Din-i Ilahi

Birbal

Birbal

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Asalamu alaykum

I guess being that Sikhism is this sub-forum, the Din-i-Ilahi should go here too, because the two religions were founded about the same time and about the same place, and are a lot similar regarding theology and ethics.

The Din-i Ilahi, meaning Divine Religion, was founded by Emperor Akbar, and can be called something of a mix of Islam and Jainism, being that it has in it elements that exist in those two religion.

It says that there is one God and that Akbar is his prophet, and preaches high ethical values which can be enumerated by Jain classification as nonviolence, truthfulness, honesty, chastity and ascetism.

When Akbar founded the religion, he did not preach it, nor did he institute preachers, but he founded the Ibadat Khana (House of Piety) where everyone was invited to discuss religious topics and peacefull debate was encouraged, Christians came, Muslims, Hindus, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Jains, Atheists, all manner of Philosophers; so it can be said the Din-i Ilahi is a deistic religion which values tolerance.

Being that I cannot post links yet, I fill put some quotes from a historical source abou the Din-i Ilahi, and I will also say a few words about my practice of this religion.

I welcome everybody to ask questions and/or express their opinion about the Din-i Ilahi or any part of it.
 
There are precious few references. I remember reading about it at one time, but got the distinct impression like Marcionism, it was a dead religion.

Okay, send me some links in PM and I will post (I need some).
 
Well, it is a "dead religion"- I'd figure that there are less Divine Religionists then Marcionites, I've met just a few members of Din-i Ilahi, online, of course (and the majority of them in India).

It's not necessary, there is virtually a couple of pages of description of the Din-i Ilahi from a historical book, which I quoted and posted online, I will quote the most important parts on the topic..
 
Believing in a singe benevolent and mercifull God- theology of monotheism and reincarnation along with ethics of tolerance, nonviolence towards humans and animals, honesty, chastity and simple living are the same in Sikhism and the Din-Ilahi.

Akbar met the third Sikh guru- Amar Das, ate in the Langar and talked to him, commended his religion, and offered to give land for Langars and Gurdwaras, like he has given land and finances for many Jain temples e.g. (the guru refused because of the Sikh principle of Kirat Karo, earning for one oneself).

The above similarities between Dini Ilahi and Sikhism are same with the Dini Ilahi and Vedanta schools, of course, the big difference is the Vedanta beliveing in different manifestations of God and honoring their pictures or statues, but I suppose the most different is the Advaita school you mentioned, being that it is wholly monistic and idealist, and the Dini Ilahi being close to Islam in the theology of God's existence can at most accept the Sufi notion of monism, like exists also in the Dvaidadvaita, Shuddhadvaita, Vishishtadvaita and Gaudiya Vedanta, but not the monism of the Advaita Vedanta which is entierly mystical, and is a very unique feature of that tradition. I would also mention that the Dini Ilahi being deistic, it is the closest to the Nyaya tradition of Hinduism.

..

I will post a short quote from Dabistan-i Mazahib, a historical source about Din-i Ilahi, which gives the core of the Divine Religion:

In the sequel it became evident to wise men, that salvation is to be obtained only by the knowledge of truth conformably with the precepts of the perfect prophet, the perfect lord of fame, Akbar, the Wise; the practices enjoined by him are: renouncing and abandoning the world; refraining from lust, sensuality, entertainment, slaughter of what possesses life; and from appro­priating to one's self the riches of other men; abstaining from women, deceit, false accusation, oppression, intimidation, foolishness, and giving to others opprobrious titles.
Click to expand...
 
Birbal said:
The Din-i Ilahi, meaning Divine Religion, was founded by Emperor Akbar, and can be called something of a mix of Islam and Jainism, being that it has in it elements that exist in those two religion.

It says that there is one God and that Akbar is his prophet, and preaches high ethical values which can be enumerated by Jain classification as nonviolence, truthfulness, honesty, chastity and ascetism.
Click to expand...
That means you do not know anything about jainism. Jainism does not say that there is a God. It does not say that any God sent any prophets. Many religions talk about nonviolence, truthfulness, honesty, chastity and ascetism.
 
Birbal said:
.. but not the monism of the Advaita Vedanta which is entierly mystical, ..
.. renouncing and abandoning the world; refraining from lust, sensuality, entertainment, slaughter of what possesses life; and from appro­priating to one's self the riches of other men; abstaining from women, deceit, false accusation, oppression, intimidation, foolishness, and giving to others opprobrious titles.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
There is nothing mystical about Advaita Vedanta. It is same as modern physics.

