Mirza Abu Talib Khan Tabrizi
MIRZA ABU TALEB KHAN
Mirza Abu Taleb Khan, the author of the following
curious article, is a native of Lucknow, in the province of Oude, in Hindustan.
He was born of respectable Mahommedan parents, and he follows the religion of
his family. He was early distinguished, in his native place, for his abilities,
and his love of knowledge. Having travelled into Bengal, he was noticed by
Mahmud Rizza Khan, who appointed him an aumil, or collector of the revenues.
The duties of this station, and the sedulous attention which he paid to them,
enabled him to acquire a very perfect knowledge both of the principles and
practice of the revenue system of Hindustan. On his leaving the service of
Rizza Khan, he returned to Lucknow; when Asoph-ud-Dowlah, the Nabob of Oude,
having heard of his superior qualifications for the office of aumil, gave him
the collection of the most populous and valuable district in his dominions. In
that district he resided for many years; and, by the good sense, knowledge,
liberality, and strict probity with which he exercised the functions of his
office, he made the ryots, or husbandmen, from whom he collected the revenues,
the most orderly, peaceful, and happy in Hindustan. So high, indeed, was his
sense of honour, and his spirit of benevolence, that he refused to receive the
emoluments appertaining to his office, but requested permission to distribute
them amongst such of the poorer fort of ryots, as were disabled, by age or
infirmities, from following their usual labours. Such conduct was not likely to
make him a favourite with the courtiers at Lucknow: but the Nabob himself,
sensible, in this instance at least, of such extraordinary merit, gave him an
aumildarry* of considerable extent and value. This distinction served to
heighten the jealousy and to raise the envy of the other aumils, who
industriously propagated malicious reports against him, and insinuated that he
was sacrificing the interests of his master to those of the English. This
insinuation had an appearance of probability, from the intimacy which subsisted
between Abu Taleb and the English gentlemen who resided at Lucknow: but, piqued
at his conduct being suspected, he threw up his employment, and consequently
his aumildarry. Some years afterward he came to Calcutta; and handsome offers
of employment were made him by the English government, of which, at first, he
refused to accept. But, at the request of Marquis Cornwallis, he agreed to go
to Hydrabad in the capacity of agent for the English government; which station
however, he never filled, it having been found advisable to transfer the
appointment to an English officer. In the year 1799 he was induced to come to
England, from his general curiosity for knowledge, as well as a strong desire
to fee a country, of which he had heard so much, and in which he was sure of
meeting an hospitable reception from several gentlemen whom he had formerly
known at Lucknow. He took his passage in an Indiaman; and after having passed a
couple of months at the Cape of Good Hope, on his way, he landed at Cork in
Ireland: he then proceeded to Dublin; and from thence, by the usual route, to
London. He has resided here ever since; and has been introduced at court, and
received into the best company, where he met with that attention and respect to
which his excellent character and singular merit so well entitled him. Before
he came to England, he paid some attention to our language; and he has now
acquired a sufficient knowledge of it, to read it to his own satisfaction, and
make himself understood in conversation. He left England a few weeks ago, for
Paris, where he proposes to pass a short time, and then to go through Vienna to
Constantinople, and from thence, by way of Egypt, to Mecca, in order to visit
the Caaba. From Mecca, he will probably proceeded across the deserts into
Persia; and from thence, through Cabulestan, Cashmir, and the Panjab, to Delhi
and Lucknow. During his residence in this country, he composed a poem in the
Persian language, descriptive of London, the adjacent country, the persons,
habits, manners, and public amusements of the English.
His “Vindication of the Liberties of the Asiatic
Women,” he wrote in Persic, and the following is a literal translation of
his manuscript. Our readers will peruse with interest the information which it
contains respecting the domestic economy of the Mussulmans of Hindustan, and
the peculiar privileges and customs of their women: and our still limited
acquaintance with these customs, notwithstanding all the inquiries that have
been made, and all that has been written about the natives of India, should
teach us to be indulgent to the imperfect and curious notions formed of our
habits and customs by an Hindustanee, to whom, from their striking
contrast to his own, they must appear so singular unaccountable.
Vindication of the Liberties of the
Asiatic Women.
By Mirza Abu Taleb Khan.
