Major Paper 2500 words - subject religions of asia Essay

Major Paper 2500 words - subject religions of asia - Essay Example g of expansion of open communes, to promote education in Muslim nations, and to recognize and prioritize radical asylums so as to engage with greater efficient in the war against terror. According to certain approximations there is an estimated number of 1.2 billion Muslims globally, and of these around 60% are to be found in Asia. 15% are Arab Muslims and one third of the Muslim population is living in South Asia (Malbouisson, 2006). Islam in Southeast Asia is more temperate in nature as compared to in most of the Middle East. This is partially due to the manner in which Islam has developed in Southeast Asia. Islam was first introduced in Southeast Asia by traders instead of military invasions as was the case in most of South Asia and the Middle East. Buddhist, Hindu, and animist cultures in Indonesia also covered Islam. It was at the end of the seventeenth century that Islam reached most of Southeast Asia. Asian Islam is more politically varied as compared to the Middle Eastern Islam. In Asia Islam has been experiencing a renewal. RAND analyst Angel Rabasa clears out many elements that have contributed to this Islamic revival in Asia. Those factors are national as well as external. Domestically, the influence of globalisation and the effect of western tradition are responsible for it, particularly the influence of speedy industrialization and the resultant urbanization. In 1997 there was the Asian economic disaster due to which the dictatorial Suharto government was overthrown and it resulted in political space for Indonesian Islamists. Muslim nationalist rebels have been continuing their effort in the Philippines and Thailand whereas the Parti Islam se Malaysia has exerted through the political organisation so as to encourage an Islamist programme at the same time as in antagonism in Malaysia. External factors consist of the present circumstance of Iraq and Afghanistan, the Arab-Israeli dispute, the 1979 Islamic transformation in Iran, the taking out of

What it means to receive my Black Belt in Kung Fu Essay

What it means to receive my Black Belt in Kung Fu - Essay Example I perceive this accomplishment as a major achievement in my life, and am grateful to the almighty that I had followed the eight essential elements that constitutes such a feat. A positive mind serves the purpose of keeping one constantly motivated. Whatever one does in life, whether it leads to success or failure, has to be augmented with a positive attitude. This will enable one to accept the facts of life and to emerge stronger out of any situation. Kung Fu had always provided me some reason to look up to myself. I was always required to set some standards to myself and to live up to it. This made me a highly positive individual who is willing to turn any negative aspect in life to something positive. For instance, whenever I found myself lacking in energy or focus, I told myself that what any other person could achieve could be achieved by me as well. I always considered my mentor a role model and followed the regime he suggested. And I was never disappointed by this attitude in life, for I was never defeated by any amount hard work. The very fact that I had to practice martial arts on a daily basis helped me maintain my body healthy. I realized that a healthy body is the best asset one could have. It made me feel ultimately confident in taxing situations. I also realized that my physical appearance was highly enhanced by a healthy body, which resulted in a lot of respect and admiration from those who were associated with me. This did boost my self-confidence and motivated me further to follow a strict regime of exercises and Kung Fu practice. I started slow and steady, but progressed to a stricter, more systematic regime, which could have led to a very healthy body which I can be proud of. Balanced relationships matter the most in human life. I was not really convinced at first of maintaining a balanced relationship with the help of learning martial arts. But, after

Arguments upon the American dream Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Arguments upon the American dream - Essay Example As stated by renowned American author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, in the novel ‘The Great Gatsby’, the American dream is the pursuit of happiness. Every American man has been trying his best in order to do better and earn more by getting a better job. In the novel, the protagonists, or the members of the family try their best to achieve as many possessions as they can as well as acquire wealth and make something of themselves. They each have a dream of their own and try their level best to achieve the status of a rich person. In the modern day and age as well, most Americans share the same dream and have tried their best to climb up on the wealth ladder in order to be able to have a higher purchasing power so that they can earn a higher status for themselves in society and be able to demand for more products. (The American Dream - F. Scott Fitzgerald) However, this very dream has been denounced according to the American people, commonly known as the Whites, because of the influx of a large population that has been setting and establishing itself within America, for a very long time. The Whites feel prejudice within their hearts against immigrants for the sole