If Akbar was a prophet sent by a God, then he certainly did not follow the directions of his God. Kindly read Akbar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (or perhaps he had special permission from his God as in case of Mohammad). He did not abandon the world, music (Tansen). Abstaining from women? What does the Din-e-Ilahi God want? End of humans? Did not he give Man Sing, the king of Jaipur, the title of 'Sawai Raja' and Khan-e-khanan to Rahim?
 
Aupmanyav said:
That means you do not know anything about jainism. Jainism does not say that there is a God. It does not say that any God sent any prophets. Many religions talk about nonviolence, truthfulness, honesty, chastity and ascetism.
Click to expand...
Jainism is unique among the existing religions in that it is totally for against nonviolence against animals, even Buddhism and Hinduism have schools that accept killing of animals for food, and such schools are the majority of the abrahamic religions.

That's why it is proper to compare the Divine Religion with Jainism, because like it, the Din-i-ilahi upholds that is wrong to harm animals except in defence, as Dabestan says: "Akbar called the harmless animals the beasts of peace, and showed abhorrence to their slaughter. It is tyranny to kill harmless animals, and a tyrant is an enemy of God, the Almighty."

And also: "Finally, the godly man is at all times in the service and obedience of the all-just, and at no moment is he negligent in pious practices. Moreover, he thinks himself bound to abstain from hurting living beings, and he respects all the creatures of God."

Abstaining from women? What does the Din-e-Ilahi God want? End of humans?
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As Dabestan says: "The best men are those who content themselves with the least food, and who sequestrate themselves from this perishable world, and abstain from the enjoyments of eating, drinking, dress, and marriage."

Therefore it does not mean to stop eating and drinking, to go around naked and being celibate, the first two would mean a very quick death, but means abstaining as far as possible from enjoying such worldy pleasures, instead, we should dedicate ourselves to the spiritual.
 
Birbal said:
"Akbar called the harmless animals the beasts of peace, and showed abhorrence to their slaughter. It is tyranny to kill harmless animals, and a tyrant is an enemy of God, the Almighty."
Click to expand...
I suppose Akbar did not indulge in wars like another great, Ashoka. Is that correct? Ashoka too, was against killing of animals.

I visited Fatehpur Sikri and saw the palace, Panch Mahal, which, they say housed his 400 wives and concubines.
 
Birbal said:
"Akbar called the harmless animals the beasts of peace, and showed abhorrence to their slaughter. It is tyranny to kill harmless animals, and a tyrant is an enemy of God, the Almighty."
Click to expand...
I suppose Akbar did not indulge in wars like another great, Ashoka. Is that correct? Ashoka too, was against killing of animals.
 
Khuda aur unke 1000 namon se, salaam, bhaiya.

If you are really and still into the Din e Ilahi revival, we could share, bhaiya. I am not from South Asia, but i saw the Sun.

Gholam e Akbor
 
Allah Upanishad​
1) I take refuge in our Allah [La, to perish, and alla, eternal] who protects Mitra [sun] and Varuna [the god of water].
2) There is but one God [Illelle]; the king, Varuna, again takes refuge (in him).
3) Everything is God; sun and stars.
4) Everything is God; Varuna, the Sun, the illuminator.
5) The Great Breath, the Lord, is the Sacrificer. The Lord is the Sacrificer.
6) Allah is the first and best, the highest; Omnipresent; Highest of all Gods.
7) He is only One; ever remaining.
8) By sacrifice is Allah to be propitiated.
9) Allah is sun, moon and all stars.
10) Allah is (the God) of Rishis and all other deities, and of Indra, the first Maya [primordial matter] and the ether.
11) Allah is in the earth and in heaven and in multifarious forms.
12) Everything is Allah. Everything is Allah and everything is He.
13) Om is Allah. Everything is He. By nature eternal. Atharvan [the Rishi] bows down to such.
14) Give us water, cattle, siddhis, and things that live in water, and Phut [a mantra].
15) The Slayer of enemies. Hum, Hrim. Nothing but Allah; nothing but Allah.
Thus ends the Allopanishad.


786
 
غلام اکبر said:
Khuda aur unke 1000 namon se, salaam, bhaiya.

If you are really and still into the Din e Ilahi revival, we could share, bhaiya. I am not from South Asia, but i saw the Sun.

Gholam e Akbor
Click to expand...
Only 99 are listed in the Holy Qur'an. You must be one of the few who have seen the sun!
 
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