One day, in a certain company, the conversation turned
upon Liberty, in respect of which the English consider their own customs the
most perfect in the world. An English lady, addressing herself to me, observed,
that the women of Asia have no liberty at all, but live like slaves, without
honour and authority, in the houses of their husbands; and she censured the men
for their unkindness, and the women, also, for submitting to be so undervalued.
However much I attempted, by various ways, to undeceive her, (and in truth,
said I, the case is exactly the reverse, it is the European women who do not
possess so much power,) yet it did not bring conviction to her mind. She
however began to waver in her own opinion, and falling into doubt, requested of
me to write something on the subject, the purport of which she might comprehend
at one view, and he enabled to distinguish the truth from falsehood. Since the
same wrong opinion is deeply rooted in the minds of all other Europeans, and
has been frequently before this held forth, I considered it necessary to write
a few lines concerning the privileges of the female sex, as established both by
law and custom, in Asia and in Europe, omitting whatever was common to both,
and noticing what is principally peculiar to each, in the manner of comparison,
that the distinction may be the more easily made, and the real state of the
case become evident to those capable of discernment.
It must be first laid down as a general maxim, that,
in social order, respect to the rules of equity and politeness, and forbearance
from injury, is a necessary condition; for, otherwise, the liberty of one
would, be destructive of the liberty of another: thus, if a person be at
liberty to do with his own house what may endanger the safety of his
neighbour’s, this must be in direct opposition to the liberty of that
neighbour; or, if in order to free himself from the inconveniences of the hot
weather, he should visit his friends in his dressing gown or nightshirt,
although it would be ease and liberty to him, yet it would be sowing the seeds
of ill-breeding: therefore the observance of these rules is essential.
Those things which make the liberty of the Asiatic
women appear less than of the Europeans, are, in my opinion, fix.
The first is, “the little intercourse with men,
and concealment from view,” agreeably to law and their own habits; and this is
the chief of these fix; for it has been the cause of those false notions
entertained by the European women, that the inclination of the Asiatic women
leads them to walk out in the streets and market-places, but that their
husbands keep them shut up, and set guards over the door. It may be here
observed, that the advantages of this little intercourse, which prevents
all the evils arising from the admittance of strangers, and affords so much
time for work and useful employments, are so very manifest, that they need not
be enlarged upon; and besides, the practice, in London, of keeping the doors of
the houses shut, and the contemptible condition of the Dutch at the Cape, are
sufficient proofs. Notwithstanding this, the custom of the intercourse of the
sexes is allowed in England, and it is owing both to the force of virtue and
good manners generally to be found in the English, and to the apprehension of
other greater inconveniencies, the chief of which are four, as here mentioned,
and whose effects are not felt in Asia. One of these is, the high price
of things, and the small number of servants and rooms; for were there a
separate house, and table, and equipage for the wife, the expence would be too
great to be borne; and therefore of necessity both husband and wife eat their
food, with their guests, in one place, sleep together in the same chamber, and
cannot avoid being always in each other’s company: contrary to the custom in
Asia, where, by reason of the cheapness of work, the women have separate
apartments for themselves, and have not to make their time and convenience suit
that of their husbands; and when their particular friends are with them, they
do not desire their husband’s company for several days, but send his victuals
to him in the murdannah, (or male apartments;) and, in like manner, when the
husband wishes to be undisturbed, he eats and sleeps in the murdannah.
A second cause is “the coldness of this climate, which requires exercise and walking,
and the husband to sleep in the fame bed with his wife: but concealment from
view is incompatible with walking; and as for the second case, another cause is
the want of room; for otherwise, it is the natural disposition of mankind, when
under distress and affliction of mind, to with frequently for privacy and
unrestraint, and sleep in a room alone.”
A third cause is “the people here being all of one kind:” for, in this kingdom, placed
in a corner of the globe where there is no coming and going of foreigners, the
intercourse of the sexes is not attended with the consequences of a corruption
of manners as in Asia, where people of various nations dwell in the same city;
and to allow the women such a liberty there, where there is such danger of
corruption, would be an encroachment upon the liberty of the men, which (as shewn
in the beginning) is contrary to justice; and that a corruption of manners must
ensue, where various kinds of people mix together, is too evident to require
demonstration. Before the Mussulmans entered Hindustan, the women did not
conceal themselves from view; and even yet, in all the Hindu villages, it is
not customary: and it is well known how inviolable the Hindus perverse their
own custom, and how obstinately they are attached to them; but now so rigidly
do the women in the great towns observe this practice of concealment from view,
that the bride does not even shew herself to her father-in-law, and the sister
comes but seldom into the presence of her brother.
