In this reign one Mir Sharif was promoted to the rank of a Commander of a thousand, and to an appointment in Bengal. His chief merit in Akbar's eyes was that he taught the doctrine of the transmigration of souls and the close advent of the millennium. He was a disciple of Mahmud of Busakhwan, the founder of the Nuqtawiah sect. As this is another offshoot of the Shia'hs I give a brief account of them here. Mahmud lived in the reign of Timur and {83} professed to be Al-Mahdi. He also called himself the Shakhs-i-Wahid--the Individual one. He used to quote the verse, "It may be that thy Lord will raise thee up to a glorious (mahmud) station." (Sura xvii. 81). From this he argued that the body of man had been advancing in purity since the creation, and that on its reaching to a certain degree, one Mahmud (glorious) would arise, and that then the dispensation of Muhammad would come to an end. He claimed to be the Mahmud. He also taught the doctrine of transmigration, and that the beginning of everything was the Nuqtah-i-khak--earth atom. It is on this account that they are called the Nuqtawiah sect. They are also known by the names Mahmudiah and Wahidiah. Shah 'Abbas king of Persia expelled them from his dominions, but Akbar received the fugitives kindly and promoted some amongst them to high offices of State. This Mahdavi movement, arising as it did out of the Shia'h doctrine of the Imamat, is a very striking fact. That imposters should arise and claim the name and office of Al-Mahdi is not to be wondered at, but that large bodies of men should follow them shows the unrest which dwelt in men's hearts, and how they longed for a personal leader and guide.