Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities
Year : 2014, Volume : 4, Issue : 5
First page : ( 673) Last page : ( 679)
Online ISSN : 2249-7315.

Sufi—Sultan Relations in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Century: Current Trends in Historiography

Banerjee Sushmita

Doctoral Candidate, Department of History, University of Delhi

Online published on 7 May, 2014.

Abstract

This paper discusses the current trends in research in the relationship between the Chishti sufis and Delhi sultans in the medieval times. Historians have put forward divergent viewpoints regarding the changing nature of relationship between the sufis and sultans wherein some scholars highlight the completely otherworldly attitude of the sufis, some demonstrate the creation of space and gradual change in the attitude of the sufis towards defiance, and others illustrate how the spiritual authority of the sufis challenged the temporal authority of the Delhi Sultans and hence narrativize the complexities in their relationship. This paper synthesizes the divergent viewpoints on this subject to provide a lucid understanding to the issues underlying in the sufi—sultan relationship in the thirteenth and fourteenth century.

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Keywords

Sufis, Delhi Sultans, Spiritual authority, Temporal power, otherworldliness, Chishtis.

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