SSC
The famous book on India, 'Tahqiq-i-Hind' (Kitab-ul-Hind), was written by:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option A — Al-Biruni
Detailed Solution
"Tahqiq ma li-l-Hind" ("An Enquiry into India"), also known as "Kitab-ul-Hind", was written by the great scholar Al-Biruni in the early 11th century.
About Al-Biruni:
- His full name was Abu Rayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad Al-Biruni.
- He was born in 973 CE in Khwarizm (in present-day Uzbekistan), and died in about 1048 CE.
- He was one of the greatest scholars of the medieval world, an expert in mathematics, astronomy, physics, medicine, geography, history and languages.
- He spent several years in India in the early 11th century.
- He learnt Sanskrit, and studied Indian texts on philosophy, religion, astronomy, mathematics and other subjects.
About the Kitab-ul-Hind:
- It was written in Arabic, around 1030 CE.
- It has 80 chapters, on subjects such as religion, philosophy, festivals, astronomy, alchemy, manners and customs, social life, weights and measures, iconography, laws and metrology.
- NCERT describes it as a simple and lucid book, in which each chapter begins with a question, followed by a description based on Sanskritic traditions, and a comparison with other cultures.
Al-Biruni's approach:
- He tried to understand Indian society objectively, by reading Sanskrit texts.
- He described the caste system, and compared it with similar divisions in ancient Persian society.
He identified three "barriers" to understanding India: language (Sanskrit was very different from Arabic and Persian), differences in religious beliefs and practices, and the self-absorption and insularity of the local population.
He criticised Indian scholars for being unwilling to share knowledge with outsiders.
He translated several Sanskrit works into Arabic, including Patanjali's work on grammar and parts of Euclid's work into Sanskrit.
Other travellers:
- "Ibn Battuta": Moroccan traveller of the 14th century; wrote the "Rihla".
- "Al-Masudi": Arab historian of the 10th century.
- "Minhaj-us-Siraj": historian of the Delhi Sultanate.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Ibn Battuta wrote the "Rihla".
- ✗Al-Masudi wrote "Meadows of Gold".
- ✗Minhaj-us-Siraj was a historian of the Delhi Sultanate.
Quick tip
Remember: Kitab-ul-Hind (Tahqiq ma li-l-Hind) = Al-Biruni (Arabic, about 1030 CE, 80 chapters; three barriers to understanding India); Rihla = Ibn Battuta.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms Questions
View all ›- Q1.The Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty was founded by:
- Q2.Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni was a contemporary of which Chola ruler?
- Q3.Who was the court poet of Harshavardhana and the author of the 'Harshacharita'?
- Q4.In the battle on the banks of the Narmada, the Chalukya king Pulakeshin II defeated:
- Q5.The Shore Temple at Mamallapuram was built during the reign of:
More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India from about the 7th to the 12th century: the Rajput dynasties, the tripartite struggle between the Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas, and the South Indian kingdoms of the Chalukyas, Pallavas, Cholas and Pandyas, along with the Sangam age and the temple architecture of the period. Questions often ask which dynasty built a temple (the Pallavas built the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram, and Rajaraja Chola I built the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur), the capitals of dynasties, and the local self-government of the Cholas. Learning each dynasty with its capital, greatest ruler and one monument is the quickest way to answer these questions. Practise the early medieval India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.