want to be truly free, we have to get rid of Mullah Saleh.
Loved reading it !!
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