NUR MUHAMMED SON OF ATTAULLAH RUSHDI SON OF AHMAD MIMAR;
AS KNOWN AS HAFIZ HAFEEZ: DISCOVERING FRESH EVIDENCE ON FAMILY.

On 26^th May, 1702 (1113 AH) Princess Zebunnisa daughter of Aurangzeb Alamgeer died in Delhi. The father openly wept at the news and issued order to three courtiers to build a mausoleum for her. The three were Sayyid Amjad Khan, Sheikh Attaullah and Hafiz Hafeez (Nur Muhammed). So, say the otherwise official “Maaseray Alamgeeri”, chronicles of the Emperor, although no one has paid attention to these names.

Attaullah Rushdi son of Ustad Ahmad Mimar had done many works for the Emperor and his name appear in many state records (Hyderabad Deccan has published them), as well as inscription on the mausoleum of Empress Rabia Durrani, wife of Aurangzeb Alamgeer. The supposition was that he was not alive by this date. But an inscription on a manuscript tells his age in 1102 AH as 99 years, and fit for the earth of the grave. This means that as a very old man he was still alive in 1113 AH. But he was accompanied by his talented son Hafiz Hafeez, also known as Nur Muhammed Mimar. Like other family members, he was an accomplished calligrapher (a Quran is there from his hand in our archives), as well as a mathematician of high order. To be given charge to build the mausoleum of the daughter of the Emperor was no small order. Lutufullah Muhandis had built the Bagh as well as the Mausoleum of Roshan Ara Begum sister of the Emperor (as testified by the Diwan of Kherullah Muhandis).

The miracle is that records are there all the time. It is the search which is required to unearth new materials.