ZINDA PIR ALAMGIR - The religious policy of Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb ruled from 1658 to 1707. He was the last of the great Mughals. His title "Alamgir" means conqueror of the world. His career lasting 49 years was marked by many bloody revolts and war of succession. However, there is a lesser-known side of this King as well.
Aurangzeb was an orthodox God-fearing Muslim. Unlike the earlier Mughal emperors, he had a very simple lifestyle. He was very well read in Muslim law (Shariyat) and religion. He ruled according to the wishes of Ulema and did not live a flashy life or spent lavishly from the Treasury. Even in between the thick of the battle he would kneel down to pray at the sunset. Therefore due to his simplicity and deep religious devotion, he was popularly called "ZINDA Pir" or living saint.
Unfortunately, as a ruler, however, he was shortsighted. By giving up on his predecessors' policy of intolerance he faced certain reverses which ultimately led to the Empire's decline, however, we shall deal with these later.
Aurangzeb was the person who had fully commemorated Quran, that is, he had learnt it by heart. Aurangzeb was also the first one to organise Fatwah-Al-Alamgir, it is special because for the first time the Hanafi law of Shariyat. It was a summary of Muslim law. During his entire reign, Aurangzeb never spent even a single penny from the Royal treasury for his personal use. Aurangzeb never wore expensive robes and precious jewellery or used gold and silver vessels for eating his meals. He believed in earning money only through righteous Islamic ways. All his life Alamgir and his wife sewed skull caps and hand-copied Quran to earn a living for their personal use.
Aurangzeb believed that knowledge (ilm) from the Quran and the model behaviour of Prophet (Sunna) is the only way to provide guidance to this world. Therefore, he went on to abolish several Un-Islamic elements which had been in practice during the reign predecessors. He band vices like drinking of alcohol, gambling, and the heinous act of castration and servitude of eunuchs. Music, 'nautch' and narcotics were also halted in the Mughal Empire because they were considered Haram under Islam. During the reign of Akbar expensive items and commodities exported to Mecca and Medina. The sale was distributed among the guards of the Holy shrine as charity. However, it was Aurangzeb who ordered to stop these exports as he found out that there was a case of gross misappropriation of funds. Therefore he ordered that the sales be distributed within India because it was as much the home to Allah as was Mecca.
Many people come to allege that he had a very hard view of politics however we should not deny the fact that he had played a key role in encouraging Islamic and had also contributed to Indo Islamic architecture by building a Moti Masjid at Red Fort, Bibi ka Maqbara for his wife Rabia Durani and Badshahi mosque in Lahore.
However, in a quest to please the Ulema, Aurangzeb ordered demolition of several temples in Varanasi and Rajasthan. He also stopped the practice of Jharokha Darshan that led to the dismantling of the popular belief that the people of Hindustan had in the emperor. The feeling of resentment was aggravated by the imposition of Jizya tax, people especially non-Muslims lost all faith in him.
In the end, we should keep in mind that Aurangzeb is considered one of the greatest Mughals because his policies weather hard, soft or structural have come to influence Indian culture and politics in contemporary times.
SOURCES
https://www.qries.com/Why-the-Mughal-Emperor-Aurangzeb-was-called-the-Zinda-Pir
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurangzeb
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aurangzeb
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| 5th in the row, Aurangzeb was last of the 'Great Mughals' Penguin India Blog - WordPress.com |
Aurangzeb was an orthodox God-fearing Muslim. Unlike the earlier Mughal emperors, he had a very simple lifestyle. He was very well read in Muslim law (Shariyat) and religion. He ruled according to the wishes of Ulema and did not live a flashy life or spent lavishly from the Treasury. Even in between the thick of the battle he would kneel down to pray at the sunset. Therefore due to his simplicity and deep religious devotion, he was popularly called "ZINDA Pir" or living saint.
Unfortunately, as a ruler, however, he was shortsighted. By giving up on his predecessors' policy of intolerance he faced certain reverses which ultimately led to the Empire's decline, however, we shall deal with these later.
Aurangzeb was the person who had fully commemorated Quran, that is, he had learnt it by heart. Aurangzeb was also the first one to organise Fatwah-Al-Alamgir, it is special because for the first time the Hanafi law of Shariyat. It was a summary of Muslim law. During his entire reign, Aurangzeb never spent even a single penny from the Royal treasury for his personal use. Aurangzeb never wore expensive robes and precious jewellery or used gold and silver vessels for eating his meals. He believed in earning money only through righteous Islamic ways. All his life Alamgir and his wife sewed skull caps and hand-copied Quran to earn a living for their personal use.
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| Aurangzeb compiled Hanafi law by introducing the Fatawa-e-Alamgiri. |
Aurangzeb believed that knowledge (ilm) from the Quran and the model behaviour of Prophet (Sunna) is the only way to provide guidance to this world. Therefore, he went on to abolish several Un-Islamic elements which had been in practice during the reign predecessors. He band vices like drinking of alcohol, gambling, and the heinous act of castration and servitude of eunuchs. Music, 'nautch' and narcotics were also halted in the Mughal Empire because they were considered Haram under Islam. During the reign of Akbar expensive items and commodities exported to Mecca and Medina. The sale was distributed among the guards of the Holy shrine as charity. However, it was Aurangzeb who ordered to stop these exports as he found out that there was a case of gross misappropriation of funds. Therefore he ordered that the sales be distributed within India because it was as much the home to Allah as was Mecca.
Many people come to allege that he had a very hard view of politics however we should not deny the fact that he had played a key role in encouraging Islamic and had also contributed to Indo Islamic architecture by building a Moti Masjid at Red Fort, Bibi ka Maqbara for his wife Rabia Durani and Badshahi mosque in Lahore.
 |
| One of the first attempts to replicate Taj Mahal, Bibi ka Maqbara was commissioned in the memory of Rabia Durani. the wife of Auranzeb. |
However, in a quest to please the Ulema, Aurangzeb ordered demolition of several temples in Varanasi and Rajasthan. He also stopped the practice of Jharokha Darshan that led to the dismantling of the popular belief that the people of Hindustan had in the emperor. The feeling of resentment was aggravated by the imposition of Jizya tax, people especially non-Muslims lost all faith in him.
In the end, we should keep in mind that Aurangzeb is considered one of the greatest Mughals because his policies weather hard, soft or structural have come to influence Indian culture and politics in contemporary times.
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Thank you
SOURCES
https://www.qries.com/Why-the-Mughal-Emperor-Aurangzeb-was-called-the-Zinda-Pir
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurangzeb
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aurangzeb
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