"His Majesty is of the opinion that no distinction should be made between the various religions, and that every man should be allowed to follow the dictates of his own conscience. He has, therefore, abolished the poll-tax on non-Muslims called jizya. The Emperor's own disposition and manner of dealing with his subjects must be regarded as the foundation of good government. He has abandoned the narrow path of bigotry and entered the royal highway of compassion. He holds the Hindus, the Muhammadans, the Parsis, and all men of other faiths equal before him. He welcomes all seekers of truth, from whatever direction they come."

Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak, Ain-i-Akbari (Institutes of Akbar), c.1590. Abu'l-Fazl was the chief minister and court historian of Emperor Akbar, who ruled the Mughal Empire 1556–1605. The Ain-i-Akbari was the third volume of the Akbarnama, a comprehensive account of Akbar's reign.