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CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) Syllabus
The Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) syllabus for CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History in full: 4 chapters and 14 topics, every one listed below, plus 50 Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) flashcards with answers.
Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) syllabus: all 4 chapters
Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.
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Advent of Islam in South Asia
3 topics- Arab Conquest of Sindh
- Spread of Islam through Trade and Sufism
- Impact on Indian Society and Culture
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The Delhi Sultanate
4 topics- Establishment of Muslim Rule
- Major Dynasties
- Administration and Land Revenue System
- Decline of the Sultanate
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The Mughal Empire
4 topics- Foundation and Consolidation
- Mughal Administration
- Successors of Akbar
- Decline of the Mughal Empire
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Muslim Society, Culture and Religious Thought
3 topics- Sufi Orders and Their Influence
- Religious Reform Movements
- Indo-Muslim Art, Architecture and Literature
CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) flashcards — 50 questions with answers
In which year did Muhammad bin Qasim conquer Sindh, and whom did he defeat?
In 712 CE, Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh by defeating Raja Dahir at the Battle of Rawar (near the Indus).
Under which Umayyad governor of Iraq was the Arab expedition to Sindh launched, and who ordered it?
It was launched under Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf, governor of Iraq, with the sanction of Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid I; Muhammad bin Qasim (Hajjaj's nephew/son-in-law) led it.
What incident provided the immediate pretext for the Arab invasion of Sindh in 711-712?
The plunder by sea pirates near Debal of ships carrying gifts/Muslim pilgrims (including women) from Sri Lanka to the Caliph; Raja Dahir's refusal to make amends triggered the invasion.
Which two seaports/towns were the first major conquests of Muhammad bin Qasim in Sindh?
Debal (the first town captured) and then Nerun, followed by Brahmanabad and Multan.
Why was Multan nicknamed by the Arabs after its conquest by Muhammad bin Qasim?
It was called the 'City of Gold' (or House of Gold) because of the immense wealth and treasure found in its great Hindu temple.
What status did Muhammad bin Qasim grant to Hindus and Buddhists in Sindh, and what tax did they pay?
He treated them as Dhimmis (protected non-Muslims), allowed freedom of worship, and levied the jizya (poll tax) in return for protection.
How did the career of Muhammad bin Qasim end?
After the death of Caliph Al-Walid I and Al-Hajjaj, the new Caliph Sulayman recalled and imprisoned him; he died in captivity (c. 715 CE).
Besides military conquest, name two peaceful channels through which Islam spread in the subcontinent.
Trade (Arab merchants on the Malabar/Gujarat coasts) and Sufism (preaching of Sufi saints/dervishes).
Why was Sufism more effective than conquest in spreading Islam among the masses of the subcontinent?
Sufis emphasized love, equality, tolerance and devotion (in local languages), appealing to lower castes and rural people who found Islam's egalitarianism attractive.
Which coastal regions saw the earliest spread of Islam through Arab sea trade, even before northern conquests?
The Malabar Coast (Kerala), Gujarat, and the Konkan coast of western/southern India.
List three social impacts of the establishment of Muslim rule on Indian society.
Weakening of the rigid caste system among converts, introduction of the concept of equality before God, and emergence of a composite Indo-Muslim culture.
Which composite language emerged from the interaction of Persian, Arabic, Turkish and local Indian dialects under Muslim rule?
Urdu (initially called Hindavi/Rekhta), which developed in the camps and markets where soldiers and locals mixed.
Who founded the Delhi Sultanate, and in what year?
Qutb-ud-din Aibak founded the Delhi Sultanate (Mamluk/Slave dynasty) in 1206, after the death of Muhammad Ghori.
Name the five major dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate in chronological order.
Mamluk (Slave) 1206-1290, Khilji 1290-1320, Tughlaq 1320-1414, Sayyid 1414-1451, and Lodhi 1451-1526.
Who was Razia Sultana and why is she historically significant?
Razia Sultana (r. 1236-1240) was the daughter of Iltutmish and the first and only woman to rule the Delhi Sultanate as Sultan.
