40 SOCIAL SCIENTIST He visited Hydrabad as a guest of Nizam in connection with some marriage proposal, and though the proposed marriage did not come off, he stayed in the city for quite some time. His biographer tells us that he undertook an expedition on behalf of Nizam to coerce some rebellious Raja into submission. The details of the expeditions are revealing enough as indicating his preference for deceptive methods of warfare.6 But such spectacular success earned a number of enemies for him. In a surprise move the jealous courtiers planned an attack on his person, but fortunately he escaped unhurt.7 The British officers at Hyderabad formally requested his father to allow him to visit England. Thereafter, he proceeded to London, and had an opportunity of meeting the king as well as the notables of that kingdom. His biographer, Path Muhammad Taib has not provided the details of his stay at England, except the fact that he was allowed to display his skill in the use of arms at his own request.8 On his way back to India, he stopped at Mecca9 and Medina, then passing through Iraq, reached Iran, where the king wanted him to join his service, but he declined the offer and proceeded to India.10 By the time he was back in India, he became inclined towards mysticism and after an intense search for a sufi guide, became a disciple of Saiyid Furqan Ali Shah, a saint of the Qadri order at Sanbhar (Rajasthan).11 He remained with his pir for some time to get initiated into the doctrines of the order. From here he was directed by his spiritual guide to proceed to Gwalior. Now, he was called as Ahmadullah Shah by his Shaikh, a title by which he became known afterwards. At that time Gwalior happened to be in the 'jurisdiction' (wilayat) of another sufi saint of the Qadri order, Mehrab Shah Qadri. After some initial hesitation, Ahmadullah Shah was initiated by him in the creed second time. In the company of the newpn* he spent at least four and a half years, roaming in the vicinity of Gwalior since the new initiation entailed practical training and propagation oi jehad, or 'Holy War' , as part of new strategy, he was directed to go to Agra. Mehrab Shah is said to have given him a new name, Waliullah, but this did not gain currency. Probably as a part of strategy, audition parties were arranged in a big way as to attract the crowds and preach the call tor jehad. Although the Qadris are averse to the very idea of audition parties, we find sermons were delivered calling upon people to be ready for jehad after these parties were over. Another contemporary testimony about his activities in Agra is worth reproducing: