Question

Why was the direction of the pedestal of Shah Jahan’s throne referred to as the Qibla?
A. To indicate that he was the representative of God.
B. To indicate that he was more powerful than god.
C. To indicate that he was the dispenser of divine justice.
D. None of the above.

Answer 1

Hint: Shah Jahan was a frightening king, but eventually, his fascination with opulence, like his own sons, brought him down. Shah Jahan is depicted on the throne of the Peacock. Notice the embedded gems on the throne.

Complete Answer:
Shah Jahan –
The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, reigned fifth and ruled between 1628 and 1658. The Mughal Empire achieved the height of its cultural glory during his rule. Even though Shah Jahan is a competent military commander, his architectural accomplishments are best remembered. His reign began in Mughal architecture in the golden age. The most well-known of them is the Taj Mahal in Agra and its favorite wife, the Mumtaz Mahal, has been buried by Shah Jahan. The audience halls of Shah Jahan have been specially designed to mimic a mosque. The pedestal on which its throne was placed was also identified as the qibla, the way Muslims pray, for everybody faced that direction at the court. These architectural features suggested the concept of the King as a representative of God on earth. The various elements of Mughal architecture were unified in a broad harmonious synthesis during the reign of Shah Jahan. His reign has seen tremendous building activity, in particular in Agra and Delhi.

Hence, Option (A) To indicate that he was the representative of God is the correct answer.

Note: Mughal Emperor Akbar was Shah Jahan's grandfather.
Shah Jahan was a competent commander of the military. While still a prince, he could get the Rajput state of Mewar, which Akbar could not overthrow. Then Mewar became the Mughal Empire's vassal.