A fourth cause is “the necessity which the European women have to acquire experience
in the affairs of the world, and in learning various arts, on account of the
duty that belongs to them, to take part in their husband’s business,” which
experience could not be obtained by keeping in concealment; whereas the duties
of the Asiatic women, consisting only in having the custody of the husband’s
property, and bringing up the children, they have no occasion for such experience,
or for laying aside their own custom of concealment. What has been just said
was to shew that the Asiatic women have no necessity to expose their persons;
but it must also be observed, that they have many reasons for preferring privacy.
One is, the love of leisure, and repose from the fatigue of motion: a second
is, the desire of preserving their honour, by not mixing with the vulgar, nor
suffering the insults of the low and rude, who are always passing along the
streets; a feeling in common with the wives of European noblemen, who, to
preserve their dignity, are never seen walking in the streets; and also with
ladies in private life, who when walking out at night, and even in the day, are
always attended by a male friend or servant to protect them. The notions which
the European women have, that the women of Asia never see a man’s face but
their husband’s, and are debarred from all amusement and society, proceed
entirely from misinformation: They can keep company with their husband and
father’s male relations, and with old neighbours and domestics; and at meals
there are always many men and women of this description present; and they can
go in their palankeens to the houses of their relations, and of ladies of their
own rank, even although the husbands are unacquainted; and also to walk in
gardens after strangers are excluded; and they can send for musicians and
dancers to entertain them at their own houses; and they have many other modes
of amusement besides these mentioned.
The second is “the privilege of he husband, by
law, to marry several wives.” This, to the European women, seems a grievous
oppression; and they hold those very cheap who submit to it. But, in truth, the
cause of this law and custom is the nature of the female sex themselves, which
separates them from the husband, the several last months of pregnancy, and time
of suckling; and besides these, the Asiatic women have many other times for
being separate from their husbands. This privilege not being allowed by the
English law, is indeed a great hardship upon the English husbands; whereas the
Asiatic law permitting polygamy, does the husband justice, and wrongs not the
wife; for the honour of the first and equal wife is not affected by it;
those women who submit to marry with a married man, not being admitted into the
society of ladies, as they are never of high or wealthy families, no man of
honour ever allowing his daughter to make such a marriage. The mode in which
these other wives live is this: they who are of a genteel extraction, have a
separate house for themselves, like kept mistresses in England; and they who
are not, live in the house of the equal wife, like servants, and the husband at
times conveys himself to them in a clandestine manner. Besides, these wives
cannot invade any of the rights of the equal wife; for although they and their
children are by law equally entitled to inheritance, yet since the equal wife
never marries without a very large dowry settled upon her, all that the husband
leaves goes to the payment of this dowry, and nothing remains for his heirs. The
opinion that the men of Asia have generally three or four wives, is very ill-founded,
for in common they have only one; out of a thousand, there will be fifty
persons perhaps who have from one to two, and ten out of these who have more
than two. The fear of the bad consequences of polygamy makes men submit with
patience to the times of separation from the equal wife, as much the better
way; for, from what I know, it is easier to live with two tigresses than two
wives.
The third is, “the power of divorce being in
the hands of the husband.” This is ordained by law, but not practised; for if a
great offence be the motive to divorce a wife, and if it be proved against her,
she receives punishment by the order of the magistrate, or from the husband,
with the concurrence of all her relations; and if the offence be of a trivial
nature, such as a difference of temper and unsociability, the husband punishes
her by leaving the female apartments and living in his own. But the reason for
divorce being at the will of the husband, lies in the very justice of the law,
and the distinction of the male sex over the female, on account of the greater
share they take in the management of the world; for all the laborious work falls
to their lot, such as carrying heavy burthens, going to war, repulsing enemies,
&c. And the women generally spend their lives in repose and quiet.
Nevertheless, if the wife establishes a criminal offence against the husband,
such as an unfair distribution of his time among his wives, or a diminution of
the necessaries of life, she can obtain a divorce in spite of him.
