Re: Why was Akbar successful in ruling India?
Hajjaj bin Yusuf advised Bin Qasim to deal people in a way that they don’t get a feeling that Arabs are against their culture and religion.
After Arabs, Ghulaman and Khilji dynasties (who ruled Delhi) also shown liberal values. During Altamsh period, the discussion raised whether Hindus be killed or converted to Islam forcibly. A delegation of clergy came to the king with these demands. He replied that Islam doesn’t allow to convert someone forcibly and if we want to kill all Hindus, we don’t got such resources. If Hindu population opt to rebel, we can’t stand them. This is all rational politics more than secular values, which was also followed by Akbar. Altamash was the person who made her daughter Raziya Sultan emperor of Delhi.
Ghayas u din Balban never allowed clergy to interfere in state matters and used to say openly that state matters are subject to rationality and compromises. When Balaban’s sons started learning, he was suggested that princes should be taught fiqah ( jurisprudence) and sarf o nahv, but rejected the suggestion by saying ‘give molvis gifts and rewards and ask them to leave’. He made his sons learn ‘Aadab u Salatin’ and ‘Tasur u Salatin’ imported from Turkey dealing with politics.