How far is this statement true that Sher Shah Suri was the forerunner of Akbar?

On viewing the political, military, religious and land reforms of Sher Shah Suri the historians are of this view that Akbar too had founded his Mughal empire on the basis of these reforms. But to call Akbar as only the blind followers of Sher Shah Suri will be a sort of humiliation of a great ruler like Akbar. Akbar gave his original contribution too to many reforms done by Sher Shah Suri.

Akbar adopted the following policies of Sher Shah Suri :

1.    Policy of stretching empire : Akbar too stretched (expanded) the boundaries of his empire like Sher Shah Suri. Akbar conquered Kabul, Kandhar and Kashmir, situated in far north. Besides, Akbar did not leave the southern India untouched. But there is no exaggeration in saying ‘Had the life-span of Sher Shah Suri been longer, he would not have lagged behind Akbar in that region too’. Even then Akbar is deemed as Sher Shah’s follower in this sphere.

2.    Division of labour for covenience : Keeping in view, the general welfare of the people Sher Shah Suri divided his empire into 47 sarkars for division of work. This expedited the work of administration. The general problems were redressed. Akbar accelerated his administrative work by dividing his vast empire into provinces.

3.    Emperor as symbol of supreme power : Sher Shah Suri did not give any jolt to the idea of the ruler being the supreme power. He had given secretarial powers to his ministers. So the ruler himself was the source of power. Akbar too tried to give high regard to the counsels of his nine gems (Nava Ratans). But he never let the prestige/honour of the rulers have setback.

4.    Military system : Sher Shah Suri had himself assumed the responsibility of getting the horses branded, getting the descriptive rolls of the soldiers recorded and their recruitment and inspection of the troop from time to time. Akbar maintained this system too the latter on. But he had introduced the ‘Mansabdari System’. There was no such system in Sher Shah’s times.

5.    Provision of Justice : Both Sher Shah Suri and Akbar loved justice. They never let any feeling of injustice for Hindu or Muslim enter their minds. Their target was ‘justice is for the sake of justice alone and not for any religion or community’. Judicial system of both was alike wherein the ruler alone was the supreme authority. The chief Qazi, high officials of sarkars and provinces and the village pan. ayats had the authority of administering justice.

6. Land reforms : Sher Shah Suri divided the land and the land revenue according to the produce of the land. He introduced the system of getting the land measured by iron rods. Todarmal assisted both Sher Shah Suri and Akbar in land revenue system and reforms. Land revenue was charged from the farmers both in cash and kind. Akbar introduced the land system termed as ‘Das-Sala’ in 1580.