[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) › 135.3.4 # The Institutes of Akbar 135.3.4 The Áín i Akbari (Blochmann, Jarrett) 135.3.4 - **Language:** English ### [135.3.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.135.3.4) The era of the Hijrah was now abolished, and a new era was introduced, of which the first year was the year of the emperor's accession (963). The months had the same names as at the time of the old Persian kings, and as given in the Niqâbu-l-jiyân. Fourteen festivals also were introduced corresponding to the feasts of the Zoroastrians; but the feasts of the Musalmâns and their glory were trodden down, the Friday prayer alone being retained, because some old, decrepit, silly people used to go to it. The new era was called Târîkh i Ilâhî, or ‘Divine Era.’ On copper coins and gold muhurs, the era of the Millennium was used, as indicating that the end of the religion of Muhammad, which was to last one thousand years, was drawing near. Reading and learning Arabic was looked upon as a crime; and Muhammadan law, the exegesis of the Qorân, and the Tradition, as also those who studied them, were considered bad and deserving of disapproval. Astronomy, philosophy, medicine, mathematics, poetry, history, and novels, were cultivated and thought necessary. Even the letters which are peculiar to the Arabic language, as the ث, ح, ص, ض, and ط were avoided. Thus for عبدالله Abdullah, people wrote ابداله Abdullah; and for احدی Ahadi, اهدی Ahadi, &c. All this pleased His Majesty. Two verses from the Shâhnâmah, which Firdausi gives as part of a story, were frequently quoted at court— - [Previous: 135.3.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.135.3.3) - [Next: 135.3.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.135.3.5) - [Up: 135.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.135.3) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.135.3.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.135.3.4) · Pramāṇa