The Afghan Martyrs — Page 7
When the majority decision of the divines eventually reached Ameer Habeebulla he discovered that the majority attached no blame to the Sahibzada and held that he was right. As a result of the apprehension created in his mind by Nasrulla Khan, Ameer Habeebulla reluctantly agreed with the two, including the Umpire Abdul Ghani, who had dissented from the majority verdict and had held the Sahibzada guilty. Then the King ordered the martyrdom. The manner in which the Sahibzada was bound and shackled and taken to the place of execution is indeed a painful story. A three and a half foot deep pit had been dug which he was lowered into. Ameer Habeebulla invited Qazi Abdur Razzaque, who was· under the direct influence of Nasrulla Khan and one of those who had found the Sahibzada guilty, to cast the first stone. In reply Abdur Razzaque said, "You are the King and therefore you should cast the first stone. " Again the Ruler of Kabul said, "No, this is your verdict and your responsibility and therefore it is your privilege to cast the first stone. " The first stone was then cast by Abdur Razzaque after which the whole crowd joined in and within moments the Sahibzada was buried under a heap of stones. After a lapse of forty days some of his disciples, including Ahmad Noar Kabuli, removed his body and buried it. It is narrated that instead of the usual odious smell the dead body was aromatic like musk. This news spread like wildfire and the place of his burial began to be visited by all and sundry and prayers began to be offered there. For fear that the martyrdom may give rise to a revolution Nasrulla Khan had the body exhumed and transferred to a secret location. This is one view of those terrible events. Some details of the other facets which are spread over a whole century will follow. 7