Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c5.s1.52

c5.s1.52

Another limitation was put on the powers of the Sultan by the requirements of a faith which he professed in common with other members of the ruling classes. The Sultan may not have been a believing Muslim in his private life nor cared seriously for the welfare of the faith, but he had to maintain an outward show of respect for the rituals and the symbols of Islam; in the case of the early Sultans of Delhi, their faith was about the only principle of union and cohesion in the conquering tribe. A show of respect to Islam further enhanced the prestige of the ruler.¹