•   Din-i-Illahi (‘Religion of God’) was a new religion or spiritual leadership program propounded by the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1582.

•   It was intended to merge some of the elements of the various religions practiced by his subjects and create a new religion for his empire.

•   Akbar thereby tried to reconcile the differences that divided his subjects.

•   The elements were primarily drawn from Hinduism, Islam, and Zoroastrianism, but some others were also taken from Christianity, Jainism, and Buddhism.

•   Akbar promoted tolerance of other faiths.

•    He even encouraged debate on philosophical and religious issues.

•   This led to the creation of the Ibadat Khana (‘House of Worship’) at Fatehpur Sikri in 1575, which invited theologians, poets, scholars, and philosophers from all religious denominations, including Christians, Hindus, Jains, and Zoroastrians.

•   Major practices and beliefs of Din-i-Illahi:

o  The unity of God

o  Followers salute one-another with Allah-u-Akbar or Jalla Jalalahu (‘may His glory be glorified’).

o  Absence of meat of all kinds

o  One's ‘birth-anniversary’ party was a must for every member

o  Ahimsa (non-violence)

o  Followers were prohibited from dining with fishers, butchers, hunters, etc.

•   It was not a successful movement as the successors were not as liberal and tolerant as Akbar and therefore they did not promote it.