ABSTRACT
184 Shivaji’s religious policy underlined respect toward all religions, including Islam. None of his wars were religious or jihadi conflicts. Paralleling the best practices under the Mughals and the Bahmanis of employing Hindus in high positions of trust, Shivaji correspondingly employed Muslims in high positions and made grants to mosques and pirs. Thus, he regarded Baba Yakut of Kelsi, a Muslim divine, as one of his gurus. His personal secretary and confidant was Mulla Haidar, a Muslim. His most noted naval commanders were Muslim: Ibrahim Khan, Daulat Khan, and Siddi Misri. Khafi Khan, a contemporary chronicler, generally hostile to Shivaji, noted that he did not desecrate or demolish any mosques or ill-treat women of any community. Whenever a copy of the sacred Koran came into his hands, he treated it with respect and gave it to some of his Muslim followers. When the women of any Hindu or Muhammadan were taken prisoners by his men and they had no friends to protect them, he watched over them until they were restored to their relatives. (pages 189–90)
