Humayun lay in a coma. His father Babar stood
beside his bed, sad and worried. The Chief
Vizier and the nobles crowded behind him. The
queen with tears in her eyes begged of the
emperor, "Save Humayun's life, my Lord". In
between sobs she said again, "Save my son from the clutches of death."
Babar stood aghast and moaned in grief. "O
God, how helpless am I! I can't even save my son.
I can't save my own flesh, my own blood...."
The palace herald announced, "Here comes Shahi Hakim."*
The Hakim entered the room and offered his
respects to the emperor. Babar knelt before him
pleading, "O life-giver! Save my child." The
Hakim was taken aback and bent down to raise
the Emperor to his feet. "O my Lord," he said,
"I'm just an ordinary servant of yours. I promise I
won't leave any stone unturned. But to grant life
is in God's hands. Have faith in Him. He is Rahim.
He is Karim, the kind and the merciful. Beg His "Royal physician.
mercy, Sir. I can only examine the patient and diagnose the illness."
The Hakim felt Humayun's pulse. Then he examined
the closed eyelids. He tried to open his
mouth too, but it was shut tight. The Hakim unbuttoned
Humayun's shirt and applied a strongsmelling
balm to his chest. The prince slowly
opened his eyes and mouth too, but did not show recognition.
"Asalam walekumPrince," the Hakim
greeted him. But there was no reply. "Asalam
ivalekum," he repeated. "Look at me Prince. Look
at your father. Don't you recognise your mother
sitting by your side?"
There was still no response. Humayun's vacant
looks were fixed on the ceiling. The queen
took Humayun in her arms and moaned.
"O Humayun, my son, won't you call me
Anuria* * anymore? Here, here look at your
Abba* * * Say something my son, say a few words!"
But Humayun didn't utter a sound. Babar stood
dazed beside the Hakim, while the queen's heartrending
cries continued to fill the room.
The Hakim opened another bottle and poured
a few drops of nectar into Humayun's parted lips.
But the drops flowed out. The Hakim mumbled,
"God bless you (Muslim greeting).
"He has not accepted the medicine. I'm sure his
throat is swollen and clogged." He took a piece
of paper and wrote down the names of some medicines.
"Here my Lord! I can only prescribe these
potions for the patient. Kindly try them. Howal
shaft'•!* May God cure him," said the Hakim.
He handed the slip to the Emperor and left
the palace in dismay. Babar passed the prescription on to the Chief
Vizier. Meanwhile, one of the court priests had
entered the chamber. He bowed low and said,
"My Lord! Kindly offer to God whatever you love
most. I am sure God will be kind enough to give
Humayun a new lease of life."
"Should I renounce my wealth and my kingdom?" asked Babar.
"That's up to you, my Lord. You should offer
what you love most," the priest replied.
"What do I love most?" the Emperor muttered.
"Only you can answer that my Lord."
"Dearest to my heart is Humayun," Babar replied.
"Surely, to save the Prince, Your Majesty would
not hesitate to offer something equally dear to
Allah?" urged the priest. "Ah! It is my own life that I love most," said
Babar with a triumphant smile.
°God bless you with good health.
"Allah-O-AkbarIn the presence of all nobles
and courtiers of my empire, I, Zaheerud-Din
Babar, do hereby offer my own life to God Almighty
to save Humayun my dearest son. Let his
malady strike me. Let Humayun recover. May I
die and may Humayun live for ever and ever."
As soon as he had finished speaking Babar sat
down on the mat to offer prayers to the Lord.
The anguished queen flung herself at Babar's
feet and cried, "No, no, my Lord. You cannot die.
Let the Almighty take my life. Humayun must
live under your patronage." "No, Begum.0 My pledge to the Almighty
must hold good. I must defeat death. I have lived
a hero's life. Let me die a hero's death for Humayun,"
muttered Babar as he lay down on the mat
feeling faint and dizzy from the pain in his chest.
"Allah-O-Akbar," whispered Babar again with
the same triumphant smile on his lips, as his eyes closed.
At the same time Humayun regained consciousness
and opened his eyes.
