Emperor Aurangzeb is frequently viewed as a discriminatory figure, unlike his great grandfather Emperor Akbar, who is celebrated for his religious policy of tolerance. shows that his assessment of Aurangzeb's religious policy was largely based on the study of the first half of Aurangzeb's reign which was climaxed by the reimposition of jizyah and his attempt to "annex" Marwar and subdue Mewar. Aurangzeb’s relation with the ulema is also of importance. It destroyed the unity, power, peace and prosperity of the empire and therefore, affected its fortune adversely. Aurangzeb took power before his father had passed away. So, the religious policies of both Akbar and Aurangzeb are the most differing, according to the stances taken by them. Though orthodox in his beliefs, Aurangzeb regularly visited the sufis and went to the graves of well-known saints. After about 1680, Aurangzeb’s reign underwent a change of both attitude and policy. The policy of laying primary importance on Islam and the Holy Law began to give way to a more pragmatic approach after Aurangzeb reached the Deccan and after the fall of Bijapur and Golconda and, the capture and execution of Sambhaji. In fact Aurangzeb himself was more inclined towards pantheism. . Shah Jahan had already moved away from the liberalism of Akbar , although in a token manner rather than with the intent of suppressing Hinduism, [70] [b] and Aurangzeb took the change still further. Aurangzeb’s attitude towards temples varied according to time and circumstances. Aurangzeb struck hard against enemies who threatened the integrity or peace of the Mughal state, no matter their status or religion. Aurangzeb himself was proficient in playing the Veena. The main necessity of Aurangzeb now was to subdue and win over the large number of Hindu rajas, zamindars operating in the area. However, if we look past this, it becomes clear that Aurangzeb’s main concern was the maintenance of the empire, and not religion. So, the religious policies of both Akbar and Aurangzeb are the most differing, according to the stances taken by them. Aurangzeb crowned himself as Emperor of Delhi on July 21, 1658 and assumed the title of Alamgir. The author goes on to list the various acts of domination or prejudice perpetuated by Aurangzeb during his supremacy of 50 years. . However, Aurangzeb found that the Muslim traders were taking undue advantages of this and cheating the state; therefore, he reinstated it, but kept it at half of what was charged from others. Muhi-ud-Din Muhammad also known as Aurangzeb or by his title Alamgir was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire. But the order was disobeyed by everybody including members of the royal family. Aurangzeb's religious beliefs cannot be considered as the basis of his political policies. Aurangzeb's religious policies are one of the most debated topic than those of other Mughal rulers. It is believed that extinction of the states of Bijapur and Golconda was a prior necessity for the destruction of the power of the Marathas in the Deccan. Sharma and A.L. Religious policies of Aurangzeb There are three main categories of scholars regarding views of Aurangzeb’s religious policies: Jadunath Sarkar, S.R. Sir my self Suresh Bhardwaj. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Though jizya was a regressive tax, and bore heavily on the poor than the rich, there is no proof of any large scale conversions during his reign on account of this measure. However, this anti-Hindu policy lacked proper implementation. Source: MANAS[see also Aurangzeb: A Political History; Aurangzeb: Religious Policies;Mughal Empire] In Indian history, the syncretistic and communalist viewpoints have conventionally been represented, to take one case in point, by offering a contrast between the lives of the two emperors under whom the Mughal Empire was at its zenith, Akbar (reigned 1556-1605) and Aurangzeb … Deccan policy of Aurangzeb had political as well as religious purpose. https://mocomi.com/ presents: AurangzebAurangzeb, born in 1618, was considered as the last great Mughal emperor. He constantly tried to portray his own actions and policies as being in accordance with the actions of his predecessors, thereby seeking legitimization. It has been argued that all the acts of Aurangzeb in pursuance of his so-called religious policy were motivated solely by his strict adherence to the shari’ah. Medieval Indian History - North-East India - After becoming emperor officially, Aurangzeb embarked upon an era of strong rule. Aurangzeb banned the festival of