Written and compiled in Persian in 1021 AH, the book was produced when the Mughal Empire was at the apex of its glory in India. The biography of the author—Niamatullah Heravi, son of Habibullah Khan—is as follows:
In his youth, Niamatullah lived an obscure life. In 993 AH, he served as the Chief Conservator of the library of Sipah Salar Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khanan, a position he held until 1006 AH when he joined the retinue of Prince Saleem. In 1014 AH, when the prince ascended the throne and adopted the title of Jahangir, he appointed Niamatullah Heravi as the court chronicler. However, in 1017 AH, Emperor Jahangir dismissed him for a misdemeanor. He then entered the service of an Afghan noble, Mian Pir Khan (alias Khan Jahan Lodi), who had suppressed Maratha uprisings against the Mughal throne in Southern India through a series of battles in 1019 AH. Niamatullah Heravi participated in all those campaigns.
While in the Deccan, he began compiling his history at Malakpur on 20 Zilhaj 1020 AH and concluded it at Burhanpur on 10 Zilhaj 1021 AH. Later, in 1024 AH, he added a biography of Khan Jahan Lodi and recorded the death of Sheikh Shahab Bakhtiar, which occurred on 25 Jamad-ul-Akhir of that same year. The book also contains material regarding the power struggle between Aurangzeb Alamgir and his brother Dara Shikoh in 1067 AH, in which the former successfully seized the throne. However, the author omitted events related to Khan Jahan’s later rebellion against Emperor Shah Jahan, which resulted in the noble's death.
In his preface, Niamatullah Heravi uses the prefix "Khwaja" and provides his biography, the purpose of his work, a bibliography, and a summary of the contents. This is followed by a second preface detailing human genealogy from Adam to Jacob, including the ages of several prophets in that lineage. The main text then proceeds chapter by chapter.
Chapter One recounts how Saul became the first Israelite king following a proclamation from the Prophet Samuel. It describes Saul’s battle against Goliath—the strongest of the non-believers—who was eventually killed by the Prophet David. Saul grew resentful of David and attempted to kill him; however, through a "maiden saint," he established contact with the deceased Samuel. Samuel suggested that Saul abdicate in favor of David and seek redemption by sacrificing himself and his sons in Jihad against non-believers. Saul followed this advice. His two sons, Armia and Barkhia—born after the martyrdom of their father and brothers—were later appointed to David’s court. A son of Armia was named Afaghena, the forefather of the Afghans.
The descendants of Armia, through Afaghena, were eventually driven out of Babylonia. Some took refuge in the central parts of present-day Afghanistan, then known as Ghor. When Khalid bin Walid, who was related to that family, embraced Islam, he invited his kinsmen from Ghor to join him. Led by Qais, they traveled to Mecca and were introduced to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by Khalid. They embraced Islam and participated in Jihad, and Qais was given the name Abdul Rashid.
The events and genealogy from Adam to Qais Abdul Rashid are covered in the first two chapters and the preface. This narrative, however, requires clarification. While many scholars have adopted a similar line of reasoning and various writers still rely on this information, little is known about the primary source, and no scholar has provided a definitive reference for it. Recently, certain Muslim scholars have scrutinized the account and rejected the story as a fabrication.
Historically, when Nebuchadnezzar subdued the Israelites in 586 BC and destroyed their culture—burning their religious literature, including the original Torah—the Israelites were so despondent they feared for their survival. Jewish rabbis and scholars, fearing total annihilation, devoted themselves to preparing a sacred book (later titled the Old Testament) to boost morale. One part of this book deals with the creation of Adam and his posterity, a lineage that is almost exactly mirrored in Makhzan-e-Afghani. While Pakhtun writers commonly refer to the "ten lost tribes" to prove a migration to central Afghanistan, history suggests that by that time, Central Asia and Afghanistan had already developed a distinct civilization—often identified by sociologists and historians as part of the Persian Empire (Sogdiana), with its own language, culture, and Zoroastrian religion. Muslim scholars, including Maulana Maudoodi, rely on the Holy Quran as their primary source. While interpretations may vary slightly, these scholars generally reject stories that do not align with the Quran, the Hadith, or well-founded historical facts.
Chapter III deals with the Lodi dynasty in three parts: (a) Bahlul Lodi, (b) Sikandar Lodi, and (c) Ibrahim Lodi, with a passing reference to Babur’s victory over Ibrahim at Panipat—a turning point that ushered in the Mughal era. Chapter IV discusses the Suri dynasty in four parts: (a) Sher Shah Suri, (b) Islam Shah Suri, (c) Feroz Shah Suri, and (d) the return of Humayun, along with short notes on various Afghan Sardars. These two chapters were largely borrowed from the Tabqat-e-Akbari, compiled by Nizam-ud-Din, though the author does not explicitly credit him.
Chapter V, focused on Nawab Khan Jahan Lodi, was added later; the book’s primary purpose was to magnify the character of this benefactor, who was deeply interested in Afghan history. This chapter is divided into five parts and, following the fashion of the time, refers to the Nawab with a long string of titles, placing him within the lineage of the Bani Israel.
Chapter VI explains Afghan tribal structures in four parts: (a) Sarbani, (b) Bitani, (c) Ghorghashti, and (d) Karlani—classifications repeated by most Pakhtun writers. Chapter VII is dedicated to Emperor Jahangir. It is filled with benevolent praise, even claiming that the chain of justice attached to the Emperor's gong weighed 489 maunds instead of the actual four.
The book concludes with biographical sketches of Afghan saints—66 males and five females. This section is organized by tribal affiliation: 1–28 are Sarbani, 29–48 are Bitani, 49–66 are Ghorghashti, and 67–71 are females. these accounts provide insight into the contributions made by Afghan saints to the propagation of Islam in India. The work ends with five addenda providing further genealogies of Afghan families; the final entry discusses Haibat Khan and Khwaja Yahya Kabir, which was likely written by Haibat Khan himself.
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