Mulla Abdul Qadir Badauni’s Study of Religions

By Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi, New Age Islam 30 June 2025 Muslim Thinkers Translated Sacred Texts Of Semitic And Non-Semitic Religions Into Arabic, Persian, Urdu, And Other Languages Main Points: 1. Tradition of studying religions, beliefs, and philosophies is very old among Muslims. 2. Muslim scholars have approached the study of religions in diverse ways 3. Mulla Abdul Qadir Badauni is well-known as a distinguished historian 4. Mahabharata has been translated into many languages including Persian, Urdu, and Arabic ----- It is true that the tradition of studying religions, beliefs, and philosophies is very old among Muslims. History provides ample evidence of this. To see more proof, we must read historical records without bias or narrow-mindedness. Muslim scholars have approached the study of religions in diverse ways, including comparative, intellectual, social, historical, and tolerant perspectives. An important part of this tradition was translation. Muslim thinkers translated sacred texts of Semitic and Non-Semitic religions into Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and other languages. These translations introduced society to the beauty and teachings of other religions. This translation work had a constructive and positive impact on society, especially during the rule of Muslim kings and emperors. Even today, the importance of these translations cannot be denied. When we look at India during the Mughal period, especially under Emperor Akbar, we find that serious efforts were made to understand Hindu knowledge, art, culture, and religion. The main purpose of these interfaith activities was to familiarize Muslims with Hindu beliefs and also to promote tolerance, peace, and mutual respect. This helped in building a shared Indo-Islamic culture, which has had positive effects throughout history. During Akbar’s reign, several scholars who were experts in both Persian and Sanskrit served in his court. Notable among them were Abu’l Fazl, his brother Faizi, Fathullah Shirazi, and Mulla Abdul Qadir Badauni. This does not mean they were the only ones; many others also knew Sanskrit well. Mulla Abdul Qadir Badauni is well-known as a distinguished historian. He wrote the important historical work "Muntakhab-ut-Tawarikh," which offers rich material for students of history. But apart from history, Badauni also made significant contributions to the study of religions, though this side of his work is often overlooked. Most people know him only as a historian and not as a scholar of religions. This article highlights his contributions in the field of religious studies to promote peace and harmony in society. It is well known that Mulla Abdul Qadir Badauni was a great scholar and historian of the Akbar era. He was fluent in Persian, Arabic, Hindi, and Sanskrit. He strongly criticized Akbar’s religious ideas, as can be seen in his book "Muntakhab-ut-Tawarikh." Though Badauni did not write a separate book or article on comparative religion, he translated three major Hindu scriptures into Persian: the Atharva Veda, the Mahabharata, and the Ramayana. This is remarkable, considering that he was opposed to Akbar’s religious policies yet agreed to translate these texts. Translation of Atharva Veda In 1575, Akbar attempted to have the fourth Veda translated into Persian. Badauni describes this in “Muntakhab-ut-Tawarikh” “Some of its teachings are similar to Islam. For example, it says that one cannot achieve salvation unless one recites a prayer with many uses of the letter ‘Lam’, (لام)like ‘La Ilaha Illallah’. (لاالہ الا اللہ) The text was very complex. A newly converted Muslim helped me understand it, but the difficulty remained. I informed Akbar about this, and he then gave the task to Faizi. When Faizi failed, it was assigned to Haji Ibrahim Sirhindi, but he too could not complete it successfully.” It should be noted that there are four Vedas in Hinduism: Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, and Atharva Veda. Hindu scholars believe these are divine revelations, and some Muslim scholars also support this view. From an Islamic perspective of tolerance, Muslims should respect the beliefs of other communities, even if those beliefs differ from their own. Translation of the Mahabharata The Mahabharata is one of Hinduism’s great epics, originally written in Sanskrit and considered one of the longest literary works in the world. It has been translated into many languages including Persian, Urdu, and Arabic. The Arabic version is known as “Mulhama al-Mahabharat.”( ملحمة المها بهارات) The Persian translation of the Mahabharata was done during Akbar’s time by Mulla Abdul Qadir Badauni, with the help of Pandit Devi Sharan and Fathullah Shirazi. Badauni writes about the Mahabharata: “This is a very old Indian book that contains stories, advice, discussions on state affairs, ethics, religious beliefs, and worship. All this is presented in the context of wars among India’s ancient rulers. Some say these events happened 4,000 years ago; others claim even 80,000 years ago. Hindus consider reading and writing this book a great act of devotion.” Translation of the Ramayana The Ramayana is the second great epic of Hinduism (after the Mahabharata). It is a religious, moral, philosophical, and cultural story that has been a part of Indian life for thousands of years. The story of Rama teaches righteousness, sacrifice, duty, and truth. Sita’s character symbolizes chastity and patience. The Ramayana is more than just a religious book — it is a guide to life, values, justice, and spirituality for all people, across time and cultures. It has been translated into many languages including Persian, Urdu, and Arabic. The Arabic version was translated by Wadi al-Bustani and Baron. Mulla Abdul Qadir Badauni translated the Ramayana into Persian in 1584 by royal order. He writes: “At that time, the Emperor ordered me to translate the Ramayana, which was written even before the Mahabharata. It has 25,000 verses, each consisting of 65 letters. The story is about the king of Ayodhya, Rama Chandra, whom Hindus consider to be a divine incarnation.” Conclusion By translating the Atharva Veda, Mahabharata, and Ramayana, Mulla Abdul Qadir Badauni made a remarkable contribution to the study of religions. This proves that he had a deep interest in the religious texts and cultures of other faiths. Since these texts are originally in Sanskrit, and he knew Sanskrit and Hindi, it is likely that he studied other Hindu scriptures as well. Therefore, Badauni should be seen not just as a historian but also as a pioneer in interfaith scholarship. The tradition of translating Hindu texts that began in Akbar’s era still continues today, including the translation of scriptures from other religions. In today’s world, when we analyze the history and role of any community, it is essential to study not just political and social events but also intellectual and academic efforts. Only then can we truly understand reality and overcome doubts and misunderstandings. Badauni is often portrayed by historians as a critic of Akbar and his religious views. Yet, the same Badauni translated Hindu religious texts — a fact that is usually ignored. This lesser-known aspect of his life deserves greater recognition. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/mulla-qadir-badauni-religions/d/136024 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism