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 Bhai
Subeg Singh was resident of village
Jumber district Lahore. He was well
educated and scholar of Persian. He
was working as a government contractor
at Lahore. He mediated between the government
and the Sikhs in 1733 A.D., when the
Dal Khalsa was given an estate. During
1745 A.D., when the Governor Zakria
Khan could not pass urine, Bhai Subeg
Singh was sent by him to the Dal Khalsa.
As advised by the leader, the Governor
had kept on passing urine when hit on
the head with the shoe of Bhai Taru
Singh.
After the death of Zakria Khan on the
1st July, 1745 A.D., his son, Yahiya
Khan became the Governor of Lahore.
To avenge the death of his brother Jaspat
Rai, who had died in an encounter with
the Singhs near Eminabad in January,
1746 A.D., Diwan Lakhpat Rai said to
the new Governor, "Subeg Singh
is in league with the Singhs. Your father
had to hit himself on the head with
a Singh's shoe at his bidding which
caused his death. He should be punished
for that crime."
The Governor ordered Bhai Subeg Singh
to become a Muslim and spy on the Singhs.
Eighteen year old son of Bhai Subeg
Singh, Shahbaz Singh, studied Persian
from a maulvi. When the maulvi came
to know of the arrest of Bhai Subeg
Singh, he asked Bhai Shahbaz Singh to
embrace Islam so that he may marry his
daughter to him as he was handsome and
genius. Bhai Shahbaz Singh refused his
offer. The maulvi asked the Governor
and had him arrested also. The qazi
said to them, "If both of you embrace
Islam, you will be pardoned . "
At their refusal both of them were mounted
on rotating wheels in sight of each
other so that they might embrace Islam
seeing each other suffering. But they
did not forsake their faith although
both became unconscious due to excessive
loss of blood.
Next day, the qazi said to Bhai Shahbaz
Singh, "Son ! your father has been
executed. I can ward off your death
if you become a Muslim even now."
Bhai Shahbaz Singh replied, "Death
cannot be put off. It must come one
day." The qazi sent the son away,
called for the father and said to him,
'Your son has agreed to embrace Islam
and you should also consent to do so."
Bhai Subeg Singh said, "I cannot
give up my faith at any cost."
The qazi again brought the father and
son face to face. He again asked both
of them to come to the fold of Islam.
On their refusal, the qazi ordered both
of them to be killed. On the 10th March,
1746 A.D., the executioners beheaded
both of them. It was on that day that
Diwan Lakhpat Rai had got together the
Sikhs of Lahore and handed them over
to the scavengers of the city for slaughter
in order to exterminate Sikhs. The prominent
Hindus of the city pleaded with the
Diwan, not to murder innocent Sikhs.
He replied, "If God Himself comes
and forbids me, I shall not stop."
Salute to Great Sikh Martyr Bhai Subeg
Singh and Bhai Shahbaz Singh
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Copyright © Santokh Singh Jagdev
"Bed Time Stories"
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