Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Mughal historiography was largely written in Persian, the official court language.
Historical texts were often divided into official chronicles (commissioned by the Emperor) and private accounts (written by individuals, sometimes critically).
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Abdul Qadir Badauni was a scholar and translator in the court of Emperor Akbar.
He wrote "Muntakhab-ut-Tawarikh" (A Selection of Histories), which is a general history of the Muslim world and India from the Ghaznavids to the 40th year of Akbar's reign.
Badauni was a conservative Sunni Muslim who was deeply opposed to Akbar's liberal religious reforms, such as the "Din-i-Ilahi" and the concept of "Sulh-i-Kul."
Because his book contained harsh criticisms of the Emperor and his close associate Abul Fazl, Badauni wrote it in secret.
It was only discovered and made public during the reign of Jahangir.
Other authors:
(A) Abul Fazl: Wrote the "Akbarnama" and "Ain-i-Akbari." He was Akbar's official historian and a great admirer of his policies.
(C) Minhaj-us-Siraj: A 13th-century historian of the Delhi Sultanate who wrote "Tabaqat-i-Nasiri."
(D) Amir Khusrau: A famous poet and chronicler of the Khalji and Tughlaq periods; he wrote "Tughlaqnama" and "Khaza'in-ul-Futuh."
Step 3: Final Answer:
"Muntakhab-ut-Tawarikh" was written by Badauni, providing an orthodox and critical counter-narrative to the official accounts of Akbar's reign.
Thus, option (B) is the correct answer.