SSC
The scholar Al-Biruni came to India in the 11th century in the company of which invader from Afghanistan?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option A — Mahmud of Ghazni
Detailed Solution
The scholar Abu Rayhan Al-Biruni came to India in the company of Mahmud of Ghazni (Mahmud Ghaznavi), in the early 11th century.
How Al-Biruni came to India:
- Al-Biruni was a scholar at the court of the rulers of Khwarizm (Central Asia).
- In 1017 CE, Mahmud of Ghazni conquered Khwarizm and took several scholars and poets back to Ghazni as hostages; Al-Biruni was one of them.
- He then accompanied Mahmud on his campaigns into India, and spent many years in the Punjab and other parts of north-western India.
- During this time, he learnt Sanskrit, studied Indian books on religion, philosophy, astronomy and mathematics, and talked with Brahmana scholars.
His work on India:
- He wrote a detailed account of Indian society, religion, philosophy, science and customs in Arabic, completed around 1030 CE.
- He tried to understand Indian society objectively, and compared Indian ideas with those of the Greeks.
NCERT on Al-Biruni:
- NCERT notes that he faced several barriers in understanding India: differences in language, differences in religious beliefs and practices, and the self-absorption and insularity of the local people.
- It notes that he was critical of the caste system and the notion of pollution.
About Mahmud of Ghazni:
- He ruled Ghazni (in present-day Afghanistan) from 998 to 1030 CE.
- He was the son of Sabuktigin, the founder of the Ghaznavid dynasty.
- He invaded India about 17 times, mainly to plunder the wealth of temples and cities.
- He was a patron of scholars and poets; the Persian poet Firdausi wrote the "Shahnama" (Book of Kings) at his court, and the historian Utbi wrote his history.
Other scholars and travellers:
- Ibn Battuta: a Moroccan traveller who came to India in the 14th century.
- Amir Khusrau: a poet of the Delhi Sultanate.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Muhammad Ghori invaded India in the late 12th century.
- ✗Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh in the 8th century.
- ✗Sabuktigin was Mahmud's father.
Quick tip
Remember: Al-Biruni came with Mahmud of Ghazni (taken from Khwarizm in 1017); Mahmud (998-1030) = 17 raids; Firdausi (Shahnama) at his court.
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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.