The fourth is, “the little credit the law
attaches to the evidence of women in Asia;” for, in a court of justice, every
fact is proved by the testimony of two men; but if women be the witnesses, four
are required. This does not arise from the superiority of the one over the
other, but it is founded upon the little experience and knowledge women
possess, and the fickleness of their dispositions.
The fifth is, “the Asiatic women having to
leave off going to balls and entertainments, and wearing showy dresses and
ornaments, after their husband’s death.” This is owing to their great affection
for their husband’s memory, and their own modes and habits; for there is
nothing to prevent a woman’s doing otherwise, or marrying a second husband, but
the dread of exposing herself to the ridicule and censure of women of her own
rank.
The sixth is, “the Asiatic daughters not having
the liberty of choosing their husbands.” On this head nothing need be said; for
in Europe, this liberty is merely nominal, as without the will of the father
and mother, the daughter’s choice is of no avail; and whatever choice they make
for her, she must submit to; and in its effects, it serves only to encourage
running away (as the male and female slaves in India do), and to breed coldness
and trouble amongst the members of a family. But granting that such a liberty
does exist in England, the disgrace and misery it must always entail is very
evident. The choice of a girl just come from the nursery, and desirous by
nature to get a husband, in an affair on which the happiness of her whole life
depends, can neither deserve that respect nor consideration which is due to the
choice of her parents, who have profited by experience, and are not blinded by
passion.
But what the Asiatic women have more than the European,
both by law and custom, may be ranked under eight heads.
First, “Their
power over the property and children of the husband, by custom;” for the men of
Asia consider the principal objects of marriage, after the procreation of their
species, for the worship of God, two things, the one to have their money and effects
taken care of, and the other to have their children brought up, so that they
themselves being left entirely disengaged of these concerns, may turn their
whole endeavours to the attainment of their various pursuits. The chief part,
therefore, of whatever wealth they acquire, they give in charge to their wives,
and thus the women have it in their power to annihilate in one day the products
of a whole life. Although this seldom happens, yet it is often the case, where
the husband having amassed a large fortune in youth and power, has delivered it
in charge to his wife, and requires it back in his old age and necessity; she
does not allow him more than sufficient for his daily support, and lays the
rest up in a place of security for the sake of her children. And so great is
the power they possess, as to the disposal of their children, that frequently
they are brought up without any education, or die in childhood; for the women,
on account of their little sense, are never pleased to part with their
children, by sending them to school, and to acquire experience by travelling;
and when they fall sick, they give them improper medicines, by the advice of
their own confidants, or, from their softness of heart, indulge them in
whatever it is the nature of the sick to take a longing for, and thus they
cause their death.
Second, “Their
power, by custom, as to the marriage of their children, and choice of their
religious faith;” for if the husband wishes to give one of them in marriage to
a person the wife disapproves of, the match does not take place, but the other
way it generally does. All the children, both male and female, from being
mostly in the company of their mother, and looking upon her as their protector
against their father, whom, on account of his wishes to have them educated,
they consider their tormentor, follow the religious tenets of their mother, and
remain perfect strangers to those of their father. It often happens, where the
wife is a Schia, and the husband a Souni, the children having been Schias from
their own natural disposition, and the instruction of the mother, speak
disrespectfully of the chiefs of the Souni sect in their father’s presence; and
he, who all his life never bore such language from any person, but was even
ready to put the speaker of it to death, has no redress, but patiently
submitting to hear it from them, as, on account of their want of understanding,
they are excuse-able; and thus, by frequent repetition, his attachment to his
faith is shaken, and, in the course of time, be either entirely forsakes it, or
remains but lukewarm in it.
