The Rule of Aurangzeb and His Religious Policy A Historical Study

Journal of Legal Subjects
ISSN: 2815-097X
Vol : 02 , No. 05 , Aug-Sep 2022
http://journal.hmjournals.com/index.php/JLS
The Rule of Aurangzeb and His Religious Policy

A Historical Study
Dr. Jayasree Dolvi
Guest Faculty, Department of History, Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya south

point, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar, India
Email: sri373075@gmail.com
Abstract: At its level, the Mughal Empire controlled assets unbelievable in Indian history
and basically the whole subcontinent. The Mughal Empire was a genuinely viable and
concentrated organisation from 1556 to 1707, when it was at the level of its unimaginable
riches and glory, with a huge complex of individuals, assets, and information dedicated to
the help of the ruler and his aristocracy. From 1658 to 1707, Aurangzeb managed India as
its monarch. The last of the great Mughal rulers, although his policies contributed to the
Mughal Empire’s collapse, it was during his reign that it achieved its greatest size.
According to historical consensus, Aurangzeb completely abandoned Akbar's policy of
religious toleration, which led to significant Hindu uprisings. Most people agree that
Aurangzeb was a fervent Sunni Muslim. His main objective was to convert India, also
known as Dar-ul-Harb (the land of the Kafirs or Unbelievers), to Islam (country of Islam).
He was intolerant of people of other religions, particularly Hindus. He also had a problem
with Shia Muslims. The study's objective is to describe and analyse Aurangzeb's rule and
his approach to religion. The study used a descriptive-historical approach to arrive at a
conclusion. Additionally, the study used the theme analytical tool QADMAX to analyse the
qualitative data.
Keywords: Religion, Sunni, Hindus, Policies, Wars and Intolerance.
1. INTRODUCTION
Shah Jahan had a third son named Aurangzeb. Muhi-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb
was his full name. On November 3rd, 1918, he was born. Alamgir, which also means
"conqueror of the globe," was his regnal name. He was India's 49-year-long last legitimate
Mughal emperor. Aurangzeb was a valiant, daring, and brave soldier. The Mughal Empire
reached its highest points under his reign, yet this was also the time when the Mughal Empire
began to crumble. He added 4 million square kilometres to his southern dominion. He had a
strict, conservative, and religious mindset. Despite the fact that he had constructed certain
temples, he was regarded as the ruin of other people's faith and religion. His stance of
religious intolerance is demonstrated by the destruction of Hindu temples and the death of
Sikh gurus. With the end of his reign, the Mughal Empire started to crumble. The Mughal
treasury had been depleted by rebellions and wars. Others in his court did not inspire much
Copyright © The Author(s) 2022.This is an Open Access Article distributed under the CC
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confidence in Aurangzeb. He was not a supporter of the arts, therefore throughout his rule,
there was little art and architecture on show.
He possessed a strong will, but when he passed away, no one had the authority or
capability to succeed him. Aurangzeb governed the Mughal Empire for nearly half a century.
The early part of his rule took place in the Deccan, and the second part was in the capital. He
took control of Assam, Cooch Beher, and Palamau in Bihar during his initial phase. He
overcame Aham-kinf-Jayadheja, the ruler of that region. He defeated the Arakan King and
took control of Chittagong and Sandwip. Mir Jumla and Shaista Khan, two of his military
officers, assisted him in annexing these lands. He had the most difficulty with Deccan in the
second phase. In actuality, it was disastrous for his kingdom. Years of Aurangzeb's time spent
here damaged his northern kingdom. Bit by bit, the Deccan conquest corroded his kingdom.
In the Deccan at the period, there were two main powers that were quite active. The
Sultanates of the Deccan were one, while the Marathas of Western India were the other. At
the same time, Aurangzeb started a war with both of them. It took Aurangzeb a while to
conquer both kingdoms, though. The two Deccan sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda were
annexed by him, but the Marathas proved to be a resilient state. When fighting the Marathas,
who were led by Shivaji, Aurangzeb engaged in a protracted conflict. But he and his empire
suffered greatly as a result of these ongoing war battles. His finances were depleted by these
campaigns. Peasants were consequently required to pay high taxes.
Nothing about Aurangzeb resembled his tolerant forebears. In terms of his beliefs,
way of thinking, and adherence to the Islamic faith, he was extremely orthodox and
conservative. He published a stringent Islamic decree known as the Alamgiri Fatwa. In his
court, he outlawed dance, music, and painting. Following Islamic Sharia, he also destroyed
artwork, sculptures, and buildings. Several Hindu temples were destroyed while others were
turned into mosques during his rule. He forbade Hindu religious gatherings. He imposed
various taxes on non-Muslims that Akbar had previously withdrawn. Hindus were coerced
into becoming Muslims.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
When historians examine the period during which Muslims ruled India, the perspective they
bring to bear has a significant impact on how historical figures are portrayed. Some people
are regarded as excellent and enlightened leaders, while others are dictators who are cruel and
oppressive. There is no figure in history more divisive than Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir of
the Mughal dynasty, who reigned from 1658 until 1707. As a result, this finds a gap in the
literature and makes an attempt to explain and analyse Aurangzeb's religious policies
2. METHODOLOGY
The present Study looks both forward and historical and descriptive in great detail with
qualitative method. This suggests that the audience might view the research. The research is
supported by both primary and secondary sources of data. Additionally, some subjective
research was done. Data from supplement sources, including books, internet articles, printed
publications, and international journals and magazines, were examined in the inquiry.
Additionally, the study incorporates the thematic analytical tool QADMAX to analyse the
secondary data qualitatively to reach on conclusion.
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3. DISCUSSION AND RESULT
According to historical consensus, Aurangzeb completely abandoned Akbar's policy of

