Abul Fazl

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Abul Fazl ibn Mubarak (14 January 1551 – 22 August 1602), also known as Abul Fazl and Abu'l-Fadl Allami, was an Indian writer, historian, and statesman who served as the grand vizier of the Mughal Empire under Emperor Akbar from 1579 until his death in 1602. He is remembered as one of the Nine Jewels of Akbar's court.

Born in Agra, Abul Fazl came from a family with scholarly and religious roots. He received extensive education in Arabic and Islamic sciences and joined Akbar's court in 1575, quickly becoming a trusted adviser who helped shape Akbar's more tolerant religious policies.

His best-known works are the Akbarnama (a three-volume history of Akbar and his predecessors), the Ain-i-Akbari (an extensive administrative survey), the Ruqa'at (private letters), and the Inshā-i-Abu'l Fazl (official despatches). He also produced a Persian translation of the Bible.

In Ain-i-Akbari, Abul Fazl outlined a theory of sovereignty called Padshahat. He described the king as an agent of God who maintains order and welfare, with ultimate authority, but insisted that governance should be just and inclusive of different faiths.

Abul Fazl was assassinated in 1602 on a journey back from the Deccan in a plot connected to Prince Salim, who would become Jahangir. He was buried at Antri.

His family included his brother Faizi, the poet laureate, and his son Shaikh Afzal Khan, who later became governor of Bihar. The Abul Fazl Shrine in Kabul honors his name.