History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v3.c45.s4.1

v3.c45.s4.1

The history of the world under Muslim rule illustrates how theology has repeatedly prevailed over political wisdom. The early Arab conquerors, notably in Sindh, followed the wise and profitable policy of leaving the shrines and religious practices of the non-Muslim population practically undisturbed. On the first capture of a city the inhabitants were called upon to accept Islam. If they agreed, they were given full rights with the conquerors; otherwise, by paying a compounding fee (*jaziya*), they secured the right of exercising their religion. The demolition of the chief temple in the captured city and the erection of a mosque on its site was an invariable incident of Muslim conquest. But there was at first no wanton or systematic iconoclasm. With the growth of the Muslim population, however, the long enjoyment of unchallenged power bred in them a spirit of intolerance and a love of persecution.* Every device short of massacre in cold blood was resorted to in order to convert heathen subjects. In addition to the poll-tax and public degradation in dress and demeanour imposed on them, the non-Muslims were subjected to various hopes and fears. Rewards in the form of money and public employment were offered to apostates from Hinduism. The leaders of Hindu religion and society were systematically repressed, to deprive the sect of spiritual instruction, and their religious gatherings and processions were forbidden in order to prevent the growth of solidarity and a sense of communal strength among them. No new temple was allowed to be built† nor any old one to be repaired, so that the total disappearance of all places of Hindu worship was to be merely a question of time. But even this delay, this slow operation of Time, was intolerable to many of the more fiery spirits of Islam, who tried to hasten the abolition of "infidelity" by anticipating the destructive hand of Time and forcibly pulling down temples.