Ibn-e-Nishati was a renowned poet of his time and served at the court of Sultan Abdullah Qutb Shah (1656–1672). Though primarily known for his prose, he gained literary fame through his mathnavi Phulban, which marked his first foray into poetic composition. His full name was Muhammad Mazharuddin, and his father’s name was Shaikh Fakhruddin.

Phulban was compiled by Prof. Sarwari and published by Majlis-e-Isha’at-e-Dakni Makhtutat in 1937, accompanied by a preface and a 100-page introduction. The work was also compiled and published by Shaikh Chand bin Husain under the auspices of Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu, Pakistan.

There has been scholarly debate regarding his sectarian affiliation. While Garcin de Tassy (d. 1878), the French orientalist, and Prof. Sarwari identified him as a Shia, Dr. Jamaal Shareef has argued that Ibn-e-Nishati was a Sunni, citing the presence of manqabats in praise of the caliphs of Islam within his mathnavi.