Mahmud of Ghazni: Personal Life of a Great Sultan
Mahmud of Ghazni is recognised as a great soldier. His 17 invasions of India over a period of 27 years are the stuff legends are made off. It's a matter of surprise that Mahmud of Ghazni emerged from Central Asia on to India, through the passes of the North West Frontier and yet none of the Hindu kings of that period had the strategic sense to guard the passes. These passes of the Hindu Kush mountains, notably the Khyber pass were left undefended. By this act they showed poor strategic sense and one can conclude that the Hindu generals and kings were men who had no knowledge of the art of war. That perhaps is the reason that India has produced writers like Vatsyayana who wrote the Kamasutra, but no one wrote anything like Sun Tzu wrote on warfare like his "Art of War."
Mahmud was a great soldier, that is an accepted fact. Muslim writers notably, his court historian Utbi, opine that Mahmud was a devout Muslim who wanted to spread the message of Islam and put an end to idol worship. I am perhaps inclined to agree with the writings of Utbi, for Mahmud at many places and times showed a missionary zeal that transgressed the rationale of a reasoned man as he was swept by passion of Islam to convert and destroy. One cannot fault him for this as in that period, this was the ethos of the kings and rulers and the winner invariably carried out excesses in futherance of his belief or faith. Mahmud thus did nothing out of the ordinary. This also explains his action when he loomed over the Somnath temple.
It is reported that whenMahmud neared Somnath, a force of nearly 50000 Hindus opposed him. Mahmud decimated this Hindu force and killed thousands. While at the gates of the temple, the priests offered Mahmud any amount of money and ranson as a tribute in case he spared the gold idol of the temple, probably a Shiva Linga. Mahmud rejected all offers and announced that he would prefer to be known as a destroyer of idols than a man who saved an idol for money. He reportedly struck at the Shiva Linga with his own sword and shattered it to pieces. This shows the dedication to Islam of Mahmud. But there are many other uncomfortable questions about the personal life of Mahmud and the claim that he was a devout Muslim must be taken with a pinch of salt.
Firstly Mahmud had 9 wives and innumerable concubines as well as men slaves. This is contraray to what is written in the Koran, where a limit of 4 wives is laid down for a devout Muslim. This trangession can perhaps be ignored , but many writers of that period have mentioned that perhaps Mamud was a gay. He was in other words a homosexual and that is something Islam never accepts. Considering that Mahmud also had 9 wives and at least 50 children, there is every probability that he was bisexual.
Mahmud of Ghazni's name is associated with a man named Malik Ayaz. He was a slave from Georgia, but he was the companion to Mahmud of Ghazni.There is enough literature available that points to a deep affection that Mahmud had for this slave. Many poems and stories have been inspired by the love between these two men. There are a set of six poems by Farid al-Din Attar that are inspired by this relationship.
Mahmud had bought Malik Ayaz when he was just 15. He was part of a contingent of 29 slaves and he was selected by Mahmud as his slave( Ghulam). It is surmissed that he won the confidence of the Sultan and entered his bed chamber as well. As a cover up he was married to one of the daughters of the Sultan. This was a ruse that had been practiced earlier by many kings to cover their tracks of a gay relationship.One is reminded that such acts are part of history from the days of Carthage and the relationship of Hamilcar and Hansdrubal.
Malik Ayaz emerges from this relationship as a man who carried himself with dignity. Probably he was very devoted to the Sultan Mahmud and fullfilled all his wishes. He was suitable rewarded and made a general in the army of the Sultan. Thus he rose from a slave to being a general. Further honors were to come to Malik. Mahmud was so smitten by Ayaz that he appointed him governor of Lahore. This was a city Mahmud had captured afer a siege and a great battle. Malik Ayaz was made Governor of Lahore and by all accounts conducted himself with great dignity. He was the first Muslim governor of Lahore and did a lot to beautify the city. He was burried at Lahore, but during the reign of the Sikhs his tomb was destroyed. It was restored by the Pakistan government after 1947.
There are no records of any other gay affairs of Mahmud.But there is no doubt that Mahmud was deeply influenced ny Malik. Thus we have the picture of a man who killed thousands of Hindus in the name odf Islam bowing before a slave. It started as an unequal relationship, but soon Malik was the master and the tables had turned.Mahmud by raising Malik to be the governor of Lahore demonstrated the power of gay love.
Islam does not condone homosexuality in any form and many verses condemn this relationship. But Mahmud of Gjazni did to an extent not only carry on this relationship, but gave it a cloak by marrying one of his daughters to him. By this act Mahmud brough Ayaz into the family and none could point a finger at him. But at times Mahmud must have wrestled with his conscience and one wonders what thoughts went through his mind.
Never the less Mahmud of Ghazni remains a great name in Asian history and for sstudents of history his relationship with Malik Ayaz is worth more than a passing glance. No one remembers the 9 wives of Ghazni, but the name of his slave is part of the life of the Sultan and is known to all. This relationship need not be frowned upon, irrespective of what the Muslim scriptures say. It was a relationship that can be more understood now than the era that Mahmud of Ghazni, that great conqueror lived.
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