ABU 'L-FADL 'ALLAMI

born Jan. 14, 1551, Agra, India died Aug. 22, 1602 Abu 'l-Fadl also spelled Abu-l-fazl historian, military commander, secretary, and theologian to the Mughal emperor Akbar. Abu 'l-Fadl 'Allami studied with his father, Sheikh Mubarak Nagawri, a distinguished scholar, and after teaching in his father's school was presented to Akbar in 1574 by the poet Fayzi, Abu 'l-Fadl's older brother. Through his criticism of the traditional Muslim religious leaders, he influenced the development of Akbar's religious synthesis. He opposed the narrow-mindedness of the religious leaders and their preoccupation with outward forms instead of the transcendent God. Abu 'l-Fadl had immense influence at court. Appointed a military commander in the Deccan in 1599, he distinguished himself both as a soldier and as an administrator. He was called back to court during a rebellion of Akbar's son Salim (afterward the emperor Jahangir) but, at the instigation of Salim, was stopped en route and assassinated. Abu 'l-Fadl's major literary achievement was a history of Akbar and his ancestors, Akbar-nameh (Eng. trans. by H. Beveridge, The Akbarnama of Abu-l-Fazl, 1907-39), concluded by the Ain-e Akbari (Eng. trans. by H.F. Blochmann and H.S. Jarrett, 'Ain-i-Akbari of Abul Fazl-i-'Allami, 1927-49). Ain-e Akbari is in three parts: (1) a manual of government operations ranging from the jewel office and elephant stables to the army and tax collection; (2) a description and short history of Akbar's 12 provinces; and (3) an account of Hindu culture and sciences. Abu 'l-Fadl is said to have translated the Bible into Persian. Collections of his letters are also extant.