IBADAT KHANA

This house of worship is built by leaders and gathers also some spiritual leaders from different types of religions. In addition, relating with some eagerness of leaders, Akbar mainly constructed this building or house as a debate house at Fatehpur Sikri in 1575. Furthermore,in this, he invited some more leaders and selected “mystics, intellectuals and theologians”. All selected persons come for discussing spiritual themes and also about religions. Even he has invited some more scholars from numerous religions such as “Hinduism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Christianity and even atheists”. At this debate house, he constitutes numerous debates with scholars and as a result of the discussion, it comes to a goal that all religions have the same goal. 

Who built ibadat Khanna?

Akbar built Ibadat Khanna, as a debating house and he also encouraged many people such as “Hindus, Roman Catholics, Zoroastrians, Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs and even atheists”, to mainly participate in this debate. In addition, also some religious leaders and philosophers are invited to discuss and state their opinion about spiritual themes and religion. It mainly conducts a discussion and teachings about religion which helps to understand all religions that all religions are the same. Moreover, in this house respective leaders are invited to hold their discussions about this religion and also on spiritual themes. 

Ibadat Khanna at FatehpurSikri

The Mughal emperor Akbar was known as a great historian and he established Ibadat Khanna at FatehpurSikri. Fatehpur Sikri is a town of Agra district and this city itself was founded by the greatest Mughal emperor in India. The main aim of this house is for debate in spiritual themes and also in religions. This place is mainly teaching for regions which results that every religion is the same and most of the discussions are held on evenings of Thursdays. In addition, Akbar was a great emperor and his beliefs belong to Salim Chishti, a greatest sufi philosopher who is known for positive knowledge. He was also known for performing miracles and his beliefs on his Sufi philosophy are stronger. It was also known as “Hall of prayer”, and in this house, it reconciled religions by creating Din-e-Ilahi. It also incorporates various elements such as Islamic Sufism, Bhakti and devotional movements which have emerged from Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Jainism etc. During the second half of the sixteenth century, the great emperor Akbar built this Fatehpur Sikri which is known as (city of victory) which was the capital of this Mughal Empire for 10 years. The great emperor Akbar was Muslim but he took interest in all religions and discuss all religions including some “Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, and Christianity”. This house is important for all leaders and religions to understand their thoughts and creative thinking about spiritual themes. It is preserved as UNESCO, a world heritage site that is a part of Fatehpur Sikri. 

Nature of Discussions of Ibadat Khanna

Nature and discussion of Ibadat Khanna were formerly built based on references of Muntakhab Ut Tawarikh. In this house, there is an octagonal platform, which is situated in the centre of this house and which was mainly the seat of an emperor. In addition, all four ministers of this house, “Abdur Rahim, Birbal, Faizi, and Abu’l Fazl”, had different seats in this house. Moreover, planning of designing this house of Ibadat Khanna is not constructed by any contemporary chronicler. Furthermore, in these “Nizamuddin Ahmad states” which have four wings and which are initiated to participate to restrict and divide small groups. This house is mainly constructed for resolving all disputes and assigning seats on this house where “amirs (high ranking nobles), Sayyids (descendants of Prophet Muhammad) occupied the western wing; ulema (doctors learned in religious law)” in south. In addition, in north, there are “Shaikhs (men of Muslim ascetic order)”.

Religious views of Akbar and measures

• Akbar stopped any actions of converting all prisoners to Islam from war in year 1562

• He eradicates the tax of pilgrimage in year 1563

• He also eradicates Jizya- which was formed with tax levis in 1564 and after that he established this house of worship in year 1575

• He furnishes infallibility decree in year 1579

• He also founded a religion which is called Din-i-Ilahi in year 1581

• He stops killing all animals in year 1583 

Conclusions

In this context, this study mainly discusses a house named Ibadat Khanna and which was a medieval source of discussion about religion. In addition, this study also provides information about the creator of this house and discoveries of this house. It is mostly created through inspiration by the ruler of Bengal and how this house was used for debating. In addition, this study also discusses some features of this house which helps all religions to learn and understand from the debates. These are all constituted as an important phase that helps to develop a concept and provide all valuable information.