Will Of Emperor Aurangzeb (1707)

2 March 1707

Maulvi Hamid-ud Din recorded the will in the Persian Language

1. As an emperor of India, without any dought, I have ruled over this country. But with sorrow, I am saying that I have not been able to do any single good deed in my entire life.
2. My inner soul is cursing me as a sinner. But now it is useless. Now I wish that my last rites be performed by my dear son Azam, nobody else should touch my body.
3. My servant, Aya Beg, has my purse in which I have carefully kept my earnings of 4 Rupiah and 2 annas. In my spare time I have been copying the Koran and stitching caps. It was by selling the caps that I made an honest earning of 4 Rupiah and 2 annas.
4. My coffin should be purchased by this amount. No other money should be spent for covering the body of a sinner. This is my dying wish.
5. By selling the copies of the Koran I collected 305 Rupiah. That money is also with Aya Beg. It is my vasiyat that poor Mohammedans should be fed with sweet rice purchased by this money.
6. All my articles – clothes, inkstand(Doyat), pens and books should be given to my son Azam. The labour charges for digging my grave will be paid by Prince Azam.
7. My grave(Kabra) should be dug in a dense forest. When I am buried my face should remain uncovered. Do not cover my face. I want to present myself to Allah with a naked face. I am told whoever goes to the supreme court with a naked face will have his sins forgiven.
8. My coffin should be made of thick Khaddar. Do not place a costly shawl on the corpse. The route of my funeral should not be showered with flowers.
9. No one should be permitted to place any flowers on my body. No music should be played or sung, I hate music.
10. No tomb should be built for me. Only a chabootra may be erected.
11. I have not been able to pay the salaries of my soldiers and my personal servants for several months.
12. I bequeath that after my death at least my personal servants be paid in full as the treasury is empty. Niamat Ali has served my very faithfully he has cleaned my body and has never let my bed remain dirty.
13. No mausoleum should be raised in my memory. No stone with my name should be placed at my grave. There should be no trees planted near the grave. A sinner like me does not deserve the protection of a shady tree.
14. My son, Azam has the authority to rule from the throne of Delhi. Kam Bakhsh should be entrusted with the governance of Bijapur and Golconda States.
15. Allah should not make anyone an emperor, the most unfortunate person is he who is an emperor. My sins should not be mentioned in any social gathering. No story of my life should be told to anyone.

According to the wishes of the emperor, his grave made of ‘kuccha’ bricks can still be seen in Aurangabad. The authenticity of the Will can be questioned due to lack of corroboration.