The Administration of the Sultanate of Dehli c13.39

c13.39

Ghiyāth-u'd-dīn Tughluq took a personal interest in the scholars of his reign and was generous in helping them.³ Nothing could, however, equal the extravagance of his son, Muḥammad, the stories of whose generosity sound almost fabulous; but they are based on authorities whose evidence cannot be questioned. Baranī records a list of some of his gifts, a justification for his remark that the sultan gave so much that the recipient was left wonderstruck. The fame of this generosity reached the four corners of the Muslim world and drew the talent of distant countries to Dehlī.⁴ The sultan was himself a great scholar: he possessed an extensive knowledge of the Persian classics, Islamic history, philosophy, mathematics and astronomy. He was a learned physician who practised the experimental method.⁵ His regular companions were philosophers and scholars with whom he held constant discussions; there were few who could withstand his penetrating cross-examination.⁶ In addition to the sciences, the sultan had a great passion for poetry. He himself was a poet; he possessed undoubted powers of criticism and appreciation.⁷ The most famous and Hindustan. Amir Khusraw and Hasan shed lustre on the prince's entourage.¹ The profligate Kaiqubad did not discontinue patronage of learning; but his example was not likely to encourage any earnestness of purpose.²