Question

The new religion started by Akbar was ____________.
A) Sulh-i-kul
B) Din-i-ilahi
C) Khan-e-Khana
D) Sufism

Answer 1

Hint: The broad features of the administration of Akbar were elaborately discussed by Abul Fazl in his book. The Akbar Nama, in particular in its last volume, the Ain-i Akbari. Abul Fazal was a courtier, historian, and also a friend to Akbar.

Complete Answer:
The Din-i-ilahi, also known as Tawhid-i-ilahi during its time, was a syncretic religion created by the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1582. It intended to merge some of the elements of all the religions that existed in his empire and thereby reconcile the differences that divided his subjects. The elements of Din-i-ilahi were taken from Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The name din-I-ilahi literally means the “Religion of God”.

During the 1570s, while Akbar was at Fatehpur Sikri he started discussions on religion with the Zoroastrians, ulama, Roman Catholics, and Brahmins. These discussions on religion were held in the ibadat khana. He was interested in the social customs and religions of different people. Through these discussions, Akbar realised that religious scholars who emphasised dogma and ritual were often bigots. Their teachings created disharmony and divisions amongst his subjects. This is what eventually led Akbar to the idea of sulh-i kul or “universal peace”. It was an idea of tolerance that did not discriminate between people of different religions. Instead, it focused on a system of ethics – peace, honesty, justice– that was universally applicable.

Thus, option (B) is correct.

Note: In framing a vision of governance around this idea of sulh-i kul, Abul Fazl helped Akbar. Subsequently, Jahangir and Shah Jahan also followed this principle of governance as well.