TRIAL OF DARA SHIKOH

Dara’s trial by the Qazis was a mockery of justice; an absolute sham! But I was not surprised. The Qazis all knew that the patronage of the emperor was important for their power. Four mullahs, all dressed in black robes, with a few nobles and family members in attendance assembled in the Diwani-i-Khas, or hall of private audience, at Dilli, to debate the matter and pronounce their judgment. To further humiliate him, they made Dara stand before them stripped to the waist like a common slave.

After they were assembled Aurangzeb entered the hall and first summoned the jackal Malik Jiwan (who had betrayed Dara) and ceremoniously raised him to the rank of one thousand and given the grand title of Bakhtiar Khan. Bakhtiar meant fortunate but Malik Jiwan had little idea of what misfortune lay ahead of him. There is a Hindustani proverb which says… “Khuda ki lathi mien awaz nahin.” (The stave of God strikes without making a sound.) After the ceremony the malik was curtly dismissed with a few presents. We later learned that he had been waylaid and killed while returning to Dadhar. It was rumoured that the assassination had been carried out on the command of the emperor who despised treachery even though he unashamedly used treachery to serve his ambitions.

The trial began. We all knew that the mullahs could be relied upon to give a verdict they thought would ensure the emperor’s patronage. They were in any case hostile to Dara who had frequently reviled the narrow minded orthodoxy of priests. The first Qazi asked Dara to hand him the jade thumb ring that was still on his left hand. He turned it over and examined it slowly and asked, “This green stone is inscribed with the words ‘Allah’ on one side and ‘Prabhu’ on the other. Does this mean that you consider this Hindu god to be equal to our Muslim Allah?”

Dara raised his head and answered, ”Honorable clerics, the creator is known by many names. He is  called God, Allah, Prabhu, Jehova, Ahura Mazda and many more names by devout people in many different lands. ”

“So you are saying that the Allah worshipped by Muslims is no different than the Hindu Prabhu!”

 “Yes, I believe that Allah is the god of all people of the world who simply call them by different names. There is only one great cosmic creator even if people have different places of worship and revere God in many different ways.’’[1]

A second Qazi asked, “Will you deny that it was under your personal orders that a group of Brahmin scholars translated Hindu holy books like the Upanishads and the Bhagavat Gita into Persian?”

Dara replied, “No, your honour. How can I deny what is so widely known. I did indeed commission these translations.”

The Qazi continued, ”Is it true that you had yourself said that these Hindu works are God’s most perfect revelation and that there are references to them even in our holy Quran?”

“Yes, your honour. I do believe that these sacred texts show that underneath the idolatrous outward forms of Hindu worship lies a monotheistic core that is older than those of Judaism, Christianity or Islam.”

The Qazi angrily retorted, “So you are equating Hindu doctrines with the holy words of Islam?”

“Only in essence, your honour. I have already said that the outward forms are very different. My studies have led me to most sincerely believe that the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita are none other than the ‘Sirr i-Akbar’  or the great secret - which our holy Prophet suggested was none other than the ‘Kitab-al-Muknum’ or the hidden book mentioned in the fifty-sixth chapter of the holy Quran itself.”

The Qazi continued, ””Is it true that you have written with your hand a book called Majma-ul-Bahrain - ‘The Mingling of the Oceans' that dares to suggest that there is a common thread between the messages of our holy Quran and the Brahma Shastras of these idolatrous Hindus?’”

Dara replied, ”Yes there are many great pearls of wisdom in the scriptures of every religion and I believe that mankind is richer when these are displayed before them. You will surely recall that it is written in our own Quran that the merciful Allah had sent one hundred and twenty four thousand messengers to show all the people of the world the way of righteousness. I believe that the merciful Allah’s messengers carrying his messengers had been sent not only to Muslims but to all the people of the world in every age. I believe that people have a pious duty to try to seek out these messages that have become obscured by the confusion of languages and ignorant interpretations of narrow minded priests of every faith.”

A third Qazi now asked, “Is it correct that the Sikh faith has its roots both in Islam and Hinduism?”

Dara replied, “It would appear so, your honour, as the Sikhs have deep respect for both religions.”

