Wazir Khan

Shaikh Ilam-ud-Din Ansari (–1641), better known by his royal title Wazir Khan, was a Mughal official and physician who was the Subahdar of Subah of Lahore during 1631–1639. He was also appointed twice the governor of Agra Subah and held the office of Grand Vizier for a brief period after the accession of Shah Jahan in 1627/1628.

Career Wazir Khan was born in a Punjabi family hailing from the city of Chiniot in the Lahore Subah. He was son of Shaikh Abdul Latif bin Shaikh Hisamuddin, a native of Chiniot. He was later given a command of 7000. He remained Chief Qadi at Lahore for some time.

Sikh Accounts According to Sikh texts and tradition, Wazir Khan was a supporter of the Sikh community and even a Sikh himself. Sikh tradition says he had been an admirer of Guru Arjan because of the prayer Sukhmani Sahib which is said to have given him relief. After which he had become a Sikh. Thus when Guru Arjan was to be executed by the Mughal Emperor he did everything he could to save the Guru, but it was in vain. During the time of Guru Hargobind Wazir Khan kept his support of the Guru. When the Guru was arrested by the emperor Shah Jahan, Wazir Khan begged for the Guru's release. He was one of the nobles to build a Haveli (mansion) as well as a garden in the city of Agra, where he was twice governor. It is known as the Bagh-i-Wazir Khan. He built another garden in Lahore, known as Nakhlia-i-Wazir Khan, in 1634. Although the garden does not exist any longer, its baradari survived and today serves as the reading room of the Punjab Public Library.