Epic Explorer -Abd Al Razzaq

 By Yoshika Sharma

India has experienced many foreign footsteps on its land , some were explorers , some came from the invading purpose. Ancient and mediveal India experienced a lot of such explorers , one of them was Abd Al Razzaq ( 1413 AD ) . Razzaq was from Persia ad was a scholar in the court of king of Persia , Mirza Shah rukh of Timrud Dynasty between 1405 AD – 1482 AD . Mirza wanted to send a messenger to India and so he appointed Razzaq , nbut Razzaq refused to go as he was afraid of travelling , but after many requests by Mirza , Razzaq agreed to comme to India . 

Razzaq by road travelled from Herat to Hormuz and from Port of Hormuz he landed on the land of kozhikode , where he wanted to learn about the government and functioning of the area , but Razzaq was not allowed to meet the king for atleast 3 months and thus he thought of his mission as messenger was a failure. Just then the king of Vijaynagar empire Dev Raya II invited Razzaq to visit vijaynagar , Razzaq  was welcomed at Hampi ( the capital of vijaynagar) and was surprised to see the architectural glory of the buildings of the city . The city had 7 concentric circular walls and at the centre was the huge miraculous palace of the king . The walls were made such that there were houses and farms between the first and second walls , market and coin making factories between the third and fourth walls . Razzaq was greatky welcomed by the king Dev Raya II . As Dev raya wanted to learn more about their government and functioning . As time passed Razzaq was one of the most favourite courtiers of Dev Raya , Dev Raya also gifted Razzaq mansion to live , soon this favouritism towards Razzaq was not excepted by other courtiers and resulting in spread of fake rumours claiming that Razzaq is a spy and not a messenger from Persia . These news spread like wildfire  and finllay reached through the ears of king in which the king said that ” It had been asserted that you were not really sent here by Shah Rukh or else we would have shown you greater attention , if you come back on a future occasion into my territoies you shall meet with a worthy reception” ; by Dev Raya II ( from the book of Abd Al Razzaq . After which Razzaq was forced to flee vijaynagar and was sent back to Persia in 1445 . Razzaq the told all these happenings to Mirza  Shah rukh and then he himself sent an official letter to Dev Raya II regarding the visit of Razzaq . 

Razzaq ‘s experience as a traveller was great this experience made Razzaq a travel enthusiast from a reluctant traveller .

References

Hill, E. (1987). al-Sanhuri and Islamic law: the place and significance of Islamic law in the life and work of’Abd al-Razzaq Ahmad al-Sanhuri, Egyptian jurist and scholar 1895-1971.