Religious Policy of Shah Jahan

Summary

This study revisits the reign of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to reassess his religious outlook and its impact on imperial policy. In contrast to his grandfather Akbar’s eclecticism and his father Jahāngīr’s mild indifference, Shah Jahan was personally orthodox. Despite being the son of a Rajput princess and educated by broad‑minded tutors, he came to believe that the court should reflect Islamic norms. Soon after ascending the throne he abolished the practice of sijda, a ritual prostration before the emperor, judging it a form of worship due only to Godfile:///home/oai/share/563012_compressed-13-210.pdf#:~:text=On%20his%20accession%E2%80%99%20the%20cowrt,32. In its place he instituted chahar taslīm, a four‑fold salutation that preserved decorum while aligning ceremony with the requirements of the faith. Later he modified this again to a simple taslīm, which persisted in court etiquette for generations. The article notes that, although orthodox, Shah Jahan avoided the harsh persecution sometimes ascribed to him; many of his policies were motivated by a desire to uphold Islamic law while maintaining political stability. Public festivals—particularly the two Eids and the Prophet’s birthday—were celebrated with unprecedented splendourfile:///home/oai/share/563012_compressed-13-210.pdf#:~:text=Shal%3A%20Jahun%20was%20however%20anxious,%C2%A2%20Labauri%2C%20I%2C%20i%2C%20110, and the emperor was generous in almsgiving. His daily routine included listening to scholars and rendering decisions on religious matters. The study also discusses his rebuilding and endowment of mosques and madrasas. Non‑Muslim subjects were largely left to their own practices so long as they recognised Mughal authority; there were sporadic temple demolitions but nothing like the sustained campaigns of later rulers. By highlighting the nuances of his reign, the article portrays Shah Jahan as an orthodox yet pragmatic ruler who balanced personal piety with the realities of governing a diverse empirefile:///home/oai/share/563012_compressed-13-210.pdf#:~:text=Religious%20Policy%20of%20Shah%20Jahan,though%20he%20was%20his%20grandfather%E2%80%99s.