Analyze Akbar's religious policy.

Explanation

(i) Akbar believed in the equality of all religions and developed a secular outlook. This was infact a necessity in an empire which consisted of many different ethnic and religious communities.
(ii) He started discussions on religion with the Ulama, Brahman, Jesuit priests and Zoroastrians. These discussions took place in the Ibadat Khana.
(iii) His interaction with people of different faiths made him realise that religious scholars who emphasised on ritual and dogma were often bigots.
(iv) In Sulh-i-kul all religions and school of thought had freedom of expression but on condition that they did not undermine the authority of the state or fight among themselves.
(v) Abul Faz1 and Akbar in framed a vision of governance around the idea of sulh-i-kul. These principles were later on followed by Jahangir and Shahjahan as well.
(vi) All the Mughal emperors gave grants to support the building and maintenance of places of worship. When temples were destroyed during war, grants were later given for their repair as can be seen from the reigns of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb.