In 1582, Akbar promoted a new spiritual order for his close followers, known as:

In 1582, Akbar promoted a new spiritual order for his close followers, called the "Din-i-Ilahi" ("Religion of God"), also called the "Tauhid-i-Ilahi" ("Divine Monotheism").

About the Din-i-Ilahi:

• It was not a new religion in the full sense, but a spiritual order or discipleship, in which the members accepted Akbar as their spiritual guide (pir).
• It had no sacred book, no priests and no temples.
• It drew ideas from different religions, such as Islam, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism and Christianity.
• Its main ideas were belief in one God, good conduct, tolerance, and loyalty to the emperor.
• Members took a pledge of devotion to the emperor, sometimes described as being ready to sacrifice property, life, honour and religion for him.
• Its practices included respect for the sun and fire (light), vegetarianism on certain days, and charity.
• The greeting among members was "Allahu Akbar" and the reply "Jalla Jalalahu".

Membership:

• It had very few members, about 18 to 20 according to historians.
• Membership was voluntary, and Akbar did not force anyone to join.
• Most of the members were Muslims; according to Badauni, only one Hindu courtier joined.
• Raja Man Singh and Raja Bhagwan Das refused to join.

Why Akbar promoted it:

• Akbar wanted to bring people of different faiths together and to create loyalty to the emperor above sectarian differences.
• It reflected his personal spiritual search and his policy of tolerance.

Criticism and end:

• The orthodox ulema and historians like Badauni criticised it as un-Islamic.
• It ended with Akbar's death in 1605.

Historians' view:

Modern historians regard it as a personal discipleship rather than a new religion, and note that it had little influence on the people.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Sulh-i-Kul was Akbar's policy of universal peace.
• ✗The Mahzar was the declaration of 1579.
• ✗"Ibadat-i-Khas" is not the name of this order.