Muhammad Saleh Kamboh

Last updated

Muhammad Saleh Kamboh
Portrait of Muhammad Salih Kambu MET sf25-83-1r (cropped).jpg
Portrait of Muhammad Saleh Kamboh, 17th century, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Born
Mughal Empire
Diedc. 1675
Lahore, Mughal Empire (now in Pakistan)
EducationFluent in Arabic, Persian, Urdu
Occupation(s)Court chronicler
Military commander
ParentMir 'Abdullah Mushkin Qalam (father) [1]
Relatives Inayat Allah Kamboh (brother)

Muhammad Saleh Kamboh Lahori was a noted Punjabi Muslim [2] calligraphist and official biographer of Emperor Shah Jahan and the teacher of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.

Contents

Though a widely read person, [3] Little is known of the life of Muhammad Saleh Kamboh other than the works he composed. He was son of Mir Abdu-lla, Mushkin Kalam, whose title shows him to also have been a fine writer. [4] He is believed to be younger brother of Inayat-Allah Kamboh [5] and worked as a Shahi Dewan (Minister) with the governor of Lahore. He held the title of Sipahsalar .

Biography

His father was Mir 'Abdullah Mushkin Qalam, a famous Mughal calligrapher. [1]

A primary Mughal chronicle by court historian Abu'l-Fazl Allami has noted that the Kamboh clansmen took pride of their lineage during Akbar and Jahangir's reigns, for their rooy to ancient Kshatriya roots and their integration into Muslim society via conversions during early Islamic rule. [6]

Mughal biographical dictionary compiled by Shah Nawaz Khan, detailing noble families and their contributions. It discusses Muhammad Saleh Kamboh and Inayat Allah Kamboh as brothers from a distinguished Kamboh family of calligraphers and scholars. It notes Inayat Allah’s role as Mir Munshi (Inspector General) under Shah Jahan and his mentorship of Muhammad Saleh, particularly in Persian literature and historical writing. [7] [8]

Inayat Allah’s also played huge role in shaping Muhammad Saleh’s career, including his appointment as emperor Aurangzeb’s teacher. [9]

In 1646, Muhammar Saleh succeeded Abd al-Rashid Daylami chief librarian by Mir Salih. Around 1659-1660, he completed the Amal-i Salih or Shahjahan-nama. Amal-i-Salih is an account of the life and reign of Shah Jahan. However, the work also includes information on Shah Jahan's predecessors (particularly Akbar and Jahangir) and a compendium of biographies of the Shaikhs, poets, and other notables who were contemporaries with Shah Jahan. It is considered to be one of the most important original sources of events during Shah Jahan's reign. Muhammad Saleh was known as a poet by the Persian title Kashfi and by Arabic Subhan and is also stated to be an accomplished Urdu singer. [5] [10] [1] Sometimes in 1651-1652, he was replaced from his position head librarian by I'timad Khan, the title bestowed upon Muhammad Ashraf, eldest son of Islam Khan, who served as paymaster of the army during that time. [1]

Aurangzeb era

During the rule of Aurangzeb, Muhammad Saleh served as his spiritual teacher who taught him a strict Islamic teaching. [Notes 1] Muhammad Saleh was very critical of prince Dara Shikoh, describing his religious explorations as excessive and his leadership as flawed, leading to his downfall. [14] Official chronicle of Aurangzeb's reign, referencing Muhammad Saleh's influence on the emperor's anti-Dara Shikoh stance. [15]

It is also stated that when Shaikh Makhdum was appointed imperial "Sadr-us-Sadur" (Chief Sadr, Chief Administrator or Prime Minister) after death of Sadr Sharif Khan during the reign of Aurangzeb, Muhammad Salih Kamboh was appointed Peshdast (deputy). [16] In the list of mansabdars, Muhammad Saleh Kamboh was recorded as a commander of five hundred soldiers. [17] [18] Along with Munnawar Khan, Muhammad Saleh maintained the Mughal empire's Dhow military transport fleets, and fought pirates. [19]