Which Slave-dynasty ruler is credited with consolidating the Delhi Sultanate and introducing the Iqta system, the silver tanka and copper jital?
Iltutmish (r. 1211-1236), who organized administration, introduced the Iqta system and the standard coins tanka and jital.
What was the Iqta system in the Delhi Sultanate?
A system of land assignment in which territory (iqta) was granted to nobles/officers (muqtis/iqtadars) in lieu of salary; they collected revenue and maintained troops for the Sultan.
Which Khilji ruler introduced sweeping market price-control reforms and the first systematic measurement-based land revenue?
Alauddin Khilji (r. 1296-1316) introduced price controls in Delhi markets and fixed land revenue at about 50% of produce, assessed by measurement (masahat).
What was Alauddin Khilji's main military achievement and his approach to the Mongol threat?
He repelled repeated Mongol invasions and led/sent campaigns (under Malik Kafur) into the Deccan and South India, extending Sultanate influence southward.
Name two notable administrative experiments of Muhammad bin Tughlaq that failed.
The transfer of capital from Delhi to Daulatabad, and the introduction of token (copper/brass) currency, both of which caused chaos and were reversed.
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Which Tughlaq ruler is remembered as a benevolent reformer who built canals, towns, and abolished many oppressive taxes?
Firoz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351-1388), known for irrigation canals, founding cities (e.g. Firozabad, Hisar), and welfare measures.
Whose invasion in 1398 devastated Delhi and hastened the decline of the Tughlaq dynasty?
Timur (Tamerlane) sacked Delhi in 1398, leaving the Sultanate fragmented and weak.
Which battle in 1526 ended the Delhi Sultanate (Lodhi dynasty), and who fought it?
The First Battle of Panipat (1526), where Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodhi, founding the Mughal Empire.
List three major causes of the decline of the Delhi Sultanate.
Weak/incompetent later rulers, the rebellion of provincial governors and rise of regional kingdoms, and the devastating invasion of Timur (1398).
Who founded the Mughal Empire and what was his lineage?
Babur (Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur), descended from Timur on his father's side and Genghis Khan on his mother's side, founded it in 1526.
In which battle did Babur defeat the Rajput confederacy under Rana Sanga, securing Mughal rule in north India?
The Battle of Khanwa (1527), where Babur defeated Rana Sanga of Mewar.
Which Afghan ruler defeated Humayun and temporarily interrupted Mughal rule, and during what years?
Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun (Battles of Chausa 1539 and Kannauj/Bilgram 1540) and ruled 1540-1545, establishing the Sur Empire.
Name three administrative reforms of Sher Shah Suri that influenced later Mughal administration.
A reformed land revenue (zabt) system with surveys, the standardized silver Rupiya coin, and the improved Grand Trunk Road with a sarai (rest-house) postal network.
Who is regarded as the real consolidator of the Mughal Empire, and in which 1556 battle?
Akbar, who secured the empire at the Second Battle of Panipat (1556) by defeating Hemu.
What was Akbar's policy of Sulh-i-Kul?
Sulh-i-Kul meant 'universal peace/reconciliation' a policy of religious tolerance and impartiality among all faiths, the basis of his liberal religious approach.
What was the Din-i-Ilahi introduced by Akbar?
Din-i-Ilahi (Divine Faith), introduced in 1582, was a syncretic ethical/spiritual order blending elements of several religions, centered on loyalty to the emperor; it had very few followers.
Describe Akbar's Mansabdari system.
A graded ranking system where officials (mansabdars) held a numerical rank (mansab) with Zat (personal status/pay) and Sawar (number of cavalry to maintain), structuring the military-administrative hierarchy.
What was the Zabt (Dahsala) land revenue system under Akbar, and who designed it?
Designed largely by Raja Todar Mal, it fixed revenue (about one-third of produce) based on measured land and a ten-year (dahsala) average of prices and yields, paid in cash.
Into what administrative units did Akbar divide the Mughal Empire, from largest to smallest?
Subas (provinces), divided into Sarkars (districts), further into Parganas, with villages (mauza) as the base unit.