reason that they feel that the other people have been taking their jobs away and have thus, in the process, taken away their ‘American dream’. Because of this, the Whites are not being able to fulfil their desires due to the shortage of jobs and employment opportunities as well as seats in educational institutions, schools and colleges. The White race within the confines of the United States has also been shifting over the years because of migrations by people from different countries, belonging to different races. According to a number of reports, over the years, the shift has been so much that half of America consists of the Whites now and the rest of it consis ts of people belonging to other races, mostly the Blacks and the Browns. (Government Census) A race is a line of people measured on the basis of their skin colour; there are a number of people that are ‘racists’ or those that discriminate on the basis of a person’s skin colour and do not offer him jobs or educational opportunities because of the same reason. For a long time, White people have been known to be racists because there has been a history of them discriminating against people belonging to other races. Today in America people belonging to other races have been facing this problem very harshly and are finding it difficult to survive there. The Whites simply mention that they are forced to take these steps in order for them to be able to retain their jobs and other opportunities and not have everything being given away to other people. Being racist is a bad thing because discrimination on any ground is not a civil action to carry out. However, for the mos t part, there is a certain amount that the country might lose out on by losing a White majority because a vast amount of industrialization has been brought about by the Whites. They have been able to contribute a great amount to the world of modern information and technology with the help of the advent of the internet as well as other global communication facilities. They have set the bar for the

Impact of Detention Centres on Asylum Seekers

Impact of Detention Centres on Asylum Seekers BUSINESS REPORT: Asylum seekers Executive Summary This report outlines the impact of detention centres where those seeking asylum in Australia are placed. It examines the issues relating to detention centres and consequences of them. As it is repeatedly demonstrated by research, there is a uniform trend highlighting the trauma and the sufferings of asylum seekers during their stay at Australian detention centres. This is due to the inadequate facilities and the lengthy duration of time which asylum seekers are forced to spend in these detention centres. Adequate facilities are especially important for young asylum seekers as they endure sorrow to a greater extent. When viewing this issue from a global perspective, approximately 51.2 million people are displaced as a result of conflict or prosecution every year and close to 50% of this number are children (UNHCR 2014). These numbers provide reasons for provision of all the required facilities and faster processing systems to reduce the time at the detention centres. This report examines the main causes of mental health issues and the difficulties of integrating into a new society amongst asylum seekers especially, young asylum seekers and provides possible solutions to ensure that asylum seekers transit into the new society comfortably.   Ã‚   Issue Discussion Facilities Rwandan genocide and Syrian war (caused by the Arab spring) cause a large inflow of asylum seekers to Australia (Keller 2003, p.1721). Asylum seekers are detained indefinitely in conditions that abuse their human rights. This occurs in mandatory detention centres in breach of Australias commitment to Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution (United Nations 1995 p.1). A large number of asylum seekers are genuine refugees that are fleeing from atrocities such as torture, rape, imprisonment, threats of death and murder. Australias mandatory detention policy in conjunction with the lack of facilities and health treatment aggravates the trauma of these experiences and severely affects the mental health and well-being of asylum seekers. Furthermore, Australias lack of cooperation in providing facilities violates international human rights standards (UNHCR 2014). Recently, the movement of thousa nds of Syrian refugees make their way into Europe via Hungary was stopped and held in detention-like environment increasing asylum seekers trauma (Al Jazeera 2006). It is essential for nations to accept asylum seekers and provide them with care and facilities as they endure traumatizing experiences and flee prosecution. Figure 1.2 Irregular arrivals by sea, selected countries (Phillips 2015) Figure 1, (Irregular arrivals by sea, selected countries) shows the approximate number of refugees entering Australia and four other countries.   