History of Muslims in India Chapter 4

History of Muslims in India

Early Arrival of Islam in India

• Arab traders brought Islam to India as early as the 7th century AD to the Malabar Coast.
• Sufis played a significant role in the spread of Islam in India.
• The first mosque of India, the Cheraman Juma Mosque, was built in 629 AD.

Delhi Sultanate (1206-1526)

Slave or Ilbari Dynasty (1206-1290)

• Qutubuddin Aibak (1206-1210):
  • Capital was Lahore, then Delhi.
  • Known as Lakh-Baksh (giver of lakhs).
  • Laid the foundation for Qutub Minar.
  • Died while playing Chaugan (Polo).
  • Built the first mosque in India, Quwwat-ul-Islam (Delhi) and Dhai Din Ka Jhopara (Ajmer).
• Iltutmish (1210-1236):
  • Got his authority as Sultan of Delhi recognized by the Caliph of Baghdad.
  • Completed Qutub Minar.
  • Called "Father of Tomb Building".
  • Issued purely Arabic Coins of silver (Tanka) and copper (Jital).
  • Organized a band of forty trusted nobles called "Turkan-i-Chihalgani".
  • Divided his empire into IQTAS, an assignment of land in lieu of salary for his officers.
• Razia (1236-1240):
  • First and last Muslim lady ruler in medieval India.
  • Disregarded purdah, adorned male attire, and rode out in public on elephant back.
  • Killed along with her husband Altunia (Governor of Bhatinda) by Bahram Shah, a son of Iltutmish.

Ghiyasuddin Balban (1266-1286)

• Member of Chalisa, but abolished the Turkan-i-Chihalgani.
• Separated the military department from the finance department.
• Declared the Sultan as the representative of God on Earth.
• Believed in a semi-divine theory of kingship.
• Introduced the Sijdah, Paibos, and Persian festival Nauroz.
• Instructed Ulemas to confine themselves to religious affairs and not to engage in political activities.
• Adopted the Iron and Blood policy.

Khalji Dynasty (1290-1320)

Jalaluddin Firoz Khalji (1290-1296)

• Founded the Khilji Dynasty.
• Believed that a large majority of people in India are Hindus, the state cannot be a total Islamic state.

Alauddin Khalji (1296-1316)

• Conquered Gujarat (Karnal Singh, Vaghela king).
• Reason for conquest was because of King Wife Kamla Devi and Malik Kafur.
• Ratan Singh's wife Padmini committed suicide (Jauhar) when her husband was defeated.
• Malik Kafur was the trusted General of Alauddin, who defeated all Kingdoms of Deccan (south).
• Built Alai Darwaza, his capital at Siri, and an entrance door to Qutub Minar.
• Adopted the title Sikandar-i-sani.
• Famous for his Market Control Policy in Delhi.
• First Sultan to have a Permanent Army, paid soldiers in cash, imported horses, a detail description of each soldier, and each horse (dagh) was kept for the first time.
• First Turkish Sultan of Delhi to separate religion from politics.
• Proclaimed that "kingship knows no kinship".
• Illiterate, but a patron of Amir Khusrau and Mir Hasan Dehlvi.

Tughlaq Dynasty (1320-1414)

Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq (1320-1325)

• Founded the Tughlaq Dynasty.
• Built a fort and capital called Tughlaqabad in Delhi.
• Took keen interest in irrigation fields by a network of canals and formulated a famine policy.
• Died due to sabotage arranged by his son, Jauna Khan.

Mohammad Bin Tughlaq (1325-1351)

• Regarded as the most controversial figure in Indian history due to the following projects:
  • Monetary reforms (token coins of bronze taka in place of silver tankas).
  • Increased taxes in the Doab region (failed due to famine and plague).
  • Shifted capital from Delhi to Devagiri in 1327 (Daulatabad-Maharastra).
  • Planning for expedition for the conquest of Khurasan and Iraq.
  • Conquest of Qarachil (Kumaon hills).
  • Setup of a new department for agriculture (Dewan-i-Kohi).

