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Lot Essay
The inscription is mostly from the Qur'an, sura lxxii, parts of verse 18, followed by the historical inscription. It states that it is a foundation stone for a mosque built by Sharaf al-Din ..... Zafar Khan during the reign of Firuz Shah (r.752-790/1351-1388). Firuz Shah is the Tughluqid ruler and noted builder of Delhi.
Zafar Khan was the son of a converted Rajput to whom Firuz Shah granted the fiefdom of Gujerat. He rapidly expanded his domain, and even took control of Malwa, placing his brother Hushang on the throne. His successor was Ahmad I who gradually shook off his allegiance to Delhi and founded both Ahmadnagar and also Ahmadabad (Lane-Poole, Stanley: Mediaeval India under Mohammedan Rule, New York 1970 reprint, p.121). Firuz Shah in Delhi set an example of an extensive building programme which appears to have been followed in Gujerat by Zafar Khan. Another foundation inscription of his is for a Jami mosque which he completed in Kapadwanj in 772/1370-71 (Begley, W.E.: Monumental Islamic Calligraphy from India, Illinois, 1985, no.18, p.48). The present inscription is in markedly different script from the other, having considerably greater emphasis placed on the vertical strokes above the rhythmical lettering.
Zafar Khan was the son of a converted Rajput to whom Firuz Shah granted the fiefdom of Gujerat. He rapidly expanded his domain, and even took control of Malwa, placing his brother Hushang on the throne. His successor was Ahmad I who gradually shook off his allegiance to Delhi and founded both Ahmadnagar and also Ahmadabad (Lane-Poole, Stanley: Mediaeval India under Mohammedan Rule, New York 1970 reprint, p.121). Firuz Shah in Delhi set an example of an extensive building programme which appears to have been followed in Gujerat by Zafar Khan. Another foundation inscription of his is for a Jami mosque which he completed in Kapadwanj in 772/1370-71 (Begley, W.E.: Monumental Islamic Calligraphy from India, Illinois, 1985, no.18, p.48). The present inscription is in markedly different script from the other, having considerably greater emphasis placed on the vertical strokes above the rhythmical lettering.