Aurangzeb: Islamophobic hate figure
Aurangzeb was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India; he ruled from 1658 to 1707.
Despite his leadership qualities and military prowess (he was first Indian ruler to bring the whole of the subcontinent under centralised control), he is vilified for being a Muslim ‘fundamentalist’, anti-Hindu and an all-round unlikable person. In ‘The Anarchy’, William Dalrymple describes Aurangzeb as being an “unusually cold, ruthless and unpleasant character.”
Renowned historian, Audrey Truschke in her book, ‘Aurangzeb: The Life and Legacy of India’s Most Controversial King’ turns this narrative on its head and writes about a man of moral character, piety and justice; despite his many flaws.
Truschke has received abhorrent bullying and death threats for her accounts and writings on Aurangzeb, mainly from followers of the Indian far-right. Yet she persists in her commitment to tell the Mughal Emperor’s story from a balanced perspective.
A key point that Truschke makes throughout her book is the importance of studying historical figures in their own time period and not by the context of today. She believes many commentators on Aurangzeb judge the Emperor anachronistically, yet they don’t necessarily take that same approach with other people in history.
This book challenges what Truschke calls the ‘myth’ of Aurangzeb as a villain and anti-Hindu bigot. She is a qualified historian with language skills in Sanskrit, Hindi and Persian, and has researched the primary sources in their original form. Truschke’s analysis is therefore more reliable and authentic than Islamophobic commentators on the subject. She states that many people claim to speak on Aurangzeb, yet do not have the adequate knowledge or access to the original documents which are based in remote parts of South Asia as well as Europe, and are written in Persian.
Aurangzeb had many qualities that made him suitable to rule over India, yet these are mainly overlooked because his ‘Muslimness’ dominates the narrative. He was a skilled military man, and was sent by his father, Shah Jahan to suppress rebellions from a young age, and manage parts of the Empire. Consequently, he had developed extensive skills and expertise in how to rule. However, despite Aurangzeb’s clear abilities to lead, Shah Jahan favoured Dara Shikoh, the eldest son. Dara was pampered and kept safe within the palace, his skills in leadership and battle were minimal and no match for Aurangzeb. On paper, Aurangzeb was perfect choice to be the next ruler.
Dara Shikoh has been favoured by historians, predominantly from the Indian far right and those with Islamophobic leanings, because he was not a pious observant Muslim, and was said to behave favourably to the Hindu population.
These descriptions of Dara are painted in stark contrast to Aurangzeb, depicted as an austere Muslim who did not drink – one of the few Mughal emperors to abstain from alcohol. As Aurangzeb grew older, his observance of religion increased, and that led to even more unfavourable judgement against him. However, Truschke argues that Aurangzeb did not impose his personal observances on others.
Aurangzeb is accused of banning music, although scholar Katherine Schofield states that this was not the case. He may have become stricter in his own personal indulgence of music as he aged, but he did not expect others to follow suite. Truschke says, “He was a connoisseur of music and even fell in love with the musician Hirabai, but, beginning in midlife, deprived himself of appreciating the musical arts.”
To say he was a perfect Muslim would be incorrect according to Truschke, as he had flaws of which he acknowledged himself. Most obviously, he engaged in the practice of fratricide which was a common tradition in the Timurid family line, as well as Central Asian and Turkic rulers in general. He fought his brothers to succeed to the throne, killing two and exiling one.
Aurangzeb also had his father Shah Jahan imprisoned for seven-and-a-half years, and took over the throne for himself. This move was not appreciated by some elements of society who still saw Shah Jahan as the true king while he was still alive. Aurangzeb always felt guilty for locking up his father, and for this act as well as others, he thought he was a failure and was afraid that God would not be happy with him. Truschke states, “Aurangzeb never fully came to terms with his unjust handling of his father.”
Under Aurangzeb’s rule, he actually employed more Hindus to court than any previous Mughal ruler. Truschke says “Between 1679 and 1707 Aurangzeb increased Hindu participation at the elite levels of the Mughal state by nearly 50 percent.” His Chief Finance Officer was a Hindu named, Raja Raghunatha, and Aurangzeb was fond of him. She also adds that he consulted with prominent Hindu religious figures throughout his life.
Aurangzeb did try to be an observant Muslim as much as he could, but he would often prioritise keeping his power rather than observing his religion. Truschke argues that sometimes his piety was a public performance as “Aurangzeb wanted to be, and to be seen as, a good Muslim.”
Aurangzeb was first and foremost a Timurid King, and being an all-powerful ruler who continued the traditions of his forefathers was important to him, according to Truschke. He would compromise his moral beliefs and faith in order to maintain power and keep control over his kingdom.
He was tactical, and made alliances where it suited him. He would sometimes take certain actions to keep the Muslim religious scholars on his side. Aurangzeb is widely disliked for reinstating the jizya tax on non-Muslims. However, this was paid in lieu of military service. He also exempted Brahmin religious leaders as well as Rajput and Maratha state officials.
Aurangzeb is accused of destroying Hindu temples – this image paints a picture of a barbaric Muslim iconoclast. Truschke states “Many modern people view Aurangzeb’s orders to harm specific temples as symptomatic of a larger vendetta against Hindus. Such views have roots in colonial-era scholarship, where positing timeless Hindu-Muslim animosity embodied the British strategy of divide and conquer.” However, the context of these acts included the destruction of some mosques as well, because Aurangzeb feared corrupt religious leaders were leading worshippers towards anti-Empire sentiments and were potential threats to his power. At this time, religious institutions and political were inextricably linked.
In fact, despite this headline of Aurangzeb being a temple destroyer, with the thousands of temples under his domain, he was said to have destroyed only up to a few dozen.
Truschke states that Aurangzeb was proud of ruling a multicultural and multi-faith empire, as he saw it as his family’s tradition to embrace diversity. She says: “Aurangzeb endorsed the syncretism that was a part of his bloodline as a great strength that might enable the empire to survive in the face of formidable opposition.”
After Aurangzeb’s death, the Mughal Empire began its steady decline. Some historians say that he extended the empire too far and that was a mistake. However, many attribute the decline to Aurangzeb’s character and his ‘Muslimness’. This explanation seems to gain more traction as it fits into the mainstream Islamophobic narrative. Truschke states: “It appeals to a human desire for moralistic storytelling to identify an individual as responsible for toppling a powerful, wealthy state. Muslim villains are especially in vogue these days, which makes Aurangzeb the Pious an appealing scapegoat.”
Truschke’s mission in her work on Aurangzeb is to rescue him from the Islamophobic rhetoric and false interpretations, in order to inspire a more non-judgemental view of a talented leader and military tactician; albeit one with a complex character. She ends by stating: “Once we clear away the chaff of Aurangzeb the myth, we can confront the fascinating puzzle of Aurangzeb the King, a pivotal figure in the Indian mediaeval past.”
I commend Truschke for her valued contribution to history, and her resilience in speaking her truth despite being ruthlessly targeted with hate and threats.
