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UPSC CSE Prelims 2002

Medieval Political Thought

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

The historian Barani did not consider the state in India under Delhi Sultans as truly Islamic because-

Solution & Analysis

Answer: C

Concept Ziauddin Barani was a contemporary historian who critiqued the Sultans' pragmatism. He observed that rulers often prioritized political necessity over strict religious law.

Explanation In his works like *Fatwa-i-Jahandari*, Barani discusses 'Zawabits'—secular state regulations—which Sultans like Alauddin and MBT used to govern a diverse population when Shariat was insufficient.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Barani believed a truly Islamic state should follow the Shariat exclusively.
Logic 2: He argued that the Sultans were essentially 'monarchs' who created their own laws (Zawabits) to manage land revenue and non-Muslim subjects, making the state 'secular' in practice.

Active Recall

Question

What were Zawabits in the context of the Delhi Sultanate?

Answer

Zawabits were state laws or regulations framed by the Sultans that were distinct from religious law (Shariat) to address administrative needs.

Core Insight

The use of Zawabits highlights that the Delhi Sultanate was a pragmatic military state rather than a purely theocratic one.

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