1869.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 89 



Divine Faith was to eat or drink with butchers, fishermen, and bird- 

 catchers, on pain of having his hand cut off. 



In 1593, Akbar proclaimed perfect toleration, and advised all those to 

 return to their old religion who, from pressure, had embraced Islam. 



Abulfazl, in the Ain, gives an account of the ceremony of initiation 

 of new members. The initiation took place on Sundays, at noon. 

 The candidate approached the emperor with his turban in his hand. 

 He then put his head on the feet of the emperor. After this, Akbar 

 lifted him up, replaced the turban on his head, and gave him his 

 likeness, round which the following words were written : — 

 The pure aim and the pure sight never err. 



The emperor's likeness, which was called shagt, or aim, was worn 

 by members on their turbans. 



As Akbar ultimately believed that he was god, his courtiers were 

 quick enough in supplying the miracles. Abulfazl had the intention 

 of writing a book on Akbar's miracles. Akbar is said to have spoken 

 when he was young, as Christ did, according to the Qoran and the 

 spurious gospel of Christ's Childhood. On one occasion, a wild 

 leopard had fallen into a pit ; Akbar took out the animal himself, 

 when it suddenly became as tame as a dog and followed him. On 

 another occasion, a faqfr had cut off a piece of his tongue, and after 

 throwing it at the threshold of the palace, sat down on the road, con- 

 vinced that Akbar would be informed by God of his condition, and 

 heal his tongue, Before it was evening, his tongue was healed. 

 " On such occasions," says Abulfazl, " the eyes of many were opened." 

 But in another passage of the Ain, Abulfazl says very clearly that 

 Akbar was obliged to pretend to possess miraculous powers, because 

 the vulgar would have them, but that both Akbar and he himself 

 secretly smiled at the simplicity of the people. It is certain that 

 sick people continually brought cups of water to the emperor, re- 

 questing him to breathe upon the water. Such water healed all 

 diseases. 



From the Roman Catholic Missionaries, Akbar accepted crucifixes and 

 Madonnas ; but they confess that their preaching made no impression 

 on Akbar, who would not allow any one to interfere with his prayers 

 to the sun and the fire. They looked upon him as an idolater. To 

 please them, Akbar in 1579 allowed his second son Murad to take 



