Which sufi saint was addressed by his disciples as “sultan-ul-mashaikh”?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Nizamuddin Auliya
The Chishti sufis kept their distance from the Sultans, and both sides expected marks of respect such as prostration and kissing of the feet. Sufi shaikhs were sometimes given high-sounding titles. The disciples of the Chishti saint Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi addressed him as sultan-ul-mashaikh, literally “Sultan amongst shaikhs”.
NCERT (2025-26): “7.4 Sufis and the state … However, there were instances of conflict between the Sultans and the sufis. To assert their authority, both expected that certain rituals be performed such as prostration and kissing of the feet. Occasionally the sufi shaikh was addressed with high-sounding titles. For example, the disciples of Nizamuddin Auliya addressed him as sultan-ul-mashaikh (literally, Sultan amongst shaikhs).…” |