RAS question
Akbar's Ibadat Khana was a:
Correct answer: (C) Hall for religious discussions at Fatehpur Sikri.
Akbar's Ibadat Khana was a hall at Fatehpur Sikri established for religious discussions and debates.
Explanation
The Ibadat Khana, or House of Worship, was not a welfare body, mosque, or school; it was Akbar's debating hall at Fatehpur Sikri. It was constructed in 1575 for religious discussion. World History Encyclopedia records that Akbar established it to conduct religious debates and discussions among theologians and learned participants. It began in a Muslim setting, with a debating hall meant to accommodate Muslim theologians, and was later opened to intellectuals from different religions and sects. That wider participation matters because the Ibadat Khana became a key setting in Akbar's move towards more syncretic religious thinking and policy.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) A charitable institution would be organised around relief or welfare, whereas the Ibadat Khana was established for religious debates and discussions.
- (B) A mosque for Friday prayers is a place of congregational worship, but the Ibadat Khana functioned as a debating hall rather than as a mosque.
- (D) A school for religious education would imply formal instruction, while the Ibadat Khana brought theologians and scholars together for discussion and debate.
Concept
This tests Mughal religious policy under Akbar, especially the link between court debates at Fatehpur Sikri and his broader syncretic turn. It recurs in RAS because Akbar's religious experiments are a standard marker of medieval Indian statecraft and culture.