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| native_name = House of Worship | | native_name = House of Worship | ||
| native_name_lang = | | native_name_lang = | ||
| religious_affiliation = | |||
| image = Jesuits at Akbar's court.jpg | | image = Jesuits at Akbar's court.jpg | ||
| image_upright = | | image_upright = | ||
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| caption = [[Akbar the Great]] holds a religious assembly in the Ibādat Khāna; the two men dressed in black are the [[Jesuit]] missionaries [[Rodolfo Acquaviva]] and [[Francisco Henriques]]. Illustration to the [[Akbarnama]] by [[Nar Singh]], c. 1605. | | caption = [[Akbar the Great]] holds a religious assembly in the Ibādat Khāna; the two men dressed in black are the [[Jesuit]] missionaries [[Rodolfo Acquaviva]] and [[Francisco Henriques]]. Illustration to the [[Akbarnama]] by [[Nar Singh]], c. 1605. | ||
| tradition = [[Din-i Ilahi]] | | tradition = [[Din-i Ilahi]] | ||
| region = | | region = Fatehpur Sikri | ||
| country = [[Mughal Empire]] | | country = [[Mughal Empire]] | ||
| founded_by = [[Akbar|Emperor Akbar]] | | founded_by = [[Akbar|Emperor Akbar]] | ||
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}} | }} | ||
The '''Ibādat Khāna''' (House of Worship) was a meeting house built in 1575 CE by the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] Emperor [[Akbar]] (r. 1556–1605) at | The '''Ibādat Khāna''' (House of Worship) was a meeting house built in 1575 CE by the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] Emperor [[Akbar]] (r. 1556–1605) at [[Fatehpur Sikri]] to gather spiritual/religious leaders of different religious grounds (and beliefs) so as to conduct a discussion and debates on the teachings of the respective religious leaders (if any).<ref name="sen2">{{Cite book |last=Sen |first=Sailendra |title=A Textbook of Medieval Indian History |publisher=Primus Books |year=2013 |isbn=978-9-38060-734-4 |pages=171}}</ref> | ||
In his eagerness to learn about different religions, Akbar built | In his eagerness to learn about different religions, Akbar built a hall of prayer at Fatehpur Sikri in 1575 known as the Ibadat Khana. At this place, he invited selected mystics, intellectuals and theologians, and held discussions on religious and spiritual themes. He invited scholars belonging to various religions such as Hinduism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Christianity and even atheists. He conducted religious debates with these people. They visited Ibadat Khana in the past and discussed their religious belief (and faiths) with Akbar. The result of these discussions at the Hall of Prayer led them to the conclusion that all religions lead to the same goal. | ||
==Historical background== | ==Historical background== | ||
Akbar built the Ibādat Khāna as a debating house.{{Clarify|date=March 2015}} He encouraged [[ | Akbar built the Ibādat Khāna as a debating house.{{Clarify|date=March 2015}} He encouraged [[Hinduism|Hindus]], [[Catholic Church|Catholics]], [[Zoroastrianism|Zoroastrians]], [[Jainism|Jains]], [[Buddhism|Buddhists]], [[Sikhism|Sikhs]] and even [[Cārvāka|atheists]] to participate. Religious leaders and philosophers from around this diverse empire, as well as those passing through, were invited to Akbar's Thursday evening discussions. Akbar's spiritual inclinations were roused to a large extent by the example of [[Sulaiman Khan Karrani|Sulaiman Karrani]], a past ruler of Bengal, who was said to spend nights in the company of over a hundred ratiocinating spiritual men. Akbar also wanted to sharpen his theological grasp because he had been told of the imminent arrival to his court of Mirza Sulaiman of Badakshan, a [[Sufism|Sufi]] with a predilection for spiritual debates.<ref name="House of worship">{{cite journal|last=Smith|first=Vincent A.|title=Akbar's "House of Worship", or Ibadat-Khana|journal=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland|volume=49|issue=4|pages=715–722|publisher=JSTOR|jstor=25209315|year=1917|doi=10.1017/S0035869X00050814|s2cid=159864148 }}</ref> | ||
===Faith of the Divine=== | ===Faith of the Divine=== | ||
By the late 1580s CE, Akbar began an attempt to reconcile the differences of all religions by creating a new faith, the [[Din-i-Ilahi]] ("Faith of the Divine"), which incorporated both [[pantheism|pantheistic]] versions of Islamic [[Sufism]] (most notably [[Ibn Arabi]]'s doctrine of ''[[Wahdat al | By the late 1580s CE, Akbar began an attempt to reconcile the differences of all religions by creating a new faith, the [[Din-i-Ilahi]] ("Faith of the Divine"), which incorporated both [[pantheism|pantheistic]] versions of Islamic [[Sufism]] (most notably [[Ibn Arabi]]'s doctrine of ''[[Sufi metaphysics|Wahdat al-Wujud]]'' or Unity of Existence) and ''[[Bhakti]]'' or devotional movements of Hinduism. Even some elements of [[Christianity]] (like crosses), [[Zoroastrianism]] (fire ceremonies) and [[Jainism]] were amalgamated in the new religion. Akbar was greatly influenced by the teachings of Jain [[Acharya]]s [[Hir Vijay Suri]] and [[Jin Chandra Suri]] and gave up non-[[vegetarian]] food because of their influence. He declared ''Amari'' or non-killing of animals on the holy days of Jains like [[Paryushan]] and [[Mahavir Jayanti]]. He rolled back the [[Jizya]] tax from Jain pilgrimage places like Palitana. | ||
