RAS question
Which Sufi order was the most influential in India?
Correct answer: (A) Chishti.
The Chishti order was the most influential Sufi order in India.
Explanation
NCERT identifies the Chishtis as the most influential Sufi group among those who migrated to India in the late twelfth century, explaining that they succeeded because they adapted to the local environment and absorbed features of Indian devotional traditions. The Chishti order, associated with Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer, became the most popular and widespread order in India. Its major saints included Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, Fariduddin Ganj-i Shakar and Nizamuddin Auliya. NCERT also links the Chishtis with khanqahs, rapid spread through Nizamuddin Auliya's successors, and sama, or mystical music, which was integral to Chishti devotional practice.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) The Suhrawardi order was influential and NCERT notes its association with the Delhi Sultans, but NCERT singles out the Chishtis, not the Suhrawardis, as the most influential Sufi group in India.
- (C) The Naqshbandi order is not the best answer because it arrived later and was more orthodox, while NCERT mentions it in connection with the Mughal state rather than as the most influential order.
- (D) The Qadiri order is not the best answer because it came to India later, and NCERT's relevant passage names the Chishtis as the most influential group.
Concept
This tests the Bhakti-Sufi traditions section of medieval Indian history, especially the relative importance of Sufi silsilas in India. It recurs in RAS because Chishti saints, Ajmer, khanqahs and sama connect religious history with Rajasthan's medieval cultural landscape.