The Legacy of Muslim Rule in India c8.s1.1

c8.s1.1

The State that these Muslim invaders and rulers set up in India was a theocracy. This is the conclusion arrived at by Jadunath Sarkar,¹ R.P. Tripathi,² K.M.Ashraf,³ T.P. Hughes,⁴ the *Encyclopaedia of Islam*⁵ and many others. All the institutions that the Muslims either evolved or adopted were intended to subserve the law,⁶ observes Tripathi. On the other hand, I.H. Qureshi says that the supremacy of the Shara (Islamic law) has misled some into thinking that the Sultanate was a theocracy.⁷ Qureshis contention may not be taken seriously, because he tries to eulogize every aspect of Muslim rule in India.⁸ But even Mohammad Habib declares that it (Muslim state in India) was not a theocratic state in any sense of the word and that its foundation was, non-religious and secular.⁹