The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 516
AN ACCOUNT OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE & THE EMPRESS OF INDIA 515 the welfare of your people and thinking about their interests, and you choose to work hard so that the people might live in comfort. I hope you must have advised your assistants in India to give precedence to the Muslim nobles over the rest, to look at them with special honour, and bring them exclusively to a position of nearness. But her representatives treated all alike in this regard, and did not give the warranted care to the honour of the Muslims; it did not even cross their minds to look at their miseries and help them. This is a brief description of the state of the Muslims of India by myself, while the idol worshippers who call themselves Hindu or Āryah are such a people who have spent their lives like slaves and serv- ants. Centuries elapsed while they remained anonymous, unknown, and insignificant. O glorious Queen! You know well that they were devoid of power and were deserted in the wilderness over a long period of time; their skins were burned, their armies were severed; they were harshly reined in and the backbone of their courage was broken. Thus, they are easily driven to anywhere and offer no resistance. They do not seek honour and their hearts are filled with the cowardice of servitude; thus, they exhibit not courage. This is because they have remained humble serv- ants for centuries on end and were not rulers. They were accustomed to poverty and begging, and were not men of honour and authority. The kings from other nations continued to rule over them and they grew accustomed to it. The state of the Muslims resembles a stream that always flows swiftly to low land and depressions, while the idol worshippers are like the people of Lot, like a donkey for whom a whip or a strong rod is needed for driving. They are but rotten bones whereas the Muslims are those who have ascended to glory, and can be entrusted to regain it. This is my observation which I have presented before you with the utmost sincerity and loyalty. The decision rests with you; we are here to comply.