Question

Who wrote the history of Aurangzeb’s reign in total secrecy because of the emperor’s opposition to it and what was the name of the historical work?
A. Khafi Khan’s Muntakhab-ul-Lubab
B. Mirza Mohammad Kazim’s Alamgir Nama
C. Muhammad Saqi’s Masir-i-Alamgiri
D. Aquil Khan Razi’s Zafar Nama-i-Alamgiri

Answer 1

Hint: Aurangazeb was the sixth Mughal emperor. He is also known as Almgir but his original name was Muhi-ud-Din Mohammad. Aurangzeb is most known for his military campaigns and his orthodox view of Islam, having ruled by the Sharia Law and he also compiled the Falwa-e-Alamgiri.

Complete answer: Khafi Khan was the name given to Muhammad Hashim by the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah. He was in service of the Mughals as their royal historians from the time of Aurangazeb and his father had been the royal historian in the courts of Mughals too under Shahjahan.
He is famously known for writing the history of the Mughals from the start till the reign of Aurangazeb. Though he was serving as a civil officer in the court, he secretly compiled the Mughal history. He also served the next three successors of Aurangazeb.
Let’s look at the options;
Option A- Khafi Khan’s Muntakhab-ul-Lubab is the history of the Mughals compiled in secrecy under the reign of Aurangazeb. So this is the correct option.
Option B- Mirza Mohammad Kazim’s Alamgir Nama was the court history of Aurangazeb’s reign, written in the capacity of the court historiographer with official permission. So this is an incorrect option.
Option C- Muhammad Saqi’s Masir-i-Alamgiri is an account which is a blend of biography as well as history of the court affairs but it could not be completed before the death of the emperor. So this is also an incorrect option.
Option D- Aquil Khan Razi’s Zafar Nama-i-Alamgiri is only the history of the times contemporary to Aurangzeb, not the all the Mughal emperor till his time and was written personally instead of an official account. So this is an incorrect option.
Thus, the correct answer is option (A).

Note: Khafi Khan did not only serve the Mughal court but also the court of Hyderabad. This is derived from another title that he held, Nizam-al-Mulki, which he would have held by being under the Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I.