According to the figure, there is a great difference in the number of refugees entering the five countries. Further noted in Figure 1.2, the data provides information on the fluctuating number of refugees entering a country in a particular year within the given 7 years. This suggest that the refugee inflow into a country depends on the countrys refugee acceptance policy. However, in the case of Australia, there is a progressive increase in the number of refugees entering despite the stricter border policies. Lengthy delays and offshore processing    The length of time spent at detention centres by asylum seekers is indefinite and this aggravates the trauma as they remain uncertain of their future (Couldrey Herson 2013, p.7). In Australia there are long processing steps where the asylum seekers are interrogated of their reasons of arrival. This lengthens the time spent at detention centres for getting a humanitarian visa. From figure 1, Australia is one of the countries with lower asylum seeker intake. Despite the increase in asylum seekers entering Australia, it remains the only western country to have a mandatory detention policy.   Mandatory detention can take place by detaining asylum seekers offshore. A piece of legislation was passed requiring all asylum seekers arriving on Australian shores are sent to offshore processing facilities (Kaldor 2014, p.3). This legislation puts strain on asylum seekers by detaining them in centres with inadequate facilities but also on the finances of the Australian government (Kaldor 2 014, p.4). The lengthy processing system and sending asylum seekers offshore for processing is a disadvantage for both the government and asylum seekers. Issue Outcomes Mental Health Issues Mental health is a significant factor that needs to be addressed by the host nations government. Placing asylum seekers in detention centres for a long duration of time without providing the adequate facilities has a significant negative impact on asylum seekers mental health and well-being (Cornelis et al. 2004, p.848). Despite Australias low intake of asylum seekers, it has adopted harsh laws that fuel the trauma faced by asylum seekers. Some of the detention centres in Australia are located in remote regions where facilities are not easily accessible hence the asylum seekers are not able to address their mental health issues (Keller et al. 2003, p.1721). Research conducted 2 years ago shows that refugees living in Australian detention centres, suffered up to 19 chronic mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and social anxiety disorder. During the initial stages of the research, approximately 42% of adults and 59.1% of children showed symptoms o f mental health disorder (Hadgkiss et al. 2012, p.17). This result conveys that children are more vulnerable and are largely affected by mental health illnesses due to their experiences and lengthy stay at the detention centres. Social cohesion Asylum seekers who stayed in detention centres for a long duration and with inadequate facilities showed a slower rate of integrating into a new country as interviewed by the VU University Medical Centre of research due to mental health issues (Gerritsen Bramsen 2005, p.14). Those diagnosed with mental health issues could not easily or comfortably integrate into the new society. Close examinations of research suggests that the lack of facilities hinders the asylum seekers ability to enter a new society as most of them come from backgrounds where they have not had a chance to educate themselves. At the detention centres asylum seekers are kept idle and in solitary confinement which fuels their insecurities therefore inhibiting them to find opportunities and success once they are out of detention centres. Research also shows that many young asylum seekers between the ages of 6 to 15 that have come out of detention centres show a slower rate of learning in comparison to the local stude nts (Couldrey Herson 2013, p.9). Inadequate facilities degrades asylum seekers in an effective transition into a better lifestyle. Recommendations Mental Health Treatment Treatments and heath care facilities can reduce the impact of major issues such as pre-migration trauma, depression and anxiety. Such treatments at detention centres not only benefits the asylum seekers but also the Australian society as it is cost effective and creates jobs for Australian medical and health professions (Hadgkiss et al. 2012, p.23). Cases of mental health illness can reduce an individual life expectancy and can also lead to various other problems such as suicidal thoughts and violence. However, installation of programs that allows the asylum seekers to address their mental health issues can improve their mental health and also their lifestyle once they are released from detention centres. Key findings in studies show that the number of mental health issues such as alcohol abuse, drug abuse and violence reduces where proper treatment is provided which can be accessed (Keller et al. 2003, p.1722). This important step of providing health care will allow asylum seekers t o integrate into the society. Workplace skill development It is important to provide facilities that contribute to gaining skills so that when asylum seekers enter the new society, they are better able to find jobs and there is reduced imbalance in socio-economic status (Gerritsen Bramsen 2005, p.15). The lengthy processing time could be effectively used by the host nations government to install educational facilities that engage asylum seeker in workplace and work related skills such that they can find jobs much easier when they are out of detention centres. It is also important to provide education and language skills for young asylum seekers so that language does not act as a barrier but as an aid to get opportunities. It is vital to engage young asylum seekers in education as this will empower them and decrease the gap between them and Australian schooling standards (Phillips 