The author of 'Ain-e-Akbari' was

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1:

The correct answer is Abul Fazal. The *Ain-i-Akbari* is a monumental historical document written by Abul Fazal (Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak), one of the "Nine Jewels" (Navaratnas) in the court of the great Mughal Emperor Akbar. It is the third and final volume of the much larger work, the *Akbarnama* (Book of Akbar), which chronicles the history of Akbar's reign. The *Ain-i-Akbari* specifically serves as a detailed record and administrative manual of the Mughal Empire under Akbar, covering statistics, geography, administration, military structure, revenue system, and customs of the people of India. Abul Fazal was Akbar's chief court historian and primary advisor, tasked with producing this comprehensive administrative and historical account, making him the undisputed author.

The incorrect option is 2: Amir Khusrau was a prolific poet and scholar associated primarily with the Delhi Sultanate period, living centuries before Akbar's reign. His literary contributions were foundational to Indo-Persian culture, but he could not have authored a text about the Mughal Emperor Akbar.

The incorrect option is 3: Abdul Quadir is not a historically recognized individual as the author of this famous text. While many scholars and officials existed in the Mughal court, 'Abdul Quadir' is a general name and not the specific, recorded author of the *Ain-i-Akbari*.

The incorrect option is 4: Badauni (Abdul Qadir Badayuni) was another contemporary historian at Akbar's court, but he held antagonistic views toward Abul Fazal. Badauni authored the *Muntakhab-ut-Tawarikh*, a highly critical and less official history of Akbar's reign, contrasting sharply with the official and laudatory *Akbarnama* which includes the *Ain-i-Akbari*.