Bahmani Sultanate (1347-1527)

• Founded by Hasan Gangu, who declared independence from the Delhi Sultanate.

Indo-Islamic Culture

• Influenced by Persian, Arabic, and Turkish cultures.
• Introduced new forms of art, architecture, literature, and music.

Lodi Dynasty (1451-1526)

• They were Afghans by race (considered the first Afghan dynasty of India).

Bahlol Lodi (1451-1489)

• Got control of Delhi.
• Introduced copper Bahloli coins.

Sikandar Lodi (1489-1517)

• Noblest of the three Lodi rulers.
• Introduced the Gaz-i-Sikandari (Sikandar's yard) of 32 digits for measuring cultivated fields.
• Founded the city of Agra (original name Yoginipur) and made it as his capital.

Ibrahim Lodi (1517-1526)

• Defeated and killed by Babur in the First battle of Panipat in 1526.

Mughal Empire (1526-1857)

Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur (1526-1530)

• Founder of the Mughal empire in India.
• King of Farghana in Afghanistan.
• Invited to attack India by Daulat Khan Lodi (Punjab), Alam Khan (uncle of Ibrahim Lodi), and Rana Sanga.
• Used the Tulghama system of Warfare in the First Battle of Panipat and his artillery was led by Ustad Ali and Mustafa.
• Established Mughal empire after the First Battle of Panipat.

Humayun (1530-1540, 1555-1556)

• Nasiruddin Muhammad Humayun succeeded Babur.
• Built Dinpanah at Delhi as his second capital.
• Defeated by Sher Shah at Chausa (Battle of Chausa) in 1539, but escaped.
• Defeated by Sher Shah at Kannauj (Battle of Kannauj or Bilgram) in 1540, and had to flee.
• Spent nearly 15 years (1540-1555) in exile.
• Had a chance to return in 1555. Bairam Khan, his most faithful officer, helped him in the re-establishment of the Mughal Empire.
• Died in 1556, when he fell from his Library building's stairs (Sher Mandal, Delhi).
• Gulbadan Begum, his half-sister, wrote his biography known as Humayun-Nama.

Sher Shah Suri (1540-1545)

• Divided his empire into 47 Sarkars, which were divided into several parganas.
• Village was the lowest unit of administration.
• Made the local village headmen and zamindars responsible for local crime.
• Established a highly centralized government.
• Built many sarais.
• Improved the land revenue system by adopting Zabti-i-Har-Sal.
• Abolished all internal customs and duties.
• Built three important roads: Agra-Jodhpur-Chittor, Lahore-Multan, and Agra-Burhanpur.
• Built 1700 sarais which also worked as dak chaukis.
• Succeeded by his son, Islam Shah.

Akbar (1556-1605)

• Born to Hamida Bano Begum at Amarkot in 1542.
• Abolished Pilgrim tax, Jiziah, and Sati System.
• Founded Din-i-Ilahi in 1582.
• Introduced the Mansabdari System and odarmal Zabti System.
• Founder of the Mughal Empire.
• Built Buland Darwza at Fatehpur Sikri to commemorate his conquest of Gujarat.
• Laid the foundation of the city of Fatehpur Sikri.
• Nine gems in his court: Mahesh, Todarmal, Tansen, Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khana, Mulla do Pyaza, Hakim Hukum, Abul Fazal, Faizi, and Maan Singh.
• Financial advisor was Todar Mal.
• First Indian ruler to organize Haj pilgrim at the expense of the state.

Jahangir (1605-1627)

• Born at Lahore in 1569 AD.
• Nuruddin Muhammad Jahangir.
• Popularly known as Salim.
• Married Mehrun Nisa, the widow of Sher Afghani in 1611.
• Established Zanjir-i-Adal at Agra Fort for the seekers of royal justice.
• Built Shalimar and Nishat Bagh in Kashmir and 'Chain of Justice' was outside his palace in Agra.
• Known for painting lover