RAS question
Akbar's 'Din-i-Ilahi' was:
Correct answer: (B) A syncretic religious order blending elements of various faiths.
Akbar's Din-i-Ilahi was a syncretic religious order, or Divine Faith, that blended ethical and ritual elements from several traditions rather than serving as an army, tax, or Islamic reform system.
Explanation
Din-i-Ilahi, literally the Divine Faith, was formulated by Akbar in the late sixteenth century and is best understood as an elite, eclectic religious movement. The seed explanation places its promulgation in 1582 and describes it as drawing on Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Jainism. Britannica supports the syncretic character: it notes ethical rules against lust, sensuality, slander and pride; virtues such as piety, prudence, abstinence and kindness; Sufi-style yearning for God; Catholic-style celibacy; Jain-style opposition to animal slaughter; Zoroastrian light symbolism; and Hindu recitation of Sanskrit names of the Sun. Its tiny following and failure to survive Akbar show that it was not a state-wide administrative system.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) A military organisation system would concern army structure, whereas Din-i-Ilahi is described as an elite religious movement and ethical system.
- (C) A strict Islamic reform movement would narrow doctrine around Islam, but Din-i-Ilahi borrowed from several traditions, including Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism and Catholic practice.
- (D) A tax reform policy would deal with revenue administration, while the evidence here concerns religious ethics, ritual borrowing and Akbar's small circle of adherents.
Concept
This tests Mughal religious policy under Akbar, especially his attempt to frame imperial authority through tolerance, ethical discipline and selective borrowing from different traditions. It recurs in RAS because Akbar's rule links medieval polity, culture and religion in one high-yield theme.