2015). Taking this measure of providing facilities that may provide equal opportunity in getting employment once asylum seekers are out of detention centres is an effective way of not increasing unemployment rates and hence making a smooth transition into society. References Websites Al Jazeera 2006, Hungary seizes refugee train arriving from Croatia, viewed on 18 September 2015, http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/09/hungary-seizes-refugee-train-arriving-croatia-150919003810139.html> United Nations 1995, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, viewed on 15 September 2015, http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/>. Journal Articles UNHCR 2014, Wars Human Cost, UNHCR Global Trends 2013, viewed on 10 September 2015, http://unhcr.org.au/unhcr/images/Global%20Trends%202013.pdf> Phillips, J. 2015, Asylum seekers and refugees: what are the facts?, Parliamentary Library of Australia, viewed on 8 September 2015, http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1415/AsylumFacts>. Keller, A., Rosenfeld, B. Trinh-Shevrin, C. 2003, Mental health of detained asylum seekers, The Lancet, vol. 12, no. 362, pp. 1721-1723, viewed on 15 September 2015, http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0140673603148465/1-s2.0-S0140673603148465-main.pdf?_tid=60f28634-5f74-11e5-bd3f-00000aab0f6cacdnat=1442739095_b3b162da84af0a2c0dd5353d4321195d> Couldrey, M.    Herson, M. 2013, Detention, alternatives to detention, and deportation, Forced Migration Review, vol. 18, no. 44, pp. 4-14, viewed 15 September 2015, http://www.fmreview.org/en/detention.pdf> Cornelis, J., Bettine, A., Hajo, B., Gernaat, E. Ivan, H. 2004, Impact of a Long Asylum Procedure on the Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in Iraqi Asylum Seekers in the Netherlands, NERVOUS MENTAL DISEASE, vol. 13 no. 12, pp. 843-851, viewed on 5 September 2015, http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ivan_Komproe2/publication/8143453_Impact_of_a_long_asylum_procedure_on_the_prevalence_of_psychiatric_disorders_in_Iraqi_asylum_seekers_in_The_Netherlands/links/00b7d5304b6381a575000000.pdf> Hadgkiss, E., Lethborg, C., Al-Mousa, A. Marck, C. 2012, Asylum seeker health and well-being, St Vincents Health, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 17-31, viewed on 20 September 2015, https://svha.org.au/wps/wcm/connect/cb7b96fc-6653-42ea-9683-749a184d3aed/Asylum_Seeker_Health_and_Wellbeing_Scoping_Study.pdf?MOD=AJPERESCONVERT_TO=urlCACHEID=cb7b96fc-6653-42ea-9683-749a184d3aed> Kaldor, A. 2014, Offshore processing: Australias obligations with respect to asylum seeker children who may be sent to Nauru, Never Stand Still, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 1-9, viewed on 20 September 2015, http://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/Factsheet_Offshore_processing_asylum_seeker_children_BIA.pdf> Gerritsen, A. Bramsen, I. 2005, Physical and mental health of Afghan, Iranian and Somali asylum seekers and refugees living in the Netherlands, Original Paper, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 12-19, viewed on 19 September 2015, http://epiresult.com/downloads/refugees/SPPE.pdf>

Holden Caufield in Catcher In The Rye by J.D Salinger :: essays research papers

The setting of this story takes place in Agerstown, Pennsylvania. The home of Pency bording school. Pency is one of those college prep schools that advertises only the best aspects and never mentions how much the students will hate going there. On the brochure there is an unrealistic, imaginary student that does not exist playing polo. In real life Pency, there are a couple hundred spoiled little rich students whose parents do not want the burden of raising them. The point of view in this story is expressed in first person. Throughout the story Holden tells of other characters and of course his opinion of them. Always criticizing them and their decisions and labeling most of them phonies. In the beginning of the story Holden is watching the Friday night football game from atop a hill. He had just gotten back from a fencing match that had to be cut short in New York because the captain of the fencing team, which happened to be Holden left all of the equipment on the subway. Needless to say it was a long trip home for Holden. After all of this has happened Holden gets back only to learn that he has been released from Pency and placed on academic probation. Holden was not stupid by any means but if he did not desire to learn what was being taught he refused to try. The professors on the other hand did not agree with Holden’s reasoning. Therefore, he was failing all but one of his classes. Holden had a friend that was a teacher at Pency. He was perhaps the only person that halfway understood him. The only problem was that Mr. Spencer was old and senile and did not have much pull with in the school board, which meant he did not serve as much help in Holden’s current situation. Mr. Spencer was always trying to prepare Holden for life, and was always telling him that â€Å"life is a game and you have to make the right moves†. Holden rarely listened but felt obligated to say good-bye to him because he had tried to understand him, which is more than most people had ever done for him. Holden went to visit Mr. Spencer before he left. As usual he did not get much out of his usual â€Å"life is a game† lecture but he would have felt guilty if he had not gone by to say fair well.

