Kabir Sohrabi

Kabir used to live in what is present-day Delhi. He belonged to a tribe of swordsmen. These swordsmen were loyal to the King. They would fight for him and the empire. He, belonging to a subsided family of the tribe, got a dagger. The dagger was inherited to him by his father. It was running in their families for a long time. His family weren’t the noble ones of the tribe and they would not participate in the skirmishes and battles of the empire. Nor would they represent the tribe on the critical fronts. Kabir, always detested this. The tribe was constituted of noble and valiant swordsmen. Their sole revenue was their skill of wielding swords. They didn’t want an amateur to represent themselves in the battle and nor they wanted to humiliate themselves in front of the padishah. Therefore, they formulated a policy based on merit to select worthy swordsmen. These swordsmen were known as Iftikhar-e-Kabila or the pride of the tribe. Soon with few examples, it was believed that a noble swordsman can give a noble swordsman. Meaning, only a father, who himself has represented the tribe, can give a son to represent the tribe. Long story short, the title of Iftikhar-e- Kabila became a hereditary title. This sided the family of Kabir, who couldn’t give a good swordsman. Huzaifa, was the son and the hier apparent to be the next Iftikhar-e- kabila. He, in several ways, possessed good qualities to be one. No doubt, his father had worked on him. Kabir detested his father and the family as a whole. One day, Kabir eavesdropped to see him training. There he saw Huzaifa with a long, sharp sword; he couldn’t believe that such a sword existed in this world. The sword had kalma written on it with a gilded hilt. It was sharp and light-weighted.
Kabir, knowing that he belonged to a family of professional swordsman, believed: that the only thing required to be a good swordsman is a good sword. Since they have this rusted dagger running their family. They were neglected. Traumatized by his family’s humiliation and envied of Huzaifa’s sword, he decided one thing.
In order to restore his family’s reputation and to become an Iftikhar, he needed a good sword. With this dagger no one could even kill a rabbit.
Therefore, he embarked upon a journey to the land of Timurid princes. In Samarkand, he found one good sword. It belonged to a blacksmith, who made it for a Timurid Prince. Kabir, thought to steal it and take it back with him. By this way, he would become the Iftikhar. He did the same and ran away. He then went to Kabul. There he, challenged the best swordsman of Kabul to have a duel with him. With this sword and by killing him, he would make the people of his tribe acknowledge him. The duel was to begin, that the men of the Samarkand’s prince came. They wanted thier prince’s sword back. Kabir fought with them and nearly escaped death. He later on thanked God for saving his life. Both from the bloodthirsty pillagers and the sword. He then made his way to the land of Turks. Here he saw another beautiful sword. It was indeed a jewel on this mortal place. This time, instead of stealing it, he bargained with the blacksmith. The blacksmith, placed his price. Kabir didn’t have that money. But he intended to work there in Istanbul. By doing so, he will get to know the swordsmen of the Ottomans. And he’ll also collect the money. But it was not that simple. In a month, he hardly earned a quater amount for that sword. He laboured in a foreign land for that sword. Soon, he gave up. Because he thought to find another one. He pretended to be an indifferent person. To whom the Lady Luck is generous. His this pride and hedonism wouldn’t take him to anywhere. But he was too arrogant and obstinate to see this. He then went to Syria. Where he saw another sword. This was the sword of a general. He was incharge of the Sultan’s army in Syria. Kabir thought to have a one-on-one fight with him. But having heard of his stories of bravery and chivalry, he thought of another way. He got into his house. Tried to kill him in his sleep. Haplessly, he succeeded. But at the cost of a fracture in his left arm. This came when he tried to kill him in his sleep. But he woke up and resisted. In this resilience he broke his left arm. Kabir, there hit in his eyes and took his sword. He ran away by jumping from the window. This also sprinted his ankle. He couldn’t move fast. But he intended to leave the place as quickly as possible. He with all this pain ran to Gaza. Here, he treated himself. When the physician, saw his sword. He at once recognised it as the sword which belonged to an army noble. By the look of Kabir, he didn’t appear a noble.
The physician informed the other officials. They came at night to apprehend him. But Kabir outsmarted them and ran away. The sword was heavy, and Kabir couldn’t move fast because of his injury. He then thought of a lighter sword. In all this fury, Kabir thought of making one of his own. He then threw the sword and went to Cairo. This time, he was going to make one. He didn’t know how to do so. But he was determined. He saw a blacksmith making one in Istanbul. After selling his last belongings. He bought materials and started making his sword. He worked on it for a month. He then heard of a famous swordsman in Ethiopia. He again gave up on his sword. This time he thought that his sword wouldn’t do any wonder. The sword made by a veteran blacksmith would be perfect. On his way to Ethiopia, he found out that the plague has spread there. And it was better to halt his journey. He made his way to Hejaz and to Najd. There he landed at Makran. After Makran, he entered Punjab. He did not stay there for long. Because he thought that Punjabis were not good at swords. So he returned to Delhi. When he returned to Delhi. He saw Huzaifa. Huzaifa came from a recent war with the Rajputs. He did wonders there. He won the support of the Padshah of the Hindustan. Everyone of the tribe, chanted his name. Kabir again loathed everyone. After intermittent sessions of loathing and cursing. He decided to embark on a journey to the Safavid empire. Present day, Iran. He soon embarked upon his journey. He was in his way, when he stopped at what is now Rawalpindi in present-day Pakistan.
There he analysed the whole situation. And started sessions of hating him. He called himself a failure. He cried and lamented at Rawalpindi of not being good as compared to Huzaifa. By all these means, he did not ponder where he went wrong. He did crying and mourning sessions. Cursed his family, Huzaifa, and everyone. And started poetry.
After 12 years, the envoy of the Safavid King came to the Padshah of the Hindustan.Ahmed, rested at Delhi. He then happend to be in a locality. It belonged to the Wahari tribe. The next morning, there was chaos in the locality. A person came from the Safavid empire and told that a man of their tribe has rose to higher ranks in the army. Despite of his Hindustani descent and Sunni faith he’s loved and praised by the Shah. It is said that he single handedly brought down 50 guerilla fighters of the enemy with a mere dagger. But who is this undaunted warrior in a foreign land.
The Sohrabi family of the Wahari tribe knew the answer. It was their son’s doing. Their son and heir, Kabir. Kabir Sohrabi Wahari Hindustani.
But how could this be possible?
After 12 years. Kabir told his son, how he managed to become a dagger warrior. Who instilled horror in the hearts of enemy with a mere dagger.
While he was at Rawalpindi.
He found the answer to his question. All his journey, he was looking outside. In the external world for a source of light. He forgot that he was the source of light for himself. The external world was full of temptations and distractions. The real thing was inside him. The real thing was, instead of looking for a good sword and master it to become an Iftikhar. Use what you were born with and master it. The dagger. The dagger was all he needed.
He also found that, the reason he never succeeded and couldn’t master swordsmanship lies in his inconsistency. He didn’t even try in the first place. From one thing to another and so to another, he didn’t stick to one. Instead of going out and finding yourself you should focus on yourself and find yourself within yourself. Instead of looking for a thing to sustain your life, look for what you were born with (your innate talent). Instead of giving up easily and demanding results within days, focus on not giving up. Stick to yourself and your skill to the last breath, don’t give up easily, and don’t expect results within days. It will surely take time, but remember the fruit will be succulent.
This was what he learnt, and he learnt at the right time. Now he was the best of all the men in the Safavids. A true pride of his tribe. A person who’s feared by all. Even Huzaifa couldn’t reach this level. But Kabir did.