As Akbar, Mughal ruler from 1556 to 1605, expanded and strengthened his empire, at his side was Abul Fazl, his close friend and advisor from 1579 until his assassination in 1602. Abul Fazl is best known as the author of the Akbarnama, a long laudatory history of Akbar’s reign full of information about the emperor’s personality and exploits. At the time of Abul Fazl’s assassination, instigated by Akbar’s son and future emperor Jahangir, his history had covered only the first forty-six years of Akbar’s life, but that was enough to ensure his work’s standing as one of the masterpieces of Mughal literature.One reason for the lengthiness of the Akbarnama is that in addition to chronicling Akbar’s life, it contains numerous descriptions of Indian society such as the document on Hinduism that I would like you to read. Abul Fazl, who shared the tolerant religious views of the emperor, was interested in presenting Hinduism favorably to his Islamic readers, many of whom opposed the religious freedom Akbar offered his Hindu subjects. Even more disturbing to many Muslims was Akbar’s genuine interest not just in Hinduism but also Christianity, Jainism, and Zoroastrianism, all of which he drew upon to found a new religious cult, Din Illahi, or Divine Faith. Abul Fazl sought to lessen the concerns of orthodox Muslims that Hindus were guilty of the two greatest sins against the majesty and oneness of God—idolatry and polytheism. He also explained the religious basis of the Hindu caste system, the rigid hierarchies of which were far removed from the Muslim belief in the equality of all believers before Allah. You can read excerpts from the Akbarnama by clicking here.
When you have finished reading the document, I would like you to consider and discuss the following: How does Abul Fazl counter the charge that Hindus are polytheists? Do you find his arguments convincing? Why? How does Abul Fazl address the charge that Hindus are idol worshipers? In what ways do caste and karma provide Hindus a moral understanding of the universe? What do the dharmas of the castes reveal about Hindu social values? Where do women fit into the structure of the ladder of reincarnation? What does this suggest about their status in Hindu society? Abul Fazl is attempting to make Hinduism more acceptable to Muslims, but this does not necessarily invalidate what he writes. If you accept what he says as basically true, what conclusions can you reach about the ways Hindus perceive and relate to Divine Reality? Your thoughts…
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To counter the idea that Hindu's are not polytheistic, he relates the Hindu belief with the Christian belief knowing that the Muslims will understand Christianity. He explains it by comparing the Hindu belief to the Christian Trinity. He says that although they recognize three impportant, separate dieties, they combine to form one god. I think that it is very convincing because he is relating it to something that the Muslims are familiar with, Christianity. He also counters the idea of worshiping idols by saying that they serve to keep the mind focused on what they are worshiping. He gives Muslim's another way to relate to Hindu's with the idea of the caste system. He goes into great detail explaining the hard working, diverse levels of the social system. Just like the Hindu followers, the Muslim's are very diverse.
This document seem like a subjective one because Fazl wrote in such a optimistic sense, there are no "bad qualities" about Hinduism. He even explains the Caste system as if it's just a simple social class difference. Also, he explains the polythestic divinities as "unity of god," by explaining how Bhraman is a god and other gods came from his body parts. Fazl writes about karma; basically explaining some laws and regulations, convincing the Muslims their morality. Although it depends on one's opinions, but it is likely for one to be convinced, if he or she read this passage.
I found it very clever the way Abul compared the Hindu polytheistic belief to the Christian's Blessed Trinity, three persons in one God. Each person in that one supreme being played a major part of that one omnipotent being. Also, Abul's description of the caste system and how that affects karma kind of related to the Christian belief in judgment day where somebody would enter the gates of heaven and according to their life on earth, go either to heaven or hell. If you don't fulfill your duties of your class, you will be demoted in the next life. Also, if you were a bad, evil man in your previous life, you would come back as a woman in a very low class. Abul also mentioned how women were not of the brahmin or kshatriya, showing how they were thought very lowly of. Overall, I was pretty convinced by Abul Fazl's connections of Hinduism and Christianity.
