Question

This is an excerpt from a farman (imperial order) issued by Akbar in 1598: Whereas it reached our eminent and holy notice that the padris (fathers) of the Holy Society of Jesus wish to build a house of prayer (church) in the city of Kambayat (Khambat, in Gujarat); therefore an exalted mandate … is being issued, … that the dignitaries of the city of Kambayat should in no case stand in their way but should allow them to build a church so that they may engage themselves in their own worship. It is necessary that the order of the Emperor should be obeyed in every way.

Who were the people from whom Akbar anticipated opposition to his order?

Answer 1

Akbar anticipated opposition primarily from the local administration and orthodox religious elites of the city.

• Dignitaries of Khambat: The text explicitly commands the local officials, governors, and influential city leaders (dignitaries) to “in no case stand in their way,” indicating they were the most likely to block the construction.
• Orthodox Religious Leadership: The conservative Muslim religious leaders (ulama) and orthodox elite would naturally oppose the construction of a Christian church in a major Islamic administrative and trading port.
• Local Merchant Communities: Dominant trading groups might fear that allowing foreign Jesuit missionaries to build a permanent house of prayer could disrupt local socio-religious harmony or trade dynamics.