In 1555, after a long campaign, Humayun won back Delhi and recovered his lost throne. His subjects were extremely happy and excited that the Emperor had returned victorious. The whole kingdom turned out to cheer him, lining the streets to the palace. All his subjects wanted to touch his feet and sing his praises.

When the Emperor reached the palace, he said to his army, “We have won, but it is all due to Allah’s Grace. Otherwise, we would not have won. Let me go to the mosque and offer my gratitude to Allah.”

In the mosque, Humayun offered his soulful prayer and heart’s gratitude to Allah: “O Allah, You have always been kind to me. Even my own brothers, not to speak of kith and kin, have deceived and betrayed me many times. But I promised my father on his deathbed that I would be kind to them. Therefore, I have forgiven them every time. I myself have also done so many wrong things in this life, and You have forgiven me as I have forgiven my own brothers and relatives. You have always taught me that forgiveness is the answer and not revenge. To satisfy oneself, forgiveness is the only answer. Allah, accept my gratitude-life and my gratitude-heart for this great victory.”

Unfortunately, Humayun was not able to enjoy his victory for long. One day, as the sunset call to prayer was heard, Humayun fell down the steep steps leading from the tower he used as a library and fractured his skull.

Shocked and horrified, his attendants rushed to his side. Humayun whispered, “Allah, this is my last prayer to You. Soon I am going to be with You. My father died while praying to You. I was dying and he prayed that You would take his life instead of mine. You listened to his prayer. He died in my place and I was cured. Now I am dying while praying to You. I pray for my kingdom, for my people and for my son. I know there is only one way to gain victory and that way is through prayer. Without prayer, there is no success and no glory. No prayer, no satisfaction.

“Allah, Allah, may Your Glory be praised in all human hearts throughout Your creation. I leave my son here on earth in Your Care. Do save him and protect him. Do give him world-glory. My last prayer is not the prayer of the great Emperor Humayun, but the prayer of a soulful Muslim mendicant-seeker who needs no one but Allah for eternal peace and eternal satisfaction. Satisfaction is what I have always needed and what I shall always need, forever and forever.

“Allah, You have given me that satisfaction now—not in the victory of the battlefield, but in allowing me to utter Your compassionate Name. Your Name is all peace. Satisfaction abides in peace and peace is satisfaction, satisfaction alone. Allah, Allah, Allah!”

from The Moghul Emperors
by Sri Chinmoy