Abul Fazl says that hindus use idols to help them focus on god, even though there were many gods, they were from one manifestation. Well, thats what I got from it, but that section was a bit confusing for some reason. The way he writes this really helps Muslims of that time to better understand hinduism. If they could read it, it was easy to see why the religion was so popular. Everyone had their place and everyone had a chance to be better in their next life. Although Muslims would haved detested the worship of idols, or even using pictures or objects to immitate god, they could stop being so critical towards Hindus. The only way to get the full effect of understanding each culture would be to write something similar to this about Islam. Even if this work stopped Muslims from attacking Hindus, the Hindus would still attack the Muslims and unity would still be untenable.
ok so all through out the document abul is trying to make hinduism sound much alike to islam, but that doesn't make it islam. if you're emperor is interested in several other faiths it makes no difference to try to cover it up by making that faith seem similar. worshiping several gods and the use of idols were not things that muslims would have ever done and to try to justify them would be to go against the islamic beliefs.
Fazl explains the hindu gods like the trinity is explained in christianity, explaining that there are many beings, but they are all part of one divine spirit. the hindu caste system,as fazl explains, is comparable to the islamic social hierarchy. he also shows how the staus of women was very low, as he explains how the worst consequence of an inobedient life is to become a woman. i think muslims found hinduism to be more acceptable after reading this because fazl makes the two religions sound very similar, so muslims could relate to hindus.
Abul relates the Hindu beliefs to Christianity in this document. And also says that hinduism is similar to islam, but still not the same thing. He makes these comparisons so the people will be able to understand where he is coming from, by using things they can relate to or are familiar with which is really smart
Abul explains all the reasons as to why hindus believe what they believe. he puts out the reality that the deities are like the rebirth of the one god, so he relates it to christianity and in ways that people can believe that. To try and make muslims not detest the idolism he explains it as a way for them to have more connection and concentration with god.
if ur emperor and u wanted peace and the killings of each faith to stop, then wouldn't u want to find some way to compromise. even if the two faiths were different and it wouldn't work out, how do sikhs work? so maybe it could have worked if people tried....like abul and akbar. yeah this would be going against islam and hinduism, but even if they didn't convert they should atleast understand each other's religion which i think is what abul was trying to do. why couldn't people just respect each other's faith..relgion had left enough problems to deal with before, why didn't they get that?
If Abul Fazl is relating it to Christianity, he is also connected it to Islam in many ways because Christianity and Islam are so closely tied. One of the main beliefs of Islam is that every person is equal, and this means that Muslims would severely criticize the existence of Untouchables. But Fazl says that Untouchables are simply like non-believers and are "outside the community," which makes it more acceptable to Muslims even though it's not completely true.
Abul Fazl does a good job in my opinion to establish a view that Hinduism is monotheistic in some regards. Hinduism teaching states that all the many gods are simply manifestations of one central deity. And his thoughts on idol worship states that they are simply mental anchors in a scene to hold the mind to god during worship. Of Coarse Fazl's writings are meant to ease tensions in India between the ruling Muslim minority with the vast majority of Hindi peoples in India, and his arguments to make Hinduism more acceptable to Islamic ideas were very well based.
Abul Fazl makes an attempt in this document to explain how Hindu beliefs are similar to their own belief, Islam, as well as Christianity. In doing so, he seems to be wanting to achieve piece between the people and their strict religions. One belief doesn't have much of an arguement in thinking their correct over another belief if they don't even understand it. Hense, Fazl explains the different characteristics to the Islamic people and why their ways should not be considered inferior. One thing in particular that many Muslims were not fond of was the idea of idol worship. Fazl explains that it's not a completly polytheistic religion, but one that uses these separate dieties to strengthen their belief in the one God. Everything is under that single God.
I believe that this is a good tactic to use in a region of such great fragmentation due to the different religions clashing. In order for their society to survive, they must work together and not have so much conflict. As Prill has mentioned over and over again, internal problems, along with outside invasion, is key to the fall of a society. Ergo, you must achieve a state of internal peace to survive.
Abul thinks that christianity and isla are in a way like hinduism cuz he relates it to both. Fazl didnt make anything bad about hinduism.. everything he said was good about it and nothing negative
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