Nauroz, as it was considered as Zoroastrian practice favored by the Safavid rulers of Iran. He had also handwritten copies of the Quran himself, further testifying his religiosity. As a matter of fact, more Hindus joined the government service after 1672 than ever before. At the beginning of his reign, Aurangzeb prohibited the kalma being inscribed on coins, as it trampled underfoot or be defiled while passing from one hand to another. For the theologians, the imposition of jizya was a badge of the inferior and dependent status of the Hindus and a means of asserting the position of the Muslims as the ruling class, and thereby also asserting the superior status of the ulema, the upholders of the true faith, in the state. Aurangzeb and his Religious Policies. Aurangzeb’s insistence on Islamic rule was based on his previous education and his strong religious convictions. Therefore, while dealing with the conflicts (with the local elements), Aurangzeb considered it legitimate to destroy even long standing Hindu temples as a major punishment and as a warning. He was a strict … He restored Islam to its original position as the religion of the court and the country. (ii) To adopt anti-Hindu measures. Aurangzeb’s religious policy led to series of contractions, which he found hard to resolve. The religious fanaticism of Aurangzeb overshadowed his virtues. 1559 AD In Aurangzeb, many Ordinances have been circulated for the reorganization of the rules of Islamic conduct according to the laws of the Quran. What people view as Aurangzeb’s botched and discriminatory religious… Aurangzeb was felt that he had not only become greater than administer the empire in a better way, but also to protect and strengthen particularly its Sunni Islam faith. During 1679-80, when there was a state of hostility with the Rathors of Marwar and the Rana of Udaipur, many temples of old standing were destroyed at Jodhpur and its parganas, and at Udaipur. Aurangzeb restated the position of the shara regarding the temples, synagogues, churches, etc., that "long standing temple should not be demolished but no new temples allowed to be built." The extension of the empire was also one of the purposes of Aurangzeb. Thus, the fanatic and impartial whole policy of Aurangzeb transformed a religious denomination of Sikhs into a garrison and military sect. Aurangzeb struck hard against enemies who threatened the integrity or peace of the Mughal state, no matter their status or religion. “The religious policy of Aurangzeb was disastrous. However, because of majority of social demand, Aurangzeb had to permit this ceremony for his sons when they recovered from illness. Polity Bharat Ka Samvidhan: Ek Parichaya: Ek Parichaya (Hindi), Sansar डेली करंट अफेयर्स, 30 November 2020 - Sansar Lochan, Life of Basava and Shakti Vishishtadvaita Philosophy, Causes of the Downfall of the Mughal Empire, Reforms of Alauddin Khilji : Administrative, Military, Revenue & Economic, Town Planning of Indus Valley Civilization : Salient Features, Lord Curzon : Reforms and the administrative measures, Lord Ripon (1880-1884) – A well-meaning Governor-General, Itolizumab (rDNA origin) – A Monoclonal Antibody | UPSC, Know about Hagia Sophia Controversy | UPSC, Administration of Lord Lytton (1876-1880). His reversal of Akbar’s policy of religious toleration resulted in weakening the entire structure of the Mughal empire. HOPE IT HELPS ️ . Recent research has established that the number of Hindus in the various echelons of the nobility did not decline, but actually increased after 1679. Join now. Aurangzeb’s Religious Policy. Join now. Saif Khan, the old administrator of Kashmir, is remembered as the builder of bridges. Besides this political motive, he desired to annex these states because their rulers were Shias. AURANGZEB. He considered it a superstitious practice and against Islam. Being a fanatic Sunni, Aurangzeb observed and practiced the principles of Islam strictly; he had such faith in Islam that he refused even to think that there could be truth in other religions as well. Aurangzeb had a tragic death near Ahmednagar. Despite the respect he had for his father, Aurangzeb vehemently disagreed with many of his father's actions, considering them to be wasteful and extravagant. A slow change began in 1666. Emperor Aurangzeb of India's Mughal Dynasty November 3, —March 3, was a ruthless leader who, despite his willingness to take the throne over the bodies of his brothers, went on to create a "golden age" of Indian civilization. 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