Sultan Mahmud of Ghaznin

"About twenty-seven years have passed since this book was written. In an atmosphere surcharged with hatreds during the Lucknow communal riot of 1924, I composed and recomposed many of its passages o give expression to that longing for humanity, justice, tolerance and secularism which has been torturing my Eastern soul. What has happened since then the growth of hatreds on a global scale and the death of millions and millions of innocent men, women and children to satisfy the greed of he governing classes has only served to confirm me in my opinions..." Mohammad Habib, Muslim University, Aligarh - Dec 22, 1951