Question

How were the debates with religious scholars important in the formation of Akbar's ideas on governance?

Answer 1

• Akbar's interaction with people of different faiths made him realise that religious scholar who emphasised ritual and dogma were often bigots.
• Their teachings created divisions and disharmony amongst his subjects.
• This finally led Akbar to the idea of Sulh-i Kul or universal peace. He inferred that the idea of tolerance was of utmost importance because it did not discriminate between people of different religions in his realm.
• Instead, it focused on a system of ethics i.e., honesty, justice, peace. These were the virtues universally applicable.
• Finally, Akbar, with the help of Abul Fazl, formed a vision of governance around the idea of Sulh-i -Kul.