"Allah is the Greatest.
"Woman of noble rank.
beside his bed, sad and worried. The Chief
queen with tears in her eyes begged of the
emperor, "Save Humayun's life, my Lord". In
between sobs she said again, "Save my son from the clutches of death."
Babar stood aghast and moaned in grief. "O
God, how helpless am I! I can't even save my son.
I can't save my own flesh, my own blood...."
The palace herald announced, "Here comes Shahi Hakim."*
The Hakim entered the room and offered his
respects to the emperor. Babar knelt before him
pleading, "O life-giver! Save my child." The
Hakim was taken aback and bent down to raise
the Emperor to his feet. "O my Lord," he said,
"I'm just an ordinary servant of yours. I promise I
won't leave any stone unturned. But to grant life
is in God's hands. Have faith in Him. He is Rahim.
He is Karim, the kind and the merciful. Beg His "Royal physician.
mercy, Sir. I can only examine the patient and diagnose the illness."
The Hakim felt Humayun's pulse. Then he examined
the closed eyelids. He tried to open his
mouth too, but it was shut tight. The Hakim unbuttoned
Humayun's shirt and applied a strongsmelling
balm to his chest. The prince slowly
opened his eyes and mouth too, but did not show recognition.
"Asalam walekumPrince," the Hakim
greeted him. But there was no reply. "Asalam
ivalekum," he repeated. "Look at me Prince. Look
at your father. Don't you recognise your mother
sitting by your side?"
There was still no response. Humayun's vacant
looks were fixed on the ceiling. The queen
took Humayun in her arms and moaned.
"O Humayun, my son, won't you call me
Anuria* * anymore? Here, here look at your
Abba* * * Say something my son, say a few words!"
But Humayun didn't utter a sound. Babar stood
dazed beside the Hakim, while the queen's heartrending
cries continued to fill the room.
The Hakim opened another bottle and poured
a few drops of nectar into Humayun's parted lips.
But the drops flowed out. The Hakim mumbled,
"God bless you (Muslim greeting).
"He has not accepted the medicine. I'm sure his
throat is swollen and clogged." He took a piece
of paper and wrote down the names of some medicines.
"Here my Lord! I can only prescribe these
potions for the patient. Kindly try them. Howal
shaft'•!* May God cure him," said the Hakim.
He handed the slip to the Emperor and left
the palace in dismay. Babar passed the prescription on to the Chief
Vizier. Meanwhile, one of the court priests had
entered the chamber. He bowed low and said,
"My Lord! Kindly offer to God whatever you love
most. I am sure God will be kind enough to give
Humayun a new lease of life."
"Should I renounce my wealth and my kingdom?" asked Babar.
"That's up to you, my Lord. You should offer
what you love most," the priest replied.
"What do I love most?" the Emperor muttered.
"Only you can answer that my Lord."
"Dearest to my heart is Humayun," Babar replied.
"Surely, to save the Prince, Your Majesty would
not hesitate to offer something equally dear to
Allah?" urged the priest. "Ah! It is my own life that I love most," said
Babar with a triumphant smile.
°God bless you with good health.
"Allah-O-AkbarIn the presence of all nobles
and courtiers of my empire, I, Zaheerud-Din
Babar, do hereby offer my own life to God Almighty
to save Humayun my dearest son. Let his
malady strike me. Let Humayun recover. May I
die and may Humayun live for ever and ever."
As soon as he had finished speaking Babar sat
down on the mat to offer prayers to the Lord.
The anguished queen flung herself at Babar's
feet and cried, "No, no, my Lord. You cannot die.
Let the Almighty take my life. Humayun must
live under your patronage." "No, Begum.0 My pledge to the Almighty
must hold good. I must defeat death. I have lived
a hero's life. Let me die a hero's death for Humayun,"
muttered Babar as he lay down on the mat
feeling faint and dizzy from the pain in his chest.
"Allah-O-Akbar," whispered Babar again with
the same triumphant smile on his lips, as his eyes closed.
At the same time Humayun regained consciousness
and opened his eyes.
"Allah is the Greatest.
"Woman of noble rank.
