An account of the end of Sufi Sultan

The explanation of this event is that Sufi Sultan was a good-looking and well-spoken prince and brave, but pride and haughtiness were mixed up in his natural disposition. He heard of the reputation of Mirza Zirak (God’s mercy be upon him!) and decided to pay him a visit. Certain envious ones petitioned: “Mirza Zirak is someone protected by God, let’s settle with him.” Sufi Sultan agreed, he went to the region of Beshkerem, summoned Mirza Zirek, and they threw him into a pond. A finger’s width of ice had frozen. Those close to the Sultan took long sticks in their hands and surrounded the pond. The Mirza was running in all directions, but the sultan’s people kept throwing him back into the pond. The Mirza endured and remained patient for a long time.

The sultan’s men were so rude and abusive towards the saintly Mirza Zirak (God’s mercy be upon him!). The Mirza was helpless, and went before the Sultan. The Sultan was enjoying himself standing beside the pond. The Mirza came up the Sultan and said “Oh unhappy one, your conscience is blind, and your eyes will go blind too.” Those present began to tremble. Nazar Mirza Ordabegi wept and said “We have done something we shouldn’t have. Let us make it up to him now.” Some sycophants said “What effect can the supplication of this protected one have?” The Sultan mounted and went to the tomb of Sham Padshah. In front of the shrine he said “Let’s have some target practice,” and he spurred his horse on and fired some shots. Suddenly, as fate would have it, some dirt flew from the hoof of his horse, entered the Sultan’s eye and started to hurt. The Sultan’s sinister eye was deprived of sight. The wife of Sufi Sultan, who was named Orda Begim, carried two trays of gold coins before the Mirza in the hope that the Sultan’s eyes would see again. She placed the gold before the Mirza. A mangy dog was standing nearby. The Mirza ordered her to put it before the dog. They placed the gold in front of the dog. The dog took one sniff and didn’t pay it any further attention. The Mirza cried and said “Take these filthy goods of yours, even the dog won’t accept them, how can we take them?” Begim wailed a lot and insisted. The Mirza said “The arrow has flown. It will not come back.” Begim and the amirs returned disappointed. After one year the Sultan departed the mortal world.

In place of Sufi Sultan, Muhammad Khan became governor of Kashgar and Yangihissar. In his tenure the country was developed in ways that can still be seen today. When Muhammad Khan settled in the territory of Kashgar, they appointed Muhammad Baqi Sultan to Aqsu and Uch. Muhammad Baqi was the eighth son of ʿAbd al-Rashid Khan, and the country of Aqsu and Uch fell to him. He passed away after three years and ʿAbd al-Karim Khan entrusted the country of Aqsu and Uch as far as the town of Küsän to his brother Muhammad Khan, and he granted it as soyurghal to Muhammad Khan’s son, Shah Shuja’ al-Din Ahmad Khan.