religious toleration, which led to significant Hindu uprisings. For the first time in their
history, the Mughals saw a rigorous Muslim in their emperor—a Muslim who was as fiercely
repressible of himself as of the people around him, a king who was willing to sacrifice his
throne for the sake of his faith. He must have been aware of the perilous course he was taking
and well aware that it went against every Hindu feeling. Nevertheless, he made this decision
and stuck to it steadfastly for nearly fifty years of uncontested rule. When discussing
Aurangzeb's acts of religious intolerance, Dr. S.R. Sharma wrote, "These were not the acts of
a virtuous ruler or constructive statesman, but the eruptions of mindless fanaticism, unworthy
of the immense brilliance that Aurangzeb unquestionably possessed in all other aspects. Most
people agree that Aurangzeb was a fervent Sunni Muslim. His main objective was to convert
India, also known as Dar-ul-Harb (the land of the Kafirs or Unbelievers), to Islam (country of
Islam). He was intolerant of people of other religions, particularly Hindus. He also had a
problem with Shia Muslims.
3.1 Islam's promotion
Aurangzeb's essential objective was to change the Mughal Empire into a completely
Islamic realm. Regardless of being Muslims, not every one of the previous sovereigns
controlled as per Islamic regulation. His extraordinary granddad Akbar, for example, more
than once broke Islamic statutes by embracing a few non-Islamic strict precepts and ways of
behaving in the two his private and public lives. Aurangzeb demanded an Islamic
administration because of his prior education and intense strict convictions.
Before his father passing, Aurangzeb acquired initiative. In spite of his affection for
his dad, Aurangzeb dismissed large numbers of his dad's activities in light of the fact that
they were excessive and inefficient. His analysis of the Taj Mahal, a catacomb developed by
Shah Jahan for Aurangzeb's mom Mumtaz Mahal, embodies his strict perspective
According to Aurangzeb, it was against Islamic religious law to create a structure over
a grave, especially one that was so complex and costly. He stated, "There is no denying the
expense involved, and the legality of a permanent structure over a grave is dubious." In
addition, he made a point of explicitly condemning excessive Sufi grave devotion,
emphasising that it was moving away from Islamic beliefs and practises and toward the
creation of cult-like behaviour. Aurangzeb demanded ordering Islamic regulation into a
classified book that could be all the more handily kept so Islamic regulation could be
successfully applied all through the realm.
Muhammad convened hundreds of Islamic scholars from across the Muslim world in
order to formulate these instructions. The result was the Fatawa-e-Alamgiri, which translates
to "The Religious Decrees of Alamgir" and is a foundational book of Hanafi School Fiqh
(jurisprudence). In the rest of the Muslim world, it was recognised as a compendium of
Hanafi jurisprudence and was known as Fatawa al-Hindiya.
Involving the Fatawa-e-Alamgiri as an aide, Aurangzeb conveyed authorities all
through the realm to uphold Islamic regulation and forbid socially indecent way of behaving.
Consequently, the supreme government endeavoured to stifle liquor addiction, betting, and
prostitution. Moreover, non-Muslim regulation consistent tolls were cancelled, which was
profoundly gotten by the Mughal Empire's general population. To compensate for the
misfortune in charge income, Aurangzeb picked an extremely straightforward way of life and
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didn't live as lavishly as his dad had. He killed lavish regal customs, for example, court
performers and birthday celebrations for the ruler.
3.2 The Sikhs' and Hindus' interactions
Even while Aurangzeb's accomplishments and devotion to religion are evident, some
historians and scholars assert that his most enduring legacies are oppression and intolerance.
He is commonly described as having destroyed temples and attempted to expel non-Muslims
