[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [State papers](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin) › [Āʾīn-i Akbarī](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari) › [The Ain i Akbari (Blochmann, Jarrett)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett) › 135.1 # The Institutes of Akbar 135.1 The Áín i Akbari (Blochmann, Jarrett) 135.1 - **Language:** English ### [135.1.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.135.1.1) "Whereas Hindústán has now become the centre of security and peace, and the land of justice and beneficence, a large number of people, especially learned men and lawyers, have immigrated and chosen this country for their home. Now we, the principal 'Ulamás, who are not only well versed in the several departments of the law and in the principles of jurisprudence, and well-acquainted with the edicts which rest on reason or testimony, but are also known for our piety and honest intentions, have duly considered the deep meaning, first, of the verse of the Qorán (Sur. IV, 62,) 'Obey God, and obey the prophet, and those who have authority among you,' and secondly, of the genuine tradition, 'Surely, the man who is dearest to God on the day of judgment, is the Imám i 'Ádil: whosoever obeys the Amír, obeys Me; and whosoever rebels against him, rebels against Me,' and thirdly, of several other proofs based on reasoning or testimony; and we have agreed that the rank of a Sultán i 'Ádil (a just ruler) is higher in the eyes of God than the rank of a Mujtahid. Further we declare that the king of the Islám, Amír of the Faithful, shadow of God in the world, Abul Fath Jaláluddín Muhammad Akbar Pádisháh i ghází, whose kingdom God perpetuate, is a most just, a most wise, and a most God-fearing king. ### [135.1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.135.1.2) Should therefore, in future, a religious question come up, regarding which the opinions of the Mujtahids are at variance, and His Majesty, in his penetrating understanding and clear wisdom, be inclined to adopt, for the benefit of the nation and as a political expedient, any of the conflicting opinions which exist on that point, and issue a decree to that effect, we do hereby agree that such a decree shall be binding on us and on the whole nation. Further, we declare that, should His Majesty think fit to issue a new order, we and the nation shall likewise be bound by it, provided always that such an order be not only in accordance with some verse of the Qorán, but also of real benefit for the nation; and further, that any opposition on the part of the subjects to such an order as passed by His Majesty, shall involve damnation in the world to come, and loss of religion and property in this life. ‘This document has been written with honest intentions, for the glory of God, and the propagation of the Islám, and is signed by us, the principal ’Ulamás and lawyers, in the month of Rajab of the year 987 of the Hijrah.’ The draft of this document when presented to the emperor, was in the handwriting of Shaikh Mubárik. The others had signed it against their will, but the Shaikh had added at the bottom that he had most willingly signed his name; for this was a matter, which, for several years, he had been anxiously looking forward to. ### [135.1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.135.1.3) No sooner had His Majesty obtained this legal instrument, than the road of deciding any religious question was open; the superiority of intellect of the Imám was established, and opposition was rendered impossible. “All orders regarding things which our law allows or disallows, were abolished, and the superiority of intellect of the Imám became law. But the state of Shaikh Abulfazl resembled that of the poet Hairatí of Samarqand, who after having been annoyed by the cool and sober people of Máwaral-nahr (Turkistán), joined the old foxes of Shí’itic Persia, and chose ‘the roadless road.’ You might apply the proverb to him, ‘He prefers hell to shame on earth.’ On the 16th Rajab of this year, His Majesty made a pilgrimage to Ajmír. It is now fourteen years that His Majesty has not returned to that place. On the 5th Sha’bán, at the distance of five kos from the town, the emperor alighted, and went on foot to the tomb of the saint (Mu’ín-uddín). But sensible people smiled, and said, it was strange that His Majesty should have such a faith in the Khwajah of Ajmír, whilst he rejected the foundation of everything, our prophet, from whose ‘skirt’ hundreds of thousands of saints of the highest degree had sprung.” \[p. 278.\] ### [135.1.