Third, “Their
authority over their servants;” for the servants of the male apartments, the
keeping and changing of whom are in the hands of the husband, through fear of
exposing themselves to the displeasure or complaints of the wife, when she
finds a proper opportunity, by their committing some fault, which servants are
continually doing, are more obedient to her than to their own master; and the
servants of the zenana, whom the wife has the care of retaining or turning off,
stand so much in awe of their mistress, that many of them pass their whole
lives in the zenana, without ever once coming into the presence of the husband:
some of them never perform any service for him at all, and others, who do,
enter not into discourse with him; and the women are so obstinate in this
respect, their husbands never can turn off one of these servants, but his very
complaint against them is a recommendation in their favour; and his
recommendation has the effect of complaint, by subjecting them to their
mistresses resentment. Contrary to this is the manner of the European ladies,
who have not their own will with their children and servants, but live more
like free and familiar guests in their husband’s houses; and the household
establishment and equipage being in common to both, if any part, as the
carriage for example, is previously employed by the one, the other has to wait
till it is disengaged: of this there is no doubt, that if a quarrel ensues between
an English husband and wife, the wife has to leave the house, and seek her
dinner either at her father’s or a friend’s; whereas in Asia, it is the husband
that has to go out; for frequently the utensils of cookery are not kept in the
male apartments.
Fourth, “The
freedom, by custom, of the Asiatic women from assisting in the business of the
husband, or service of his guess;” whereas this is generally the duty of
European wives, whether their husbands be of a genteel business, such as
jewellery, mercery, or perfumery, or the more servile ones; I have seen many rife
from their dinner, to answer the demands of a purchaser: and although all these
duties are not required of the ladies, yet some, especially the entertaining
the guests, carving and helping the dishes at table, and making the tea and
coffee, are generally performed by them/ Now the Asiatic ladies have no such
duties at all, but live in the manner before described.
Fifth, “The
greater deference the Asiatic ladies find paid to their humours, and a
prescriptive right of teasing their husbands by every pretext,” which is
considered as constituting an essential quality of beauty; for f a wife does
not put these in practice but is submissive to her husband’s will in every
thing, her charms very soon lose their brilliancy in his eyes. Thus when a wife
goes to visit her father, she will not return to her husband, till he has come
himself several times to fetch her, and being as often vexed by her breaking
her promise; ad every day when dinner is served, by pretending to be engaged at
the time, she keeps her husband waiting, and does not come till the meat has grown
cold, and in the same manner at bed-time;― for returning quickly from their
father’s house is considered as a sign of soundness for the husband, which in
their opinion looks very ill; and coming soon to dinner they think betrays the
disposition of a hungry beggar. In these, and such like, the husband has
nothing for it but patience; nay, it ever pleases him. I have known of many
beautiful women, constant in their affection, and obedient to their husbands
night and day, whom, for not having these qualities, the husbands have quickly
tired of, and unjustly deserted, for the sake of plain women who possessed
them.
Sixth, “The
greater reliance placed by the Asiatic husbands on their wives virtue, both
from law and custom.” For, as to the European ladies, although they can do out
of doors, and discourse with strangers, yet this is not allowed, unless they
have a trusty person along with them, either of the husband’s or the father’s;
and sleeping out all night is absolutely denied them,―contrary to the way of
the Asiatic ladies, who, when they go to the house of a lady of their
acquaintance, though their husbands be entire strangers, are not attended by
any person of the husband’s or father’s, and they spend not only one or two
nights in that house, but even a whole week; and in such a house, although the
master is prohibited entering the apartments where they are, yet they young men
of fifteen, belonging to the family or relations, under the name of children,
have free access, and eat with and enter into the amusements of their guests.
Seventh, “Their
share in the children, by law.” For if a divorce happens, the sons go to the
father, and the daughters to the mother, contrary to the custom here, where, if
a divorce takes place, the mother, who for twenty years may have toiled and consumed
herself in bringing up her children, has to abandon all to the father, and full
of grief and affliction leave his house.
Eighth, “The case,
both by law and custom, with which the wife may separate herself from her
husband, when there may be a quarrel between them, without producing a divorce.”
Thus the wife, in an hour’s time after the dispute, sets off with the children and
her property to the house of her father or relations, and until the husband
makes her satisfaction she does not return: and this she can always do without
a moment’s delay.
Besides these eight, as above notice, of the superior
advantages the Asiatic women enjoy over the European, there are many others
here omitted for brevity’s sake. What has been said, is enough for people of
discernment. Farewell.
“I’ll fondly place on either eye,
“The man that can to this reply.”
London.
Mirza Abu Taleb Khan, ’Vindication of the Liberties of Asiatic Women’,
Asiatic Annual Register, 1801, Miscellaneous Tracts, pp. 100-107.
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