Target Exam

CUET

Subject

History

Chapter

Medieval India: Bhakti Sufi Traditions

Question:

Read the following passage and answer the question:

By the eleventh century, Sufism evolved into a well-developed movement with a body of literature on Quranic studies and Sufi practices. Institutionally, the sufis began to organise communities around the hospice or Khanqah controlled by a teaching master known as shaikh. He enrolled disciples and appointed a successor. He established rules for spiritual conduct and interaction between inmates as well as between laypersons and the master. Sufi silsilas began to crystallise in different parts of the Islamic world around the twelfth century.

Which of the following rituals were developed in Sufism that disciples took during initiation?

(A) An oath of allegiance.
(B) Wearing a patched garment.
(C) Pilgrimage to the master's grave.
(D) Shaving of the head.
(E) Drinking of the holy water.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Options:

(A), (B), (C) Only

(A), (B), (D) Only

(C), (D), (E) Only

(B), (C), (D) Only

Correct Answer:

(A), (B), (D) Only

Explanation:

The correct answer is Option (2) → (A), (B), (D) Only

Given options:

(A) An oath of allegiance.
(B) Wearing a patched garment.
(C) Pilgrimage to the master's grave.
(D) Shaving of the head.
(E) Drinking of the holy water.

By the eleventh century Sufism evolved into a welldeveloped movement with a body of literature on Quranic studies and sufi practices. Institutionally, the sufis began to organise communities around the hospice or khanqah (Persian) controlled by a teaching master known as shaikh (in Arabic), pir or murshid (in Persian). He enrolled disciples (murids) and appointed a successor (khalifa). He established rules for spiritual conduct and interaction between inmates as well as between laypersons and the master. Sufi silsilas began to crystallise in different parts of the Islamic world around the twelfth century. The word silsila literally means a chain, signifying a continuous link between master and disciple, stretching as an unbroken spiritual genealogy to the Prophet Muhammad. It was through this channel that spiritual power and blessings were transmitted to devotees. Special rituals of initiation were developed in which initiates took an oath of allegiance, wore a patched garment, and shaved their hair.