The Afghan Martyrs — Page 98
The Fate of Ameer Habeebulla Khan Ameer Habeebulla Khan, who believed he was a strong overlord and felt reassured that by martyring Sahibzada Abdul Lateef he had won the support of the so called mullahs, could not evade Allah's grip. Again and again he was humiliated. On his return to Afghanistan after his tour of India in 1907, the very divines who he believed were his well wishers and his supporters rivetted on him an edict of 'kufr', They resolved that he was a Christian and an apostate. He was charged with illicit association with women, his character was assassinated and he became a target of ridicule and sarcasm. This affair assumed such importance and proportion that alleging that he was faithless, an infidel and an heretic his own subjects in the eastern part of Afghanistan rose in a revolt. Ameer Habeebulla had been very fond of hunting and he proceeded to the beautiful eastern region of Paghmaan and Kontar accompanied by Nasrulla Khan and a large number of soldiers and courtiers. He undertook this journey in order to hunt in a place where there was a lot of greenry and where a hunting lodge had been established. The Royal tent was pitched right in the middle and around it were dozens of other tents where members of the Royal Family and other noted courtiers were accommodated. A vigilant detachment of the army, fully armed with weapons, was charged with the responsibility of protecting him. Around the Royal tent there was a strong cordon of the army and his Royal Guards. The King was engaged in amusement and so he could hardly imagine that the Angel of Death was waiting for an opportunity to strike and that the Divine wrath was about to explode. One evening, after hunting with his associates, the King went to his tent to be with the Queen, he instructed that he should not be disturbed on any account. The King and the Queen relaxed 98