Author: Anu Kumari & Dr. Manasi Das
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.70798/Bijmrd/02110023
Abstract: Arabia and the Indian subcontinent have had trade links since antiquity. Islam first came into contact with India through newly converted Arabs. Muhammad Bin Qasim led an Arab army that overran Sindh in the eighth century (E&D, 1871). Mahmud of Ghazni and Muhammad Ghori invaded India in the tenth century, which ultimately resulted in the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate. Nearly eight centuries of Muslim dominance had a profound impact on India’s history, culture, politics, and governance. In 1211 AD, Iltutmish assumed the role as Sultan of Delhi.He appointed his daughter Raziya, Sultan of Delhi, instead of his sons. Raziya was the only woman to ascend to the throne of Delhi by popular consent. Given that her reign and accession occurred in a society with strict and defined gender roles, they gain significance. Despite being despised by some males, she was an effective ruler. “She possessed all the attributes of a king, but she was not of the right sex, so in the estimation of men, all these virtues were worthless,” a historian notes.Thapar (1966).As a result, we may observe that although India had a female monarch during the Sultanate era, this was more of an anomaly than the norm. Ordinary women continued to be absent from publiclife. This is among the causes of the paucity of data regarding the social history of Muslim women during this time. The purdah practice is another factor. The Shari’a and passages from the Qur’an were interpreted throughout this time by Muslim theologians, or ulema. The orthodox Islamic tradition, which views women as fitna (potential disorder), served as the foundation for the ulema’s stance on women.As a result, social interaction between men and women had to be regulated, which resulted in restrictions onfemale sexuality and the exclusion of women from public areas. The Ulema supported women’s education as well, but it had to be purely Islamic (i.e., based on the Qur’an), promoting morality and family values among women (Kazi, 1999).The status of women was mostly unchanged during the nearly two centuries of the Delhi Sultanate. The Delhi Sultanate came to an end in 1526 AD when Babur beat the remaining Ladis in the battle of Panipat, ushering in the Mughal era in India.
Keywords: Trade Relation, Period, Sultanate Period, Estimation, Position, Family
Page No: 199-204