What is the truth about Aurangzeb, and was he a follower of the methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah?

Sultan Aurangzeb, one of the descendants of Timur, ruler of the Indian subcontinent, was known for his piety, asceticism, and devotion. He was a follower of the Hanafi school of thought, fought against innovations and superstitions, abolished pagan and innovated celebrations, and forbade bowing to kings, ordering the use of the Islamic greeting instead.

The Sultan did not pay scholars a salary unless they requested work such as authorship or teaching. He was the first to compile religious rulings into a single book under his command and supervision, which became known as "Al-Fatawa al-Alamgiriyah" or "Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyah."

He was described as a mujahid (struggler) in the path of Allah, who defeated the disbelievers, demolished their churches, supported Islam in India, and imposed jizya (tribute) on them. He combined worship, teaching, and managing the affairs of the state, and continued striving until his death, ruling for fifty years.