[Solved] Al-Beruni: The Historian in Mahmud's Court | Concept & Explanation

The famous historian who visited India with Mahmud of Ghazni was-

[Uttarakhand P.C.S. (Pre) 2010]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

Al-Beruni's visit marked the beginning of a systematic study of Indian society and science by the Islamic world, resulting in the most objective account of the medieval period.

Authentic Source Evidence

Al-Beruni (Abu Rayhan Muhammad) accompanied Mahmud of Ghazni in the 11th century. He learned Sanskrit and authored Tahqiq-i-Hind (Inquiry into India).

Analytical Breakdown

Logic 1: Option B is correct. Al-Beruni is regarded as the first Indologist for his neutral and detailed observations of Indian religion and astronomy.

Logic 2: Other historians like Firishta (Option A) and Afif (Option C) belong to later periods (17th and 14th centuries respectively).

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"In what language was Tahqiq-i-Hind originally written?"

It was written in Arabic, which was the scientific language of the Islamic world at the time.

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"Al-Beruni provided a vital external validation of Indian scientific and philosophical progress when indigenous records were scarce."

Topic Clusters (click to see related topic questions)

Mahmud of Ghazni 7 Tahqiq-i-Hind 4 Indology 2

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