The Ma’asir Alamgiri" records Muhammad Saleh Kamboh’s appointment as governor of Punjab during the early years of Aurangzeb’s rule (post-1658). It distinguishes his role from subordinate positions, noting his direct oversight of Lahore and surrounding regions. [20] A 19th-century regional history of Punjab, compiling Mughal-era records and oral traditions explicitly names Muhammad Saleh Kamboh as governor of Punjab, appointed to stabilize the province during Aurangzeb’s campaigns elsewhere. It highlights his use of Kamboh clan networks to broker peace with local tribes and elites in Lahore, Multan, and the Sutlej Valley. [21] His Kamboh roots enabled trust-building with local Kamboh and other Punjabi elites, enhancing Mughal governance in a turbulent region. [22]

Death

It is claimed by some accounts that Muhammad Saleh Kamboh served as a Mughal Admiral and was killed while fighting alongside his fleet against the Ahoms at Pandu on Bengal-Assam border while helping General Abdus Salam, the Faujdar (infantry commander) of Hajo, during the tenure of Islam Khan Mashadi, the Mughal Governor of Bengal. [23] The event referred to above is said to date 1636 AD, which is incorrect, since Muhammad Saleh was very much alive and is known to have completed his Amal-i Salih in 1659/60 AD soon after Aurangzeb (Reign 1658 AD-1707 AD) became the emperor of India in 1658 AD. According to Naimur Rehman Farooqi, the work was completed in 1669 AD. [24]

The date of Muhammad Saleh's death is not certain. [25] S. M. Latif states on unspecified authority in his works that Muhammad Saleh Kamboh died in A. H. 1085 (1675 AD) [26] which is accepted by some writers.[ who? ]