Theatre Royal in Winchester production of 1984 :: Drama

Theatre Royal in Winchester production of '1984' 1984 Evaluation =============== On the 19th November 2002 myself, and a group of year eleven students went to the Theatre Royal in Winchester to watch a play named '1984'. The plays main theme was about a society being treated unfairly and not being able to have rights or individuality. It showed people being extremely restricted on what they could do both physically and mentally. Watching it, it made me feel fortunate to have the rights I have and that I am not constrained on what I can do. The director wanted you when watching, to feel uncomfortable and distressed as you were watching one individual being tortured. The more torture shown, the more privileged I felt to possess the rights I do have. A variety of techniques were used to enforce the powerful message this play presented. At the beginning, a group of soldiers pointed at the audience and shouted 'Die Die' continuously, which made you feel threatened and also at the same time involved within the play. The set was quite basic yet effective. All the scenes featured two large wooden walls, which were moved for different scenes. These walls were used as a technique to change scene. When a new scene was started the walls would be spun round to illustrate a new scene, which was very effective. Throughout the play short videos were shown for a variety of reasons. These included: emphasizing a point within the play, to give new information to the audience or to add to the dramatic effect of a particular scene. Various lighting techniques were used including a spotlight. A spotlight makes you focus on one particular part of the stage where usually a scene is being acted. A spotlight can add tension and increased dramatic effect to a scene, for example when soliloquies are used. An additional lighting method used was to flash bright lights at the audience to illustrate a scene change. This was very effective as afterwards a new scene was taking place. As well as lighting techniques, the props used were very successful in making the scene more exciting and attention grabbing. One prop used was a counterfeit electric chair. In this scene the main character was being tortured using the electric chair. The smoke and sounds the chair was making made the scene even more dramatic and made you sympathise with him even more. The main characters included a man named Winston, and a woman called Julia who has already had already a couple of illegal love affairs. Both characters were deprived of their rights and wanted the same thing, freedom.

Akbar the Great Mughul Emperor

Akbar: The Great Mughal Akbar's Education and Education Akbar short for Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Akbar also known as Akbar â€Å"The Great† was born on October 11, 1542 to the 2nd Moghul emperor â€Å"Humayun† and Hamida Banu Begam. His mother was a Persian Shi’ Muslim and â€Å"the daughter of a famous Persian scholar who served his youngest uncle, Hindal, as a civil servant† (Moujloum Khan, 172). His birth came at â€Å"an astrologically propitious hour. The unique pear l of the vice regency of God came forth in his glory,’ wrote Abu-l-Fazl, ‘and at his birth the first opening of his eyes on the visible world, rejoiced the hearts of the wise with a sweet smile’† (Andre Wink 7). It was a very auspicious time to be brought to this world and his everyone rejoiced, as it is a sign of wisdom to be born with the eyes open on the stars. In addition he was born at time when his father Humayun was struggling with maintaining his power and expanding his empire even prior to his birth.Humayun’s father Babar, the founder of the Mughal Empire, had left the empire’s administration unstable and unorganized therefore Humayun had to face many problems soon after his father’s death as the successor of the empire. First he had to take action against the aggression of his biggest rival Sher Shah, founder of the Suri dynasty, to regain his power. He was then forced to flee for from time to time to Persian and Sindh and that is where he met Akbar’s mother.In addition Humayun’s rebellious and treacherous brothers Mirza Kamranm, Askari and Hindul were plotting against him and contributed immensely in his defeat and banishing by the Afghans, therefore he took military action against them and as a result he subdued them and took back Lahore, Punjab, Delhi and Agra, and reclaimed his power. After years of attempting to get his kingdom back, Humayun finally was able to get back his rule but not for to o long. When Akbar was only 13 years old, his father died of an unfortunate accident in the palace while rushing to answer the call to prayer.The sudden turn of events changed Akbar’s life and he was suddenly thrust into an empire in jeopardy. * Akbar was born at an adverse political period, which prevented him from attaining a proper education. When he was just a year and three months he was separated from his parents. The royal couple fled to Hijaz to preform pilgrimage and to solicit support from the emperor of Persia in order to regain control of Hindustan leaving baby Akbar with his uncle Askari. He was then taken to Qandahar where his uncle’s wife, Sultan Begam, took him in and raised him for a short period.In 1944, about a year after being separated from his parents, Akbar’s father Humayun returned to Qandahar with Persian auxiliary troops and took control while Akbar was taken to Kabul where he was to be handed over to Khazanda Begam, a sister of the lat e emperor Babur. He was a very fortunate little boy as his caretaker was very fond of him and took him in as her own son. Soon after his father-captured Kabul, Akbar was reunited with his parents after being away from them for