Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India, A.D. 1000–1800 c17.s7.7

c17.s7.7

Moreover, the Mughal Emperor Akbar (1556-1605) gradually removed all modes of pressures which used to compel people to become Musalmans. In 1562 he abolished the custom of enslaving helpless people in times of war ; it was mostly such captives who used to be converted to Islam by their Muslim captors and masters. In 1564 he abolished the Jiziyah : Firoz Tughlaq is witness to the fact that its strict enforcement brought many converts to Islam. Earlier in 1563 he had abolished the Pilgrim Tax on the Hindus. Thus in Akbar's time conversion to Islam by force, through enslavement, or economic pressure seems to have been restricted. Hindus could get high jobs as Hindus : conversion was not necessary to obtain them. Akbar even permitted such Hindus as had been forcibly converted to Islam to return to their original faith. Although contemporary accounts are silent on the numbers that went back to Hinduism as a result of this permission, yet it would be correct to presume that Akbar removed obstructions in a practice which was probably prevalent.