from his territory. More settings are necessary to comprehend the truth.
With respect to Sikhs and Hindus as a rule, he was neither biased nor narrow-minded.
In his imperial court, various Hindus filled in as authorities and guides. Actually, there were
more non-Muslims in his court than in the court of Akbar, who is regularly viewed as the
most strictly open minded Mughal head. By involving Hindus and Sikhs in his military and
organization, Aurangzeb showed that he was not just a strict narrow minded person who
disregarded the commitments of his non-Muslim subjects. In investigations of Aurangzeb's
residency, the destruction of Hindu and Sikh temples and his reluctance to let the
development of new ones are instances of the subsequent issue. It is an obvious reality of
history that he coordinated such activities.
There is a long tradition in India of conserving temples with Islamic religious
grounds. Muhammad bin Qasim, the leader of the first Muslim army to invade India in 711,
promised Hindus and Buddhists religious freedom and the protection of their temples. Before
the Mughals, the same policy was in effect for centuries. However, Aurangzeb did not
contravene Islamic laws protecting religious minorities. In 1659, when Aurangzeb stated,
"According to the Shariah [Islamic law] and the exalted belief, it has been established that old
temples should not be destroyed," he was emphasising that Islamic law prohibits the
destruction of temples.
Why, therefore, did Aurangzeb do it, if not for religious reasons? The key to the
solution lies in the political context of temples during the 1600s.
Hindu and Sikh temples were something other than spots of dedication. Also, they
had political significance. The clerics accountable for the sanctuaries were utilized by the
public authority and furthermore filled in as political workplaces and state property. Mughal
heads (and, surprisingly, Hindu lords in non-Mughal nations) depended on clerics to mobilize
the nearby local area through the sanctuary with an end goal to procure the devotion of
Hindus in a specific district. Subsequently, a sanctuary was something other than a position
of love; it likewise could be a strong political instrument.
With this understanding of temples and their significance, it is easier to comprehend
why Aurangzeb demolished some of them. No historical evidence supports his programme of
indiscriminately destroying temples throughout India. Deliberately, and only a small part of
the total number of Hindu temples in India, he chose those to demolish. This is because
Aurangzeb's decision to destroy a temple was motivated by politics rather than faith.
Various nearby lead representatives and clerics chose to rebel against Mughal rule
during the rule of Aurangzeb subsequent to noticing the Mughals' monetary thriving and later
monetary emergency under Shah Jahan. While an uprising sprang out in one segment of the
domain, the neighborhood temples was the undeniable political power that revolutionaries
could mobilize against. However long renegade pioneers and the sanctuaries that filled in as
their benefactors existed, so did the danger to the Mughal administration.
As a result, it became customary to demolish the temple that inspired any rebellions
against centralised rule. In 1669, Shivaji, a political rival, led a rebellion in Banaras and
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solicited the assistance of the local temple to support his cause. Aurangzeb destroyed an anti-
Aurangzeb political recruitment centre in Banaras after capturing Shivaji. Jat rebels murdered
a local Muslim chief in Mathura in 1670. Once more, Aurangzeb was had to demolish the
temple that had served as the revolt's base of operations.
In general, the act of befouling of Hindu sanctuaries was sent as a political revenge
against faithless Hindu authorities and not as a sign of strict fanaticism, as some might claim.
Since mosques didn't work as political substances like temples, the possibility that he was
strictly one-sided in light of the fact that there were no mosque contamination isn't