more than two years.This period of time is known to be â€Å"the beginning of the beating of the drum of victory and conquest of His majesty† (Wink 9). Since the beginning of his life, Akbar did not have a proper home as his family was on the run from one place to another and he was deprived of formal education. For this reason he remained unlettered and he â€Å"failed to gain proficiency in literacy† (Moujloum Khan, 172). At the age of none he was given governance of the village of Carkh and just a year later when his uncle Hindal died he was given charge of his servants and entourage.As one could see that Akbar was given great responsibility despite his young age, which prepared him for his reign after his fathers demise. It is said that this great responsibility was given to him so â€Å"that his greatness might be tested†¦ [and] that all might know his abilities, and also that he might have practice in the art of rule† (Wink, 10). When Akbar was twelve years old, his father succeeded in the re-conquest of Hindustan and ordered that the conquest be inscribed in Akbar’s name â€Å"indicating thereby that Akbar was nominally in command of the entire campaign† (Wink, 10).After the great occurrence of reclaiming Hindustan, Akbar was sent to Sirhind in the Panjab where he was given a tutor to educate about Indian manners and customs and â€Å"who brought the Indians after the unique age† (Wink, 10). By surrounding himself with other educated people Akbar did not only learn about the customs and manners of India but he also grasped and mastered an extensive variety of objects including philosophy, art, history, religion and poetry without great efforts.He proved himself to be an intelligent pe rson with a sharp intellect and a prodigious memory. He is described â€Å"as a man of excellent judgment and good memory who had attained a considerable erudition in many fields by listening to others, †¦[and] no one who did not know that he was illiterate would suppose him to be anything but very learned and erudite† (Wink, 14). Through constant communication In addition to his intellectual abilities, he was also well trained in all aspects of political military and civil affair.When his father established himself on the imperial throne in 1555, Akbar just like his forefathers was trained in archery, horse riding, wrestling and swordsmanship, which prepared him for the battlefield. As his grandfather at the age of twelve, the first Mughal emperor, and his father Humayun at the age of eleven, Akbar went to on his first military operation when he was only thirteen. He was instructed by his father to prepare a safe route from Kabul through the Punjab and â€Å"keep the r emaining Afghans at bay in the northern hills† (Wink, 11).Also while he was in Punjab, Akbar took the opportunity and acquired skills in artillery by the finest available Ottoman tutor, Rumi Khan. Akbar also attained skills in drawing with prominent Persian artists and in learning the Hindi language as well. When he was about fifteen or sixteen while in his 3rd year of kingship, he was started diving into Sufi mystical writings like that of Hafiz. He was put in an educative program that taught refinement of character, Qur’an, historical knowledge and poetry.Notwithstanding his illiteracy Akbar was well rounded, intelligent and most certainly a person with a sharp intellect and prodigious memory. He later son Jahangir writes about him in his memoirs saying: â€Å"My father always associated with the learned of India, and although he was illiterate, so much became clear to him through constant intercourse with the learned and the wise, and in his conversations with them, that no one knew him to be illiterate, and he was so acquainted with the niceties of prose and verse composition that this deficiency was not thought of† (Tuzuk, I, 33).Akbar's Military history * Humayun’s death meant many things to the Mughal empire and especially Akbar; he was to succeed his father and step to the throne as the emperor of a troubled land. Akbar came to power at a fairly young age and it seems that it did not stop him from making military judgments as a result of his extensive military and practical training when he was younger.At the start of his journey as a ruler, â€Å"he instigated military in order to regain the lost territories, and thereby restore political stability, social peace and security across the Mughal dominion† (Moujloum Khan, 173). He was operating under Bairan Khan, his civil servant and regent, who trained him in all aspects of governance to prepare him in succeeding his father as the ruler of the Mughal dynasty. By general agreement he was far too young to rule autonomously so on that account Bairan Kahn who also assisted his father Humayun when he was ruling operated over him.Under his supervision and stewardship, Akbar â€Å"took action against all remaining rebellious governors and sultans, before winning a decisive victory at Panipat in 1556, where he inflicted a c rushing defeat on Hemu, his most powerful Hindu rival, who at the time ruled both Delhi and Agra†(Moujloum Khan, 173). Despite the Hemu’s strength and history in battlefields, Akbar was not intimidated and marched fearlessly into the battlefield with his army and overpowered his adversaries’ forces.As Bairan khan’s influence grew, he started to take advantage of his role in making decisions without Akbar’s consent and became a liability as opposed to a benefit to the Mughal Empire. He was heavy-handed when it came to military tactics. Six years into his role an emperor under his authoritative guide an d mentor, Akbar had enough of him and dismissed him and sent him to Mecca to preform the sacred pilgrimage. Akbar was only eighteen when he became fully-fledged and responsible for the