During the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar, which language was used as the official court language of the empire?

Introduction / Context:
The Mughal Empire ruled a vast and linguistically diverse territory. To run the administration smoothly, the Mughals needed a standard court language for official records, royal correspondence and literature. Akbar's reign is especially important because it saw major consolidation and cultural flowering. Knowing which language functioned as the court language during his rule helps you understand both the administrative culture and the literary output of Mughal India.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question focuses on the period of emperor Akbar.
• It asks specifically about the court language, meaning the language used in official documents and at the imperial court.
• The options are Urdu, Persian, Arabic and Hindi.
• We assume the learner knows that several of these languages were present in the cultural environment but played different roles.

Concept / Approach:
Under the Mughals, and particularly during Akbar's time, Persian was firmly established as the court and administrative language. Royal farmans (edicts), chronicles, official histories and court poetry were composed in Persian. While Urdu (Hindustani) evolved as a lingua franca in later centuries and Hindi and various regional languages were spoken by the people, the formal bureaucratic language remained Persian. Arabic, though a sacred language for Islam, was not the primary administrative language of the Mughal court. Therefore, the correct answer is Persian.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the Mughal period and Akbar's reign (mid-16th to early 17th century) as a time of strong Persian cultural influence. Step 2: Recall that major Mughal chronicles like the Akbarnama and Ain-i-Akbari were written in Persian. Step 3: Understand that court proceedings, royal orders and administrative records were largely maintained in Persian. Step 4: Recognise that Urdu, though influenced by Persian and developing in North India, became more prominent as a literary language somewhat later. Step 5: Note that Arabic had significant religious importance but was not used as the primary language of daily administration at Akbar's court. Step 6: Conclude that the court language during Akbar's reign was Persian.

Verification / Alternative check:
Textbooks and academic works on Mughal administration consistently state that Persian was the official language of the court and bureaucracy. Persian records, inscriptions and manuscripts from Akbar's era and later periods confirm its use. Although vernacular languages flourished in regions and in popular literature, the central imperial apparatus continued to operate in Persian until the early 19th century, when the British began replacing it with English in many domains.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Urdu: While Urdu has strong links with the Mughal milieu and uses Persian script, it was not the official court language during Akbar's time.
• Arabic: Used for religious scholarship and Islamic theology, but not as the primary court and administrative language.
• Hindi: Refers broadly to Indo-Aryan vernaculars, important in daily communication but not the formal language of Mughal officialdom.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse Urdu and Persian because both use similar scripts and share vocabulary. Another mistake is to assume that since the Mughals were Muslims, Arabic must have been the court language. In reality, the Mughals adopted Persian as their administrative language, following Persianate traditions that had already spread into Central and South Asia. Remember the simple association: Mughal court and administration under Akbar means Persian.

Final Answer:
During Akbar's reign, the official court language of the Mughal Empire was Persian.