This faith, however, was not for the masses. In fact, the only "converts" to this new religion were the upper nobility of Akbar's court. Historians have so far been able to identify only 18 members of this new religion. | This faith, however, was not for the masses. In fact, the only "converts" to this new religion were the upper nobility of Akbar's court. Historians have so far been able to identify only 18 members of this new religion, including his closest minister Birbal. | ||
[[Alfred, Lord Tennyson]]'s poem ''Akbar’s Dream'' lauds the Ibādat Khāna, ascribing tolerance and humanity to his "Divine Faith", while implicitly criticising the intolerance of 19th century British | [[Alfred, Lord Tennyson]]'s poem ''Akbar’s Dream'' lauds the Ibādat Khāna, ascribing tolerance and humanity to his "Divine Faith", while implicitly criticising the intolerance of 19th century British Christianity.<ref>[http://www.telelib.com/words/authors/T/TennysonAlfred/verse/deathofoenone/akbarsdreamnotes.html Notes to Akbar’s Dream], from The Death of Œnone, and Other Poems by Alfred Tennyson (1892).</ref> | ||
[[File:Rodolfo Acquaviva diskutiert mit dem Großmogul.jpg|thumb|A painting depicting the scenes of the Ibādat Khāna.]] | [[File:Rodolfo Acquaviva diskutiert mit dem Großmogul.jpg|thumb|A painting depicting the scenes of the Ibādat Khāna.]] | ||
==Discovery of Ibadat Khana== | ==Discovery of Ibadat Khana== | ||
Different archaeologists and historians had different thoughts on the location of Ibadat Khana. Saeed Ahmed Mararavi, followed by Athar Abbas Rizvi and Vincent Flynn suggested that the mound between Jama Masjid and Jodha Bai's Mahal is the site of Ibadat Khana. However, they had no tangible proof to support their argument. In early 1980s, [[ | Different archaeologists and historians had different thoughts on the location of Ibadat Khana. Saeed Ahmed Mararavi, followed by Athar Abbas Rizvi and Vincent Flynn suggested that the mound between Jama Masjid and Jodha Bai's Mahal is the site of Ibadat Khana. However, they had no tangible proof to support their argument. In early 1980s, [[K. K. Muhammed]] working under Prof. R. C. Gaur of [[Aligarh Muslim University]] excavated the mound and found the steps, platforms and boundary wall, which matched the painting of Ibadat Khana from Akbar's period. | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
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* [[Jama Masjid]] | * [[Jama Masjid]] | ||
* [[Tomb of Salim Chishti]] | * [[Tomb of Salim Chishti]] | ||
* [[ | * [[Jodha Bai Mahal]] | ||
* [[Naubat Khana]] | * [[Naubat Khana]] | ||
| Line 57: | Line 58: | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{ | {{Reflist}} | ||
==External links== | |||
*{{Commonscatinline|Ibādat Khāna}} | |||
{{Mughal Empire}} | {{Mughal Empire}} | ||
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Agra district]] | [[Category:Buildings and structures in Agra district]] | ||
[[Category:Mughal Empire | [[Category:Culture of the Mughal Empire]] | ||
[[Category:Religious pluralism]] | [[Category:Religious pluralism]] | ||
[[Category:16th-century Islam]] | [[Category:16th-century Islam]] | ||
[[Category:Fatehpur Sikri]] | [[Category:Fatehpur Sikri]] | ||
[[Category:Akbar]] | [[Category:Akbar]] | ||
[[Category:Buildings and structures of the Mughal Empire]] | |||
Latest revision as of 06:50, 3 September 2025
 | This article uncritically uses texts from within a religion or faith system without referring to secondary sources that critically analyze them. (May 2012) |
| Ibādat Khāna | |
|---|---|
House of Worship | |
| Religion | |
| Region | Fatehpur Sikri |
| Location | |
| Country | Mughal Empire |
| Lua error in Module:Infobox_mapframe at line 197: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Architecture | |
| Founder | Emperor Akbar |
| Established | c. 1575 |
The Ibādat Khāna (House of Worship) was a meeting house built in 1575 CE by the Mughal Emperor Akbar (r. 1556–1605) at Fatehpur Sikri to gather spiritual/religious leaders of different religious grounds (and beliefs) so as to conduct a discussion and debates on the teachings of the respective religious leaders (if any).[1]
In his eagerness to learn about different religions, Akbar built a hall of prayer at Fatehpur Sikri in 1575 known as the Ibadat Khana. At this place, he invited selected mystics, intellectuals and theologians, and held discussions on religious and spiritual themes. He invited scholars belonging to various religions such as Hinduism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Christianity and even atheists. He conducted religious debates with these people. They visited Ibadat Khana in the past and discussed their religious belief (and faiths) with Akbar. The result of these discussions at the Hall of Prayer led them to the conclusion that all religions lead to the same goal.
