While the present discourse on all evils of Hindu society end up with the demonization of Brahmins here are some quotes directly from Abul Fazal’s third volume of Ain-e-Akbari (in the chapter titled ‘Account of Hindustan’) that was written In 16th century.
“They [the Brahmins] do not rely on written bonds for their transactions but hold a verbal promise to be as sacred as a solemn oath. Theft is rare among them, and they are ever inclined to charity.” – On Their Simple, God-Fearing Nature
“They [the Brahmins] surpass other learned men in their treatises on morals.” – On Their Moral and Intellectual Superiority Abul Fazl directly compared the learned Brahmins to the philosophers of Greece, stating that they excelled above all others in the science of ethics.
“They [the Brahmins] are the custodians of celestial science and the depositaries of the spiritual laws of the country. They spend their days in the acquisition of knowledge and the practice of austerity.” – On Guarding Divine Wisdom He noted that Brahmins spent their entire lives preserving knowledge and leading a life detached from worldly, materialistic greed.
“They [the Brahmins] one and all believe in the unity of the Godhead, and although they hold images in high veneration, it is only because they represent to them the power and attributes of the Almighty.” – On Defending Them Against Polytheism: A major objective for Abul Fazl was to correct the misconceptions of foreign or rigid Islamic scholars who viewed Hindu rituals as idol worship. He clarified that the Brahmins used images only as a visual tool to focus on one Supreme God
“They [the Brahmins] are a people who live content with a little, are remarkably pure in their habits, and never harm any living thing.” – On Their Simple Lifestyle and Austerity He heavily admired their self-discipline and strict adherence to a clean, principled, and non-violent lifestyle.
Clearly, a much better version of secularism was in practice in Bharat much before Islam arrived here carrying the culture of swords, terror, rape, insensitivity, loot and plunder.
by Prof. Rakesh Kumar Pandey