political and military affairs of his empire.His decision enabled him to think for himself and to make decisive actions in consolidating the empire. He was keen to expand the empire further onto the bordering countries and then battled with them in order to gain new territories. His intent in conquering other lands was not only to expand the empire but only to liberate the oppressed from tyranny. Abul-al-Fazl writes: â€Å"In conquering countries and cities his first thought is to inquire into and sympathize with the condition of the oppressed† (Wink, 21).In 1568 he marched with his military to the lands of Rajasthan in response to the Rajput’s threatens against the Mughal empire. Despite their resistance they were eventually defeated due to Akbar’s superior military force. After he succeeded in capturing Rajasthan, his next target was the state of Gujarat. It was an important commercial city in a prominent location with prosperous ports and coastal resorts. For this reason, Akbar took the stance in capturing it and sett off with his military forces as soon as he received the news of riots in the capital of Gujarat, Ahmedabad, in just over a week covering six hundred miles en route.He was effective in his planning and military strategies and captured the province without conflict and hence joined his empire with the Arabian Sea, which opened up a naval route to the rest of the world. To him expanding the empire did not just mean more land but also joining and uniting a people. After he annexed Gujarat, he went to the wealthy northern Indian in Bengal, Kabul, and the beautiful basin of Kashmir, Orissa, Sind and Baluchistan and captured them all in a matter of less than 20 years.His achievements in conquering lands are astonishing and how he managed to establi sh his authority in the Mughal Empire throughout Northern India is an astounding accomplishment that many rulers would not be able to triumph as he did. According to his son Jahangir Akbar â€Å"passed his days his nights in wakefulness and slept little in the day†¦He counted his wakefulness at night as so much added to his life. His courage and boldness were such that he could mount raging, rutting elephants, and subdue murderous elephants† (Moujloum Khan, 174).As a tactical and strategic leader, Akbar was well aware that without employing and developing an effective civil and political governmental system it would not be possible to unite and strengthen the territories. He was resolute to transform his empire especially because he did not want the history to repeat itself from when the Mughal Empire was disintegrated. He had to come up with a long-term plan and increase the growth of the financial treasury. He also knew that he could reform his empire without winning t he hearts and minds of his people-Muslims and Hindus alike.This meant promoting dialogue between the two prominent religions that is Islam and Hinduism in the subjects of religion and culture. * He â€Å"hoped to establish lasting political stability, social solidarity and cultural understanding and tolerance throughout Mughal India. In order to achieve this objective, Akbar reformed the existing Mughal political and administrative structure which depended heavily on the goodwill and support of the wealthy, independent feudal chiefs to function effectively†(Moujloum Khan, 174).To prevent economic corruption, political disarrangement and social dissatisfaction, Akbar assigned regional administrators who were fairly responsible and reliable for overseeing the affairs of their own provinces and frequently reported to him. He subsequently went out of his way and created ties with the influential Hindu groups. The Rajputs, who were one of the most influential Hindu groups shortly, joined the Mughal Empire’s political, military and civil services.This approach that Akbar took in forging alliances was very affective because it ensured that Muslims and Hindus work together in running the administration of the Mughal Empire. Both the Muslims and the Hindus came together to â€Å"consolidate Mughal political power and authority across India. Thus politically speaking, Akbar’s efforts to unite Muslims Hindus proved a success† (Moujloum Khan, 174). Akbar and Religion * In addition to uniting the Hindus and the Muslims together in the civil, political and civic realm, but Akbar was rather ineffective when he tried to harmonize Islam and Hinduism.Islam and Hinduism are two very different religions; Islam on one hand preaches the absolute oness of God while Hinduism the worship of multiple gods. Islam considers the association of god with other deities’ disbelief. The two religions are more completely opposed to one another than any other m ajor world religion. There is no doubt that Akbar’s intention to bring the two groups together is a praiseworthy and admirable intention but his approach to inter-faith discourse proved both heavy-handed and impulsive. Akbar was reacting to the constant conflicts and disagreements that have been occurring between the two groups.He and â€Å"his advisors began to explore ways in which they * could end these bitter conflicts by emphasizing the common elements between the two faiths, rather than focus on the differences; this eventually inspired them to create a religious synthesis by combining aspects of Islamic mysticism and Hindu philosophy. But, fat from uniting the two rival religious factions, this only served to make matters worse, because both orthodox Muslims and Hindus considered Akbar’s religious eclecticism very offensive† (Moujloum Khan, 175).Unfortunately both Hindus and Muslims alike labeled him as a heretic and a freethinker because of his views on religious tolerance. Despite these accusations, Akbar was a devout Muslim who prayed his five daily