Hakeem Shaikh Ilam-ud-din Ansari (died 1641), known by his royal title Wazir Khan, was a

Mughal Mughal or Moghul may refer to: Related to the Mughal Empire * Mughal Empire of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries * Mughal dynasty * Mughal emperors * Mughal people, a social group of Central and South Asia * Mughal architecture * Mug ...

administrator who was the

Subahdar Subahdar, also known as Nazim, was one of the designations of a governor of a Subah (province) during the Khalji dynasty of Bengal, Mamluk dynasty, Khalji dynasty, Tughlaq dynasty, and the Mughal era who was alternately designated as Sahib- ...

Subah of Lahore The Subah of Lahore (; ) was one of the three ''subahs'' (provinces) of the Mughal Empire in the Punjab, Punjab region, alongside Subah of Multan, Multan and Delhi subahs, encompassing the northern, central and eastern Punjab. It was created as ...

during 1631–1639. He was also appointed twice the governor of

Agra Subah The Agra Subah () was a subah (province) of the Mughal Empire, established in the reign of Akbar and one of the empire's core territories until it was eclipsed by the rapidly expanding Maratha Empire. To the north it bordered Delhi and Awadh, ...

and held the office of

Grand Vizier Grand vizier (; ; ) was the title of the effective head of government of many sovereign states in the Islamic world. It was first held by officials in the later Abbasid Caliphate. It was then held in the Ottoman Empire, the Mughal Empire, the Soko ...

for a brief period after the accession of

Shah Jahan Shah Jahan I, (Shahab-ud-Din Muhammad Khurram; 5 January 1592 – 22 January 1666), also called Shah Jahan the Magnificent, was the Emperor of Hindustan from 1628 until his deposition in 1658. As the fifth Mughal emperor, his reign marked the ...

in 1627/1628.

Career

Wazir Khan was born in a Punjabi family hailing from the city of

Chiniot Chiniot ( Punjabi, Urdu: ) is a city and the administrative headquarters of Chiniot District in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. Located on the bank of the river Chenab, it is the 28th most populous city in Pakistan. It is also known for ...

in the

Lahore Subah Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Pakistani province of Punjab. It is the second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and 27th largest in the world, with a population of over 14 million. Lahore is one of Pakistan ...

. During his prime, he showcased prowess in the field of medicine, garnering recognition under the patronage of Shah Jahan. His adeptness in medical practice, coupled with a discerning comprehension of the temperament of the Prince, led to his appointment as Superintendent of the Camp Court, a position he earned graciously. Notable for his judicious resolution of conflicts and unwavering integrity, he secured a notable standing in the Prince's regard. His contributions during the campaign against the Rana, notably as the Divan-i-Buyutat, were invaluable, earning him significant promotion within the ranks. During the Prince's stay at Junair, Wazir Khan ascended to the prestigious position of the

Divan A divan or diwan (, ''dīvān''; from Sumerian ''dub'', clay tablet) was a high government ministry in various Islamic states, or its chief official (see ''dewan''). Etymology The word, recorded in English since 1586, meaning "Oriental cou ...

, marking a significant elevation in his status. At that juncture, only Mahabat Khan held a higher rank among the Prince's retinue. He was later given a command of 7000. He remained Chief

Qadi A qadi (; ) is the magistrate or judge of a Sharia court, who also exercises extrajudicial functions such as mediation, guardianship over orphans and minors, and supervision and auditing of public works. History The term '' was in use from ...

at Lahore for some time. From 1628 to 1631 he served as the governor of Agra after which he was appointed as the governor of Lahore. He held this post until approximately 1640/1641, when he was reappointed as governor of Agra, but died of

colic Colic or cholic () is a form of pain that starts and stops abruptly. It occurs due to muscular contractions of a hollow tube (small and large intestine, gall bladder, ureter, etc.) in an attempt to relieve an obstruction by forcing content ou ...

after only ten months.

