[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) › 2.3.6 # The Institutes of Akbar 2.3.6 The Áín i Akbari (Blochmann, Jarrett) 2.3.6 - **Language:** English ### [2.3.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.3.6) Impressed with a favourable idea of the value of his Hindú subjects, he had resolved when pensively sitting in the mornings on the solitary stone at Fathpúr Síkrí, to rule with even hand men of all creeds in his dominions; but as the extreme views of the learned and the lawyers continually urged him to persecute instead of to heal, he instituted the discussions, because, believing himself to be in error, he thought it his duty as ruler to ‘enquire.’ It is not necessary to repeat here the course which these discussions took. The unity that had existed among the learned disappeared in the very beginning; abuse took the place of argument, and the plainest rules of etiquette were, even in the presence of the emperor, forgotten. Akbar’s doubts instead of being cleared up only increased; certain points of the Hanafí law, to which most Sunnís cling, were found to be better established by the dicta of lawyers belonging to the other three sects; and the moral character of the Prophet was next scrutinized and was found wanting. Makhdúm ul-Mulk wrote a spiteful pamphlet against Shaikh ’Abdunnabí, the Sadr of the empire, and the latter retorted by calling Makhdúm a fool and cursing him. Abul Fazl, upon whom Akbar from the beginning had fixed as the leader of his party, fanned the quarrels by skilfully shifting the disputes from one point to another, and at last persuaded the emperor that a subject ought to look upon the king not only as the temporal, but also as the only spiritual guide. - [Previous: 2.3.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.3.5) - [Next: 2.3.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.3.7) - [Up: 2.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.3) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.3.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.3.6) · Pramāṇa