Match List-I (Step) with List-II (Reason).
| List-I | List-II |
|---|---|
| (A) Sultans resisted the ulama's demand to make shari'a state law | (I) Sufis derived their authority directly from God |
| (B) Sultans sought out the sufis for legitimation | (II) The masses, whose support kings wanted, followed the sufis |
| (C) Kings wanted their tombs near sufi shrines and hospices | (III) Most subjects were non-Muslims who might oppose it |
| (D) Kings valued an open link with the Chishti shaikhs | (IV) Auliya were believed to intercede with God for people |
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → A-III, B-I, C-IV, D-II
| List-I | List-II | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| (A) Sultans resisted the ulama's demand to make shari'a state law | (III) Most subjects were non-Muslims who might oppose it | The Turks feared opposition from their subjects, most of whom were non-Muslims, so they did not impose shari'a as state law. |
| (B) Sultans sought out the sufis for legitimation | (I) Sufis derived their authority directly from God | Sufis derived their authority directly from God and did not depend on jurists, so their support gave the Sultans legitimation. |
| (C) Kings wanted their tombs near sufi shrines and hospices | (IV) Auliya were believed to intercede with God for people | People believed the auliya could intercede with God for ordinary people, so kings wished to be buried near their shrines. |
| (D) Kings valued an open link with the Chishti shaikhs | (II) The masses, whose support kings wanted, followed the sufis | Piety, scholarship and belief in miracles made sufis popular among the masses, and kings wished to secure that support. |
NCERT (2026-27): “7.4 Sufis and the state … “Kings did not simply need to demonstrate their association with sufis; they also required legitimation from them. When the Turks set up the Delhi Sultanate, they resisted the insistence of the ulama on imposing shari‘a as state law because they anticipated opposition from their subjects, the majority of whom were non-Muslims. The Sultans then sought out the sufis – who derived their authority directly from God – and did not depend on jurists to interpret the shari‘a.” “Besides, it was believed that the auliya could intercede with God in order to improve the material and spiritual conditions of ordinary human beings. This explains why kings often wanted their tombs to be in the vicinity of sufi shrines and hospices.” |