Execution of a Dervish in the Reign of Jalal-ud-din Khilji

Jalal-ud-din Firoz Khilji is commonly regarded as the most compassionate Sultan of Delhi, known for his leniency towards rebels. Due to his gentleness, many disaffected nobles conspired against him. However, instead of harsh punishments, he chose to pardon the rebels and offered them wise advice. Jalal-ud-din frequently expressed that he could not shed the blood of a Muslim, especially that of the adherents of his old patron Balban.

"But for all the gentleness and kindness and mercy of Sultan Jalal-ud-din, in his reign Sidi Maula was cast under the feet of an elephant," laments historian Ziauddin Barani.


A venerable sage named Sidi Maula (Sayyidi Muwallih) from Persia, had travelled extensively and met many revered men of his time. He had come to India for visiting Shaikh Farid Shakar Ganj of Ajodhan (modern Pakpattan). After a short stay at Ajodhan, Sidi solicited the Shaikh's permission to leave for Delhi and settle there. Upon bidding farewell, Shaikh Farid warned him: Avoid getting involved with maliks and amirs; their closeness can be dangerous. No dervish has ever maintained such a relationship without facing disastrous consequences.

Sidi arrived in Delhi during the reign of Sultan Balban (r: 1266-1286) and established a khanka, or monastery, for travellers, fakirs and the poor. Being an unorthodox sect of dervish, he performed daily prayers but abstained from the Friday prayers. He practised great austerity. He led a simple life without slaves or servants, surviving on rice, bread, and pot herbs, yet he fed his guests lavishly. "Twice a day, such bounteous and various meals were provided as no khan or malik could furnish," noted Barani. Isami observed that Sidi would give gold to those in need who came to his door.


Many influential people in the city frequented Sidi's monastery. After Balban's death, Sidi Maula's followers grew significantly.

Sidi's financial sources remained a mystery. He accepted no gifts nor had any stipends, yet his charity was so great that his kitchen daily consumed a thousand maunds of flour, five hundred maunds of meat, eighty maunds of sugar, as well as vegetables, rice, oil, butter, and other necessities. People believed he had powers of alchemy and natural magic. Crowds of people gathered at his gates, making it difficult to pass through.

Many amirs and maliks of Jalal-ud-din Khilji became disciples of Sidi, including Khan-i-Khanan, the eldest son of Jalal-ud-din, whom Sidi used to call his son. Another frequent visitor was Qazi Jalal Kashani, who often spent two or three nights with Sidi, engaging in private discussions.

Sidi's monastery became a gathering place for the deposed Balbani nobles and maulazadas (sons of amirs and maliks) who had lost their fiefs and incomes under the new Khilji regime. Rumours began to spread that Sidi harbored intentions of seizing power with the support of these nobles. Qazi Jalal Kashani filled Sidi's mind with ambitious thoughts, telling him that people saw him as a saviour sent by God to free the kingdom from the tyranny of the Khiljis, and establish wise governance in Hindustan. Deluded by ideas of royalty, Sidi started to confer titles and positions to his disciples, and taking steps to carry out his plans.


According to the plot, Hatiya Paik and Biranjtan kotwal, former Balbani officers, were tasked with assassinating Jalal-ud-din on Friday during his visit to the mosque. Sidi would then be declared khalifa and marry the daughter of the late Sultan Nasir-ud-din Mahmud (r: 1246-1266), while the Qazi was to have the territory of Multan and the maulazadas would get coveted positions. However, one of Sidi's followers, betrayed him by informing the Sultan. One night, Jalal-ud-din disguised himself and visited Sidi's monastery, where he discovered that Sidi's spending was even greater than reported.


Sidi and the other conspirators were arrested and brought before Jalal-ud-din. He questioned Sidi, "Why should a dervish make himself busy with the affairs of the empire?" Sidi Maula denied the accusations, and the Qazi also declared his innocence.

No other witness came forward. Since no offence was proven against Sidi Maula, Jalal-ud-din ordered a huge fire to be prepared at Baharpur, intending for Sidi Maula to walk through the flames to prove his innocence. However, the Ulama said that an ordeal by fire was against the law.

In the end, Jalal-ud-din deposed Qazi Jalal to Badaun and exiled several supporters of the Maula to distant parts of the country, confiscating their properties. He executed Hatiya Paik and Biranjtan kotwal, and ordered Sidi Maula to be confined.

As the kotwals took Sidi Maula to prison, Jalal-ud-din argued with him. Sidi insisted he was innocent. The Sultan then turned to Shaikh Abu Bakr Tusi, the chief of the Haidari Qalandars, and appealed to them, "Why don't you dervishes avenge me of this tyrant!" Hearing this, one of Tusi's men stepped forward and wounded Sidi with a knife. He shaved off Sidi's beard and stabbed him with sack-maker's needles. Arkali Khan, the second son of Jalal-ud-din, who hated Sidi for his closeness to his late brother Khan-i-Khanan, ordered an elephant driver to crush Sidi with his elephant.

Barani says that this most humane king, who had pardoned many others, could not tolerate the plotting of a dervish. Isami, on the other hand, asserts that Arkali Khan had Sidi murdered without the Sultan's permission. He also states that a faction of Sufi impostors grew jealous of Sidi Maula due to his immense popularity and had spread lies about him.