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.135.1.4) “After Makhdúm ulmulk and Shaikh ’Abdunnabí had left for Makkah (987), the emperor examined people about the creation of the Qorán, elicited their belief, or otherwise, in revelation, and raised doubts in them regarding all things connected with the prophet and the imams. He distinctly denied the existence of Jins, of angels, and of all other beings of the invisible world, as well as the miracles of the prophet and the saints; he rejected the successive testimony of the witnesses of our faith, the proofs for the truths of the Qoran as far as they agree with man’s reason, the existence of the soul after the dissolution of the body, and future rewards and punishments in as far as they differed from metempsychosis. Some copies of the Qoran, and a few old graves Are left as witnesses for these blind men. The graves, unfortunately, are all silent, And no one searches for truth in the Qoran. An ’I'd has come again, and bright days will come—like the face of the bride. And the cupbearer will again put wine into the jar—red like blood. The reins of prayer and the muzzle of fasting—once more Will fall from these asses—alas, alas! ### [135.1.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.135.1.5) His Majesty had now determined publicly to use the formula, ‘There is no God but God, and Akbar is God’s representative.’ But as this led to commotions, he thought better of it, and restricted the use of the formula to a few people in the Harem. People expressed the date of this event by the words finahi ummat, the ruin of the Church (987). The emperor tried hard to convert Qutbuddin Muhammad Khan and Shahbaz Khan (vide List of grandees, IId book, Nos. 28 and 80), and several others. But they staunchly objected. Qutbuddin said, “What would the kings of the West, as the Sultan of Constantinople, say, if he heard all this. Our faith is the same, whether a man hold high or broad views.” His Majesty then asked him, if he was in India on a secret mission from Constantinople, as he shewed so much opposition; or if he wished to keep a small place warm for himself, should he once go away from India, and be a respectable man there: he might go at once. Shahbaz got excited, and took a part in the conversation; and when Bir Bar—that hellish dog—made a sneering remark at our religion, Shahbaz abused him roundly, and said, “You cursed infidel, do you talk in this manner? It would not take me long to settle you.” It got quite uncomfortable, when His Majesty said to Shahbaz in particular, and to the others in general, “Would that a shoe-full of excrements were thrown into your faces.” \[p. 276.\] ### [135.1.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.135.1.6) “In this year the Tamghá (inland tolls) and the Jazyah (tax on infidels), which brought in several krors of dáms, were abolished, and edicts to this effect were sent over the whole empire.” In the same year a rebellion broke out at Jaunpúr, headed by Muhammad Ma’súm of Kábul, Muhammad Ma’súm Khán, Mu’izzul Mulk, ’Arab Bahádur, and other grandees. They objected to Akbar’s innovations in religious matters, in as far as these innovations led to a withdrawal of grants of rent-free land. The rebels had consulted Mullá Muhammad of Yazd (vide above, pp. 175, 182), who was Qází-lquzát at Jaunpúr ; and on obtaining his opinion that, under the circumstances, rebellion against the king of the land was lawful, they seized some tracts of land, and collected a large army. The course which this rebellion took, is known from general histories ; vide Elphinstone, p. 511. Mullá Muhammad of Yazd, and Mu’izzulmulk, in the beginning of the rebellion, were called by the emperor to Ágrah, and drowned, on the road, at the command of the emperor, in the Jamnah. “In the same year the principal ’Ulamás, as Makhdúm ul mulk, Shaikh Munawwar, Mullá ’Abdushshukúr, &c., were sent as exiles to distant provinces. \[ p. 278.\] ### [135.1.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.135.1.7) “Hájí Ibráhím of Sarhind (vide above, p. 105) brought to court an old, worm-eaten MS. in queer characters, which, as he pretended, was written by Shaikh Ibn ’Arabí. In this book, it was said that the Sáhib i Zamán was to have many wives, and that he would shave his beard. Some of the characteristics mentioned in the book as belonging to him, were found to agree with the usages of His Majesty. He also brought a fabricated tradition that the son of a Sahábí (one who knew Muhammad) had once come before the prophet with his beard cut off, when the prophet had said that the inhabitants of Paradise looked like that young man. But as the Hájí during discussions, behaved impudently towards Abulfazl, Hakím Abulfath, and Sháh Fathullah, he was sent to Rantanbhúr, where he died in 994. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.135.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.135.1) · Pramāṇa