Historical background[edit | edit source]
Akbar built the Ibādat Khāna as a debating house.[clarification needed] He encouraged Hindus, Catholics, Zoroastrians, Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs and even atheists to participate. Religious leaders and philosophers from around this diverse empire, as well as those passing through, were invited to Akbar's Thursday evening discussions. Akbar's spiritual inclinations were roused to a large extent by the example of Sulaiman Karrani, a past ruler of Bengal, who was said to spend nights in the company of over a hundred ratiocinating spiritual men. Akbar also wanted to sharpen his theological grasp because he had been told of the imminent arrival to his court of Mirza Sulaiman of Badakshan, a Sufi with a predilection for spiritual debates.[2]
Faith of the Divine[edit | edit source]
By the late 1580s CE, Akbar began an attempt to reconcile the differences of all religions by creating a new faith, the Din-i-Ilahi ("Faith of the Divine"), which incorporated both pantheistic versions of Islamic Sufism (most notably Ibn Arabi's doctrine of Wahdat al-Wujud or Unity of Existence) and Bhakti or devotional movements of Hinduism. Even some elements of Christianity (like crosses), Zoroastrianism (fire ceremonies) and Jainism were amalgamated in the new religion. Akbar was greatly influenced by the teachings of Jain Acharyas Hir Vijay Suri and Jin Chandra Suri and gave up non-vegetarian food because of their influence. He declared Amari or non-killing of animals on the holy days of Jains like Paryushan and Mahavir Jayanti. He rolled back the Jizya tax from Jain pilgrimage places like Palitana.
This faith, however, was not for the masses. In fact, the only "converts" to this new religion were the upper nobility of Akbar's court. Historians have so far been able to identify only 18 members of this new religion, including his closest minister Birbal.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem Akbar’s Dream lauds the Ibādat Khāna, ascribing tolerance and humanity to his "Divine Faith", while implicitly criticising the intolerance of 19th century British Christianity.[3]
Discovery of Ibadat Khana[edit | edit source]
Different archaeologists and historians had different thoughts on the location of Ibadat Khana. Saeed Ahmed Mararavi, followed by Athar Abbas Rizvi and Vincent Flynn suggested that the mound between Jama Masjid and Jodha Bai's Mahal is the site of Ibadat Khana. However, they had no tangible proof to support their argument. In early 1980s, K. K. Muhammed working under Prof. R. C. Gaur of Aligarh Muslim University excavated the mound and found the steps, platforms and boundary wall, which matched the painting of Ibadat Khana from Akbar's period.
See also[edit | edit source]
- Akbar the Great
- Dabestan-e Mazaheb
- Din-i-Ilahi
- Fatehpur Sikri
- Taj Mahal
- Jama Masjid
- Tomb of Salim Chishti
- Jodha Bai Mahal
- Naubat Khana
Further reading[edit | edit source]
- Akbar's "House of Worship", or 'Ibadat-Khana. Vincent A. Smith, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society for 1927, pages 715-722.
- Rezavi, Dr. Syed Ali Nadeem (2008). Religious Disputation and Imperial Ideology: The Purpose and Location of Akbar's Ibadatkhana. SAGE Publications.
- The Din-I-Ilahi Or The Religion Of Akbar. Makhan Lal Roy Choudhury. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd. (Edition: 1997) ISBN 81-215-0777-4
- Jews and Judaism at the Court of the Moghul Emperors in Medieval India. Walter J. Fischel. Proceedings of the American Academy for Jewish Research, Vol. 18. (1948–1949), pp. 137–177.
- Akbar's Personality Traits and World Outlook: A Critical Reappraisal. Iqtidar Alam Khan. Social Scientist, Vol. 20, No. 9/10. (Sep. - Oct., 1992), pp. 16–30.
- Muslim Civilization in India. S. M. Ikram (edited by Ainslie T. Embree). New York: Columbia University Press, 1964.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. p. 171. ISBN 978-9-38060-734-4.
- ↑ Smith, Vincent A. (1917). "Akbar's "House of Worship", or Ibadat-Khana". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 49 (4). JSTOR: 715–722. doi:10.1017/S0035869X00050814. JSTOR 25209315. S2CID 159864148.
- ↑ Notes to Akbar’s Dream, from The Death of Œnone, and Other Poems by Alfred Tennyson (1892).