While some of the enormous discrepancies between Baburs Islam and James Scurrys Islam can be ascribed to differences in age and role, the strongest cause of such dissimilarities is a very similar political instability. Admittedly, Baburs position as conqueror and Scurrys status as prisoner are the obvious differences that inform their vastly different experiences. Although centuries lay between Baburs victories and Scurrys capture, both times were dominated by insecurity and warfare. Local rulers in both eras turned to Islam as a justifying cornerstone of their regimes, and as a tool and rallying cry against their enemies. It is this particular guise of Islam, as political instrument, that ultimately gives us Baburs privileged piety and Scurrys painful conversion.Babur acknowledges his penchant for the secular pleasures of alcohol and profane poetry. Nevertheless, in the course of his memoirs, Babur turns to Islam increasingly to sanction his rule. If not as devout as his great-grandson Aurangzeb would be, he was well-read and even wrote an explanation of Islamic law in verse for his son.(26) A consummate warrior, Babur was also well educated and not unaware of the moral power of a righteous ruler. He writes of his conclusion that his lust for drink must be thrown off, and vows temperance. (73-74) This act is as much a conquerors claim for moral legitimacy, as the memoirs themselves, which are heavily salted with quotations from the Koran.The Islam of Babur is also molded by his use of it as goad and inspira-tion for his soldiers. Babur never fails to remind his troops that God is on their side and that they should be fearless even in this strange country. (38) Baburs army is not another invading army, similar to the Uzbekis who drove Babur from Samarkand, and his enemies are not honorable defenders of their homeland. Instead, according to Babur, the soldiers are an "Army of Islam" and the natives are labeled as "the unbel...