persuading. The allegation that Aurangzeb's acts were motivated by religion is patently
incorrect, yet the strategy of destroying the operational hub of a political competitor may
have its detractors. Aurangzeb, on the other hand, was a religiously devoted leader who made
a concentrated effort to impart an Islamic flavour to all of his leadership decisions. However,
he complied with Islamic law's responsibilities for the protection of non-Muslims; therefore
this did not indicate religious intolerance.
His army was steadily weakening as a result of Aurangzeb's prolonged military battles
and engagements, which lasted for years. He engaged Shivaji in battle for 27 years, during
which time his wealth came perilously close to being depleted. After Shivaji death was the
first time he was able to get some relief from this never-ending struggle. In addition to this, a
number of kingdoms announced their intention to become independent. When he sent his
own son to put down this uprising, his son deceived him and told him a lie. His son made a
public proclamation that he was the king before fleeing to Deccan. Here is where he met
Sambhaji, the great Shivaji son, and became acquainted with him. His political influence was
also diminishing day by day as a direct result of the fact that Aurangzeb spent the majority of
his time away from his capital city of Agra and on the battlefield instead. His administrators
and ministers assumed increased influence while he was away from the kingdom. They
asserted that they were a completely independent nation. The severity with which he treated
Hindus turned out to be an even greater liability for him. Everyone looked down their noses
at him. His list of enemies became greater and longer as time went on.
4. CONCLUSION
Aurangzeb, the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, was an extremely ambitious and
aggressive leader. He expanded the empire's territory by conquering neighbouring countries.
He was extremely competent in military operations and in the expansion of his dominion. It is
claimed that the Mughal Empire stretched across the entirety of the Indian subcontinent under
his rule. According to the accounts of a great number of persons as well as research, he was a
devout opponent of Hinduism and an orthodox, conservative Muslim. His religious policies
were extremely rigid and often contradicted one another. He was responsible for the
destruction of a great number of Hindu temples and idols and the establishment of
comprehensive Islamic norms and laws. But to this day, there are two schools of thought and
viewpoints regarding the religious aspect of his nature, and conflicts and disagreements are
still ongoing.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I want to thank each and every one of you for your assistance in completing this post.
Thank you to everyone who helped me put my piece together in a way that was appropriate
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Vol : 02 , No. 05 , Aug-Sep 2022
for the time it was written. Along with the experts and writers who finished their papers on a
related topic, I want to thank them for their valuable assistance; the references they gave
helped me come up with an outstanding plan to finish my article in an effective manner as
well.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

The author affirm that she has no known financial or interpersonal conflicts
that would have appeared to have an impact on the research presented in this study.
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Journal of Legal Subjects

The Rule of Aurangzeb and His Religious Policy

Dr. Jayasree Dolvi

Guest Faculty, Department of History, Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya south

Keywords: Religion, Sunni, Hindus, Policies, Wars and Intolerance.

3. DISCUSSION AND RESULT

According to historical consensus, Aurangzeb completely abandoned Akbar's policy of

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

[18] Hussein, S M (2002).Structure of Politics Under Aurangzeb 1658-1707. Kanishka

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