Sikh Accounts

According to Sikh texts and tradition, Wazir Khan was a supporter of the Sikh community and even a Sikh himself. Sikh tradition says he had been an admirer of

Guru Arjan Guru Arjan (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਅਰਜਨ, pronunciation: ; 15 April 1563 – 30 May 1606) was the fifth of the ten total Sikh Gurus. He compiled the first official edition of the Sikh scripture called the Adi Granth, which later expande ...

because of the prayer

Sukhmani Sahib Sukhmani Sahib (), known under the title of Gauri Sukhmani in the scripture (named after the Gauri (raga), Gauri raga musical measure it belongs to), is usually translated to mean ''Prayer of Peace'' is a set of 192 ''Pada (foot), padas'' (stanz ...

which is said to have given him relief. After which he had become a

Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...

. Thus when Guru Arjan was to be executed by the Mughal Emperor he did everything he could to save the Guru, but it was in vain. During the time of

Guru Hargobind Guru Hargobind (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿਗੋਬਿੰਦ, pronunciation: l 19 June 1595 – 28 February 1644) was the sixth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion. He had become Guru at the young age of eleven, after the execution of his ...

Wazir Khan kept his support of the Guru. When the Guru was arrested by the emperor

, Wazir Khan begged for the Guru's release. After the first battle between the

and the Mughals Khan convinced Shah Jahan that there wasn't value in taking further action against the Guru. He said, "Sire, the Guru is not a rebel and hath no design on thine empire. He hath ever been the support of the state... Is it not a mircale that with not fully seven hundred men he destroyed an army of seven thousand." Hearing this the emperor was convinced to take no further action against the Guru.

Legacy

File:Central dome and fresco painting of Wazir Khan Hammam.jpg, Central dome of the Wazir Khan Hammam File:Garden of Wazir Khan, Agra artist, c. 1830, Agra Scroll.png, Garden of Wazir Khan, Agra artist, c. 1830 File:Weeks Edwin Lord An Open-Air Restaurant Lahore.jpg, Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore In Lahore, he undertook extensive construction projects, including the establishment of baths, markets, and various other edifices. In Chiniot, he erected a formidable brick fort alongside other notable structures, generously gifting them to the local populace. His benevolent actions extended to infrastructure development, as he constructed roads, streets, shops, mosques, rest-houses, a school, a hospital, and wells for public use, alleviating the burdens of everyday life for the citizens. Regrettably, he never had the chance to revisit his cherished birthplace, a longing that remained unfulfilled throughout his life. Described as a man of quiet demeanor and steadfast temperament, he led a modest existence, eschewing extravagance in both personal and domestic matters. His frugality extended to household expenses and attire, reflecting his humility and dedication to serving his people. Wazir Khan was praised by his near contemporary poet Mita Chenabi in his ''Tuḥfat al-Panjāb'' for building

Wazir Khan Mosque The Wazir Khan Mosque (, ''Wazīr Khã Masīt''; Persian language, Persian, ) is a 17th-century Mughal Empire, Mughal masjid located in the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab, Pakistan. The mosque was commissioned by the then governor ...

and founding the city of

Wazirabad Wazirabad (Urdu/) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the administrative capital of Wazirabad District (formerly a Tehsil of Gujranwala District). Famous for its cutlery products, it is known as the city of cutlery and is also quite famous f ...

. Alimuddin Wazir Khan was also responsible for the construction of the

Shahi Hammam The Shahi Hammam (; ; ), also known as the Wazir Khan Hammam, is a Turkish bath which was built in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, in 1635 Common era, C.E. during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan. It was built by chief physician to the Mughal Court, Ilam ...

in Lahore, also known as the Wazir Khan Hammam. Wazir Khan was also one of the nobles to build a Haveli (mansion) as well as a garden in the city of Agra, where he was twice governor. It is known as the Bagh-i-Wazir Khan. He built another garden in Lahore, known as Nakhlia-i-Wazir Khan, in 1634. Although the garden does not exist any longer, its baradari survived and today serves as the reading room of the Punjab Public Library.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Wazir People from Chiniot District People from Lahore Subahdars of Lahore 1641 deaths 17th-century Mughal Empire people 1560s births