”Yet is it not these very same Sikhs who are now such troublesome rebels to our governors in Punjab? Does this not prove that by allowing the pure stream of Islamic law to become contaminated by heretic pagan ideas we are inviting trouble and confusion?”

Dara slowly replied, “Your honour I know that some Sikhs are fighting a violent political war over land and taxes with the officers of our empire but I do not believe that there is anything of a religious nature in this purely political dispute.”

The Qazi resumed, “Is it correct that a Guru Nanak, founder of this faith has equated the Hindu god Ram with Rahim?

Dara answered, ”I am not very conversant with the writings of the Sikh faith but I have heard it said that both Ram and Rahim convey the idea of mercy.”

The Qazi quickly continued, “Has this Nanak not also said, “The Qazis sit in the courts to minister justice with a rosary in one hand and the name of God on their lips but commit injustice if the other hand does not receive a tribute of gold, and that if someone challenges them they seek refuge in the pages of their scriptures?”

Dara quietly said, “What you quote is possible but I cannot be certain. It is well known that the hypocrisy of many clerics of every religion does not always go hand in hand with the pure spirituality of the faiths that they profess.”

One of the Qazis now angrily added, “But you have yourself condemned and mocked the Mullahs and clerics of your own religion… not once but on many occasions.”

Dara paused and then slowly replied, “Honoured clerics, may I respectfully ask where in our holy Quran does it say that the Mullah’s and Qazis’ are to be honoured? Verily their names are not even mentioned in the holy book.[2] You are aware that the holy prophet had never wanted Islam to have any order of priests but wanted any good person who was knowledgeable about the Quran, to lead the prayers of every congregation. You will recall that our own sacred book itself very clearly says… “many are the clerics and monks who defraud men of their possessions and debar them from the path of God.” Is it heretical to quote from the holy Quran itself that clearly states... “all prophets and saints had suffered torment because of narrow minded priests.” Yes, learned clerics, I have indeed spoken out strongly against the priests, but I have not spoken against the priests of Islam but of all religions who claim that they are the only representatives of almighty God. Where in our scriptures is there any authority that gives Mullahs, Maulvis and Imams the right to represent Allah.”

Some of the nobles in the gallery who had been listening began to shout in anger, while others looked at each other and then joined the discussions that quickly became loud and confused as they jostled with clever words to show themselves to be enemies of Dara until the shrill voice of princess Roshanara silenced them all from behind the red sand stone screen screaming... “Enough of this nonsense! Why do we have to listen to all this heresy? You have all heard this blasphemer condemn himself time after time. Why do you waste so much time on this empty nonsense? Do your duty as is enjoined upon you in our holy books. Punish the heretic as a warning to all.”

The Qazis resumed asking their questions until the chief Qazi finally said, “Enough has been heard and it is now almost time for the evening namaz. We will now retire and consider what the accused has said and judge whether the words and writings of the accused are blasphemous and whether or not he is an apostate who has abandoned the straight path of our religion to become a heretic. The four imams of the four schools of Islamic law - may Allah have mercy upon them - agree that the apostate who falls from Islam must be killed, and his head may be cut off and his blood may be spilled without reservation.” [3]

Dara was led away and a few hours later Aurangzeb, who had kept studiously aloof from the deliberations, studied the judgment when it was presented to him. There was not the faintest flicker of expression on his face as he casually signed the order for execution, betraying no emotion. But we did not have to wait very long as he hurriedly put the orders for execution through, gauging the resentful mood of the citizens of Dilli.

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[1] the Quran’s Sura 35:24 says… “To every race, great teachers have been sent. God has not left any community without a prophet, warner and true guide.” The Quran’s Sura 23:24 further says… “To people after people have we sent Apostle after Apostle: mostly, though the people have rejected or even killed them.”

[2]

Quran, Sura 3.78 says: “There is among them a section who distort the Book with their tongues: (As they read) you would think it is a part of the Book, but it is no part of the Book; and they say, "That is from God," but it is not from God: It is they who tell a lie against God, and (well) they know it!”  

[3] The account has been described in Mohammad Kaim’s ‘Alamgir-nama’ as well as by Khafi Khan and Jadunath Sarkar