In the given question, a statement of Assertion is followed by a statement of Reason. Mark the correct answer.

Assertion: Al Biruni, in his account, attempted to suggest that social divisions were not unique to India.
Reason: In his writings, Al Biruni mentioned that in ancient Persia, four social categories were recognized.

Both the Assertion and the Reason are correct and the Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.

The correct answer is Option 1: Both the Assertion and the Reason are correct and the Reason is the correct explanation of the Assertion.

Assertion: Al Biruni, in his account, attempted to suggest that social divisions were not unique to India.
Reason: In his writings, Al Biruni mentioned that in ancient Persia, four social categories were recognized.

Assertion: Al-Biruni's account does indeed attempt to show that social divisions weren't unique to India. He does this by drawing comparisons with other societies, including his own.  He wanted to present a more nuanced picture and avoid portraying India as uniquely divided.

Reason:  Al-Biruni's mention of the four social categories in ancient Persia directly supports the assertion. By pointing out similar social divisions in Persia, he demonstrates that such stratification was not an Indian peculiarity, but a phenomenon found in other cultures as well. This comparison serves as evidence for his broader argument about the universality of social divisions.  Therefore, the Reason is the correct explanation for the Assertion.

Al-Biruni tried to explain the caste system by looking for parallels in other societies. He noted that in ancient Persia, four social categories were recognised: those of knights and princes; monks, fire-priests and lawyers; physicians, astronomers and other scientists; and finally, peasants and artisans. In other words, he attempted to suggest that social divisions were not unique to India. At the same time he pointed out that within Islam all men were considered equal, differing only in their observance of piety.