The Institutes of Akbar 135.5

The Áín i Akbari (Blochmann, Jarrett) 135.5

Language: English

135.5.1

His Majesty gave his religious system the name of Tauhíd i Iláhí, or ‘Divine Monotheism.’

He also called, according to the manner of the Jogis, a number of special disciples Chelahs (slaves). A lot of vile, swindling, wicked birds, who were not admitted to the palace, stood every morning opposite to the window, near which His Majesty used to pray to the sun, and declared, they had made vows not to rinse their mouths, nor to eat and drink, before they had seen the blessed countenance of the emperor; and every evening, there was a regular court assembly of needy Hindus and Muhammadans, all sorts of people, men and women, healthy and sick, a queer gathering, and a most terrible crowd. No sooner had His Majesty finished saying the 1001 names of the ‘Greater Luminary’, and stepped out into the balcony, than the whole crowd prostrated themselves. Cheating, thieving Brahmins collected another set of 1001 names of ‘His Majesty the Sun,’ and told the emperor that he was an incarnation, like Ram, Kishn, and other infidel kings; and though Lord of the world, he had assumed his shape, in order to play with the people of our planet. In order to flatter him, they also brought Sanscrit verses, said to have been taken from the sayings of ancient sages, in which it was predicted that a great conqueror would rise up in India, who would honor Brahmins and cows, and govern the earth with justice. They also wrote this nonsense on old looking paper, and shewed it to the emperor, who believed every word of it.

135.5.3

In this year also, in the state hall of Fathpur, the ten cubit square of the Hanafis and the Quilatain of the Shafi’is and Shi’ahs were compared. The fluid quantum of the Hanafis was greater than that of the others. His Majesty once ordered that the Sunnis should stand separately from the Shi’ahs, when the Hindustanis, without exception, went to the Sunni side, and the Persians to the Shi’ah side.” [p. 336.] “During this year [992], Mulla Ilahdad of Amrohah and Mulla Sheri attended at Court, in order to flatter the emperor; for they had been appointed to Cadrships in the Duab of the Panjab. Mulla Sheri presented to His Majesty a poem made by him, entitled Hazar Shu’a’, or ‘The Thousand Rays,’ which contained 1,000 qita’hs in praise of the Sun. His Majesty was much pleased.” At the feast of the emperor’s accession in 992, numerous conversions took place. [Bad. II. p. 338.]

135.5.4

“They were admitted as disciples in sets of twelve, one set at a time, and declared their willingness to adopt the new principles, and to follow the new religion. Instead of the usual tree, His Majesty gave his likeness, upon which the disciples looked as a symbol of faith and the advancement of virtue and prosperity. They used to wrap it up in cloth studded with jewels, and wore it on the top of their turbans. The phrase ‘Alláhu Akbar’ was ordered to be used as the heading in all writings. Playing with dice, and taking interest, were allowed, and so in fact was every thing else admitted which is forbidden in the Islam. A play-house was even built at Court, and money from the exchequer was lent to the players on interest. (vide Second book, Aín 15). Interest and shatal (money given at the end of the play to the by-standers) were looked upon as very satisfactory things. Girls before the age of fourteen, and boys before sixteen, were not to marry, and the story of the marriage night of the Prophet with Ciddíqah was totally disapproved of. But why should I mention other blasphemies—May the attention which any one pays to them run away like Quicksilver—really I do not know what human ears cannot bear to hear!

135.5.5

The sins which all prophets are known to have committed, were cited as a reason, why people should not believe the words of the prophets. So especially in the case of David and the story of Uriah. And if any one dared to differ from the belief of these men, he was looked upon as fit to be killed, or as an apostate and everlastingly damned, or he was called a lawyer and enemy of the emperor. But according to the proverb, ‘What people sow, that they shall reap,’ they themselves became notorious in the whole world as the greatest heretics by their damnable innovations, and ‘the infallible authority’ got the nick name of Abújahl. Yes, ‘If the king is bad, ‘the Vizier is worse.’ Looking after worldly matters was placed before religious concerns ; but of all things, these-innovations were the most important, and every thing else was accessory.” In order to direct another blow at the honour of our religion, His Majesty ordered that the stalls of the Fancy bázárs, which are held on New year’s-day, should, for a stated time, be given up for the enjoyment of the Begums and the women of the Harem, and also for any other married ladies. On such occasions, His Majesty spent much money; and the important affairs of Harem people, marriage-contracts, and betrothals of boys and girls, were arranged at such meetings.

135.5.6

The real object of those who became disciples was to get into office ; and though His Majesty did everything to get this out of their heads, he acted very differently in the case of Hindus, of whom he could not get enough ; for the Hindus, of course, are indispensible ; to them belongs half the army and half the land. Neither the Hindústánís nor the Moghuls can point to such grand lords as the Hindus have among themselves. But if others than Hindus came, and wished to become disciples at any sacrifice, His Majesty reproved or punished them. For their honour and zeal he did not care, nor did he notice whether they fell in with his views or not.” [p. 340.] “In this year Sultán Khwájah died. He also belonged to the elect disciples of His Majesty. After burying him, they laid down a new rule. They put a grate over his grave in such a manner that the light of the rising sun, which cleanses from all sins, could shine on the face of the corpse. People said, they had seen fiery tongues resting over his mouth, but God knows best.” During the month of Safar (the second month of the year) 994, Akbar’s troops were defeated by the Yusufzaís. Badáoní says (p. 350) :

135.5.7

“Nearly 8,000 men, perhaps even more, were killed. Bír Bar also, who had fled from fear of his life, was slain, and entered the row of the dogs in hell, and thus got something for the abominable deeds he had done during his lifetime. During the last night attack, many grandees and persons of renown were killed, as Hasán Khán, and Khwájah ’Arab, paymaster (colonel) of Khán Jahán, and Mullá Sherí, the poet, and many others whose names I cannot specify. The words az Khwájah ’Arab haif express the Táríkh of the defeat, by one less. Hakím Abulfath and Zain Khán, on the 5th Rabí’ulawwal, reached with their defeated troops the fort of Atak. * * * But His Majesty cared for the death of no grandee more than for that of Bír Baṛ. He said, “‘Alas! they could not even get his body out of the pass, that it might have been burned;” but at last, he consoled himself with the thought, that Bír Baṛ was now free and independent of all earthly fetters, and as the rays of the sun were sufficient for him, there was no necessity that he should be cleansed by fire.” New orders were given in the beginning of 995. [Page 356.]

135.5.8

“No one was to marry more than one wife, except in cases of barrenness; but in all other cases the rule was, ‘One God, and one wife.’ Women, on reaching the limit of their period of fertility, when their courses stop, should no longer wish for the husband. If widows liked to re-marry, they might do so, though this was against the ideas of the Hindus. A Hindu girl, whose husband had died before the marriage was consummated, should not be burnt. If, however, the Hindus thought this a hardship, they should not be prevented (from burning the girl); but then a Hindu widow should take the girl...... Again, if disciples meet each other, one should say ‘Alláhu Akbar,’ and the other should respond ‘Jalla Jaláluhu.’ These formulas were to take the place of our salám, and the answer to the salám. The beginning of counting Hindu months should be the 28th day, and not the 14th, because the latter was the invention and innovation of Bikramájít. The Hindu feasts, likewise, were to take place in accordance with this rule. But the order was not obeyed, though farmáns to that effect, as early as 990, had been sent to Gujrát and Bengal.