Name the four key provincial officers in Akbar's subah administration.
The Subadar/Nazim (governor), the Diwan (revenue), the Bakhshi (military/pay), and the Sadr/Qazi (religious affairs and justice).
Which tax on non-Muslims did Akbar abolish, and which later emperor reimposed it?
Akbar abolished the jizya (and the pilgrimage tax); Aurangzeb reimposed the jizya in 1679.
Who were the immediate successors of Akbar in order?
Jahangir (1605-1627), then Shah Jahan (1628-1658), then Aurangzeb (1658-1707).
For what is Shah Jahan's reign most celebrated, and name two of his monuments.
It is celebrated as the golden age of Mughal architecture; monuments include the Taj Mahal (Agra) and the Red Fort/Jama Masjid (Delhi).
What religious policy of Aurangzeb is often cited as alienating non-Muslims?
His orthodox Sunni policies reimposing jizya (1679), and his conflicts with Marathas, Rajputs and Sikhs which strained the empire.
Until which year did Aurangzeb rule, and why is 1707 a turning point?
He ruled until his death in 1707; his death marks the beginning of the rapid decline and fragmentation of the Mughal Empire.
List four major causes of the decline of the Mughal Empire.
Weak successors after Aurangzeb, the empire's overexpansion and costly Deccan wars, religious/regional revolts (Marathas, Sikhs, Rajputs), and foreign invasions (Nadir Shah 1739, Ahmad Shah Abdali).
Which Persian ruler invaded India in 1739, sacked Delhi, and carried off the Peacock Throne and the Koh-i-Noor?
Nadir Shah of Persia invaded in 1739, sacked Delhi, and looted the Peacock Throne and the Koh-i-Noor diamond.
Name the four major Sufi orders (silsilas) active in the subcontinent.
The Chishtiyya, Suhrawardiyya, Qadiriyya, and Naqshbandiyya orders.
Who founded the Chishti order in India, and which saint made it most popular?
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (of Ajmer) established the Chishti order in India; it spread widely through saints like Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi.
Which Sufi order was known for closeness to rulers and political involvement, contrasting with the Chishtis' aloofness?
The Suhrawardi order (e.g. Bahauddin Zakariya of Multan), which accepted state patronage and remained engaged with the ruling class.
What was the role of the khanqah in Sufi influence?
The khanqah (Sufi hospice/lodge) served as a center for spiritual training, charity, free kitchens (langar), and preaching, attracting people of all faiths and spreading Islam.
Who was Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi (Mujaddid Alf-i-Sani) and what did he advocate?
A Naqshbandi reformer (1564-1624) who opposed Akbar's Din-i-Ilahi and syncretism, advocating return to orthodox Sharia and the doctrine of Wahdat-ush-Shuhud.
Who was Shah Waliullah of Delhi and why is he significant in religious reform?
An 18th-century scholar (1703-1762) who sought to revive Islam, translated the Quran into Persian, reconciled Sufi/orthodox schools, and is seen as a precursor of later Muslim reform/revival movements.
Name two iconic Indo-Muslim architectural works and the rulers/period they belong to.
The Qutb Minar (begun by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, Slave dynasty) and the Taj Mahal (built by Shah Jahan, Mughal period).
Name a major Persian-language historical work and a celebrated poet associated with the Sultanate/Mughal Indo-Muslim literary tradition.
Abul Fazl's Ain-i-Akbari/Akbarnama (Mughal history) and the poet Amir Khusrau (Sultanate era), called the 'Parrot of India' and a pioneer of Indo-Persian poetry and qawwali.
CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) FAQ
What is in the CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) syllabus?
CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) is split into 4 chapters: Advent of Islam in South Asia, The Delhi Sultanate, The Mughal Empire and Muslim Society, Culture and Religious Thought. Together they contain 14 topics.
How many chapters are in CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707)?
4 chapters, containing 14 topics. The largest chapter is The Delhi Sultanate, with 4 topics.
Are there flashcards for CSS Pakistan Affairs Optional History Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707)?
Yes — a 50-card Muslim Rule in the Subcontinent (712-1707) deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.