prayers and was very much afraid of displeasing god with the choices he made. His idea to join the religions was highly questionable hence it was contradictory to the Shariah. In the beginning of his reign, Akbar reformed many laws that were highly problematic from an Islamic point of view although it was done in respect of other religions.For example, the abolishment of non-shariah trade and market taxes and the taxes that were â€Å"imposed on certain Hindu pilgrimage, normally associated with fairs; †¦but he also forbade the questionable jizyah tax on dhimmi non-Muslims throughout his reign† †(Marshall G. S. Hodgson, 71). Because of the reforms he has made, it appears that it did not matter to Akbar whether the reforms he made were contradicting the shariah as long as they were acknowledging people from other faiths especially the Hindus.He also banned the slaught ering of animals on certain days of the year and in areas that are deemed sacred to the Hindus. He disallowed child marriages, which was a common practice among the Hindus and the Muslims and the Hindu forced practice of widows that burnt themselves alongside their husbands’ corpses unless it was voluntary by the widows. It was not an easy task for him to do because some people would not submit and let go of their traditions but he was very patient very patient with them.To support other faiths he contributed financially† to the building of temples of other faiths. In this way he put practice into a universalist orientation in religion itself, which formed an important component of the interconfessional cultural climate of the court†(Hodgson, 72). To further take the idea of having a universalist orientation Akbar organized, Akbar was very interested in religion, especially Islam therefore he organized â€Å"a house of worship† where Muslim scholars various points of view could gather to dispute and discuss their respective faiths and claims.In order to consolidate his power, Akbar introduced a series of reforms of religious beliefs. Besides his strong belief in the holy Qur’an, he also believed all the other faiths were true and that there is a way to bring unity of all the faiths. This became the basis of his new â€Å"religious synthesis, namely din-i-ilahi (or the Devine Religion†), which as expected, was vigorously opposed by both orthodox Muslims and Hindus†(Moujloum Khan, 175). It was a dedicated to a universalist outlook, moral purity and personal devotion.This was indeed a questionable and controversial religious matter because it was a deviation from Islamic dogma. Akbar was told by one of his devotees, Abul al-Fazl, that he was a spiritual leader and he was responsible of his people’s lives and the source of sorting out the common truth by uniting the world religions. This was a continuation of hi s past project when he established the â€Å"house of god† where people from different faiths could debate at his court, as it did not work out because the intolerant Jesuits who wanted to convert.Akbar was a devout Muslim and he always cared about pleasing god, it is said that he â€Å"would spend whole * Nights in religious discussion. ‘ And from a feeling of thankfulness for his past successes he would sit many a morning alone in prayer and meditation on a large flat stone of an old building which lay near the palace in a lonely spot, with his head over his chest, gathering the bliss of the early hours of dawn’†(Wink, 97). Although his new religion was meant to synthesize and consolidate the world’s religions into one it was predominately based on Islam.The main dogma of din-i-illahi is that the world is a creation of God and is a unified and single place, which manifests the unity and ones of God. In addition to the fundamental beliefs of the â €Å"Divine Religion†, Akbar derived from Zoroastrianism sun worship and the idea of kingship and from Jainism the care and respect of all living things. This is obviously contradictory to Islam and the Ulama were very disturbed and considered it as â€Å"outright heresy† (Unity of Religions). * Conclusion As a leader, Akbar was determined, tolerant, ruthless and dedicated to his empire. He not only expanded his empire but also established political stability, promoted economic prosperity and reformed the civic administration that his forefathers worked for but also built one of the most beautiful and breathtaking monuments ever built in the Islamic civilization. Although he was illiterate, he managed to hold stimulating political and religious intellectual discussions.He was also very fond of poetry especially Persian poetry. The Mughal Empire became one â€Å" of the most influential political and military powers of the time. And having once fallen out with his only surviving so, Salim (Emperor Jahangir), Akbar became reconciled with him just before his death; he died at the age of sixty-three†(Moujloum Khan, 175). He was buried in Sirkandra in a mausoleum that he had prepared for himself before his demise west of Agra, India. * * * Works CitedAkbar, the great Mughal: his new policy and his new religion. Delhi: Aakar Books, 2009. Print. Bedi, P. S.. The Mughal nobility under Akbar. Jalandhar: ABS * Publications :, 1985. Print. Khan, Muhammad Mojlum. Muslim 100: the lives, thoughts and achievements of the most influential Muslims in history. Leicestershire: Kube, 2008. Print. Lal, Muni. Akbar. New Delhi: Vikas, 1980. Print. Malleson, G. B.. Akbar and the rise of the Mughal empire,. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1890.Print. Srivastava, Ashirbadi Lal. Akbar the Great. Agra: Shiva Lal Agarwala, 1967. Print. * Akbar. Oxford: Oneworld, 2009. Print. * â€Å"THE LIGHT OF TRUTH For the Respect and Honour of Islam. † Unity of * Religions . N. p. , 2 Oct. 2004. Web. 20 May 2012. *