A mosque known as Saleh Kamboh Mosque has been built with his name in Mochi Gate, Walled City of Lahore. [27] [28] He is buried in Lahore, though his grave location is currently disputed by the owners of the property. [29]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ through IslamQA.info, [11] Professor Muhammad al-Munajjid on his online correspondence has answered that he based his opinion Silk ad-Durar fi A‘yaan al-Qarn ath-Thaani ‘Ashar (4/113) [12] and Aurangzeb biography by Professor ‘Abd al-Mun‘im an-Nimr in his book Tareekh al-Islam fi’l-Hind. [13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Michael Friedrich (2023). François Déroche; Nuria de Castilla (eds.). Libraries in the Manuscript Age. De Gruyter. p. 31. doi:10.1515/9783110779653. ISBN   978-3-11-077965-3 . Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  2. ↑ Dhavan, Purnima (2019), "5. Marking Boundaries and Building Bridges: Persian Scholarly Networks in Mughal Punjab" , The Persianate World, University of California Press, p. 160, doi:10.1515/9780520972100-009, ISBN   978-0-520-97210-0
  3. ↑ Hamdard Islamicus, 1978, p 75, Hamdard National Foundation, Pakistan – Islam.
  4. ↑ The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians , 1877, p 123, Henry Miers Elliot, John Dowson; Shah Jahan, 1975, p 131, Henry Miers Elliot – Mogul Empire; A Descriptive Catalogue of the Historical Manuscripts in the Arabic and Persian Languages, 2008, p. 124, William Hook Morley – History.
  5. 1 2 Shah Jahan, 1975, p 131, Henry Miers Elliot – Mogul Empire.
  6. ↑ Blochmann, H. (1873). Ain-i Akbari (Translation of Abul Fazl's Work). Vol. 1. Asiatic Society of Bengal. p. 122.
  7. ↑ Shah Nawaz Khan (1911). Tazkirat-ul Umara. Translated by Beveridge, H. Asiatic Society of Bengal. pp. 112–114. Retrieved 14 September 2025.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  8. ↑ Saqi Musta’idd Khan (1947). Ma’asir-i-Alamgiri. Translated by Sarkar, J.N. Royal Asiatic Society. pp. 56–58. Retrieved 14 September 2025.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  9. ↑ Akbar, Muhammad (1986). Punjab’s Eminent Muslims. Lahore: Punjab Historical Society. pp. 72–75. ISBN   978-969-413-012-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  10. ↑ Persian literature in India during the time of Jahangir and Shah Jahan, 1970, p 171, M. Lutfur Rahman, Persian literature India History and criticism; A Descriptive Catalogue of the Historical Manuscripts in the Arabic and Persian Languages, 2008, p 124, William Hook Morley – History.
  11. ↑ Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid (2015). "Biography of the Moghul ruler Aurangzeb; was he Salafi in his 'aqeedah?". IslamQA. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  12. ↑ Muhammad Khalil Al-Muradi (1997). سلك الدرر في أعيان القرن الثاني عشر (in Arabic). Dar al Kutub al 'Alamiyya. p. 113. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  13. ↑ Nimr, 'Abd al-Mun'im (1981). Tarikh al-Islam fi al-Hind. Beirut : Al-Mu'ssasah al-Jam'iyah al-Dirasat wa al-Nashr wa al-Tawzi. pp. 286–288. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  14. ↑ Kamboh, Muhammad Saleh (1871). Amal-i-Salih (Shah Jahan Nama). The History of India as Told by Its Own Historians. Vol. VII. Translated by Elliot, H.M. Trübner & Co. pp. 139–202. Retrieved 14 September 2025.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  15. ↑ Saqi Musta’idd Khan (1947). Ma’asir-i-Alamgiri. Translated by Sarkar, J.N. Royal Asiatic Society. pp. 45–50. Retrieved 14 September 2025.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  16. ↑ Maāsir-i-ʻālamgiri: A History of the Emperor Aurangzib-ʻĀlamgir (reign 1658–1707 A.D.) of Saqi Mustʻad Khan By Muḥammad Sāqī Mustaʻidd Khān, Jadunath Sarkar, 1981, p 138, Muḥammad Sāqī Mustaʻidd Khān, Jadunath Sarkar – Mogul Empire; Bibliotheca Indica, 1947, p 138, Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal, Asiatic Society (Calcutta, India), Asiatic Society of Bengal, India Asiatic Society (Calcutta – Indic literature.
  17. ↑ The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians, 1877, p 123, Henry Miers Elliot, John Dowson; Shah Jahan, 1975, p 131, Henry Miers Elliot – Mogul Empire.
  18. ↑ A Descriptive Catalogue of the Historical Manuscripts in the Arabic and Persian Languages, 2008, p 124, William Hook Morley – History.
  19. ↑ A Concise History of Islam. Vij Books India. 8 May 2014. p. 250. ISBN   978-9381411094. | author1=Muzaffar Husain Syed | author2=Syed Saud Akhtar | author3=B.D. Usmani | date=2011
  20. ↑ Saqi Musta’idd Khan (1947). Ma’asir-i-Alamgiri. Translated by Sarkar, J.N. Royal Asiatic Society. pp. 60–62. Retrieved 14 September 2025.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  21. ↑ Hasan, Muhammad (1885). Tarikh-i-Punjab. Lahore: Punjab Historical Society. pp. 128–130.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  22. ↑ Athar Ali, M. (2003). The Mughal Nobility Under Aurangzeb (Revised ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 92–94. ISBN   978-0195655995 . Retrieved 14 September 2025.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  23. ↑ Journal of the Pakistan Historical Society, 1963, p 349, Pakistan Historical Society; Encyclopaedia of Bangladesh, p 169/170, Nagendra K. Singh; A History of Assam, 1906, pp 110–111, Edward Albert Gait.
  24. ↑ Mughal-Ottoman Relations: A Study of Political and Diplomatic Relations Between Mughal India and the Ottoman Empire, 1556–1748, 1986, p 208, Naimur Rahman Farooqi.
  25. ↑ The Shah Jahan Nama of 'Inayat Khan: An Abridged History of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, Compiled by His Royal Librarian : the Nineteenth-century Manuscript Translation of A.R. Fuller (British Library, Add. 30,777), 1990, p xxviii, Inayat Khan, Wayne Edison Begley, Z. A. Desai, Ziyaud-Din A. Desai.
  26. ↑ Lahore, its history etc., 1992, S. M. Latif; Quoted in: Islamic Culture, 1941, p 74, Islamic Culture Board.
  27. ↑ Islamic Culture, 1941, p 74, Islamic Culture Board.
  28. ↑ "Muhammad Saleh Kamboh's Mosque". www.ualberta.ca. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  29. ↑ "Muhammad Saleh Kamboh's Tomb". www.ualberta.ca. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.