Muḥammad Kāẓim (d. 1092/1681) was born into an intellectual family, where he was introduced to historiographical writing at an early age. His father, Muḥammad Amīn (d. after 1056/1646), composed the Pādshāh-nāma ("Book of the emperor"), the history of the first ten years of the reign (1037-68/1628-58) of the Mughal emperor Shāh Jahān. Kāẓim began his career as a munshī (secretary) at the Mughal court under the emperor Awrangzīb ʿĀlamgīr (r. 1068-1118/1658-1707) and was given access to the state library and archives.