“When he ascended the throne, he was completely independent of the rules and regulations of the Sharia.” Baruni said this about which Sultan?
Barani stated that Alauddin Khilji ruled independently of orthodox Islamic law (Sharia). He believed kingship should not be controlled by religious scholars. Alauddin implemented strict administrative, revenue and market reforms based on political necessity rather than religious guidelines, asserting absolute authority and strengthening the Sultanate. His policies aimed at ensuring state security and economic stability, not religious compliance. ANSWER: (B) Alauddin Khilji
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Ziauddin Barani, the 14th-century chronicler, observed that Alauddin Khilji exercised absolute sovereign authority and consciously detached governance from the influence of Islamic clerics. According to Barani, Alauddin believed a ruler’s decisions should not be restricted by Sharia if state interests demanded otherwise. He introduced wide-ranging reforms—price control measures, market regulation, strict revenue collection, anti-corruption steps and military reorganisation—based on practical governance, not religious doctrine. Alauddin argued that political stability, military strength and economic efficiency were superior objectives. His autonomy from Sharia represented a shift toward a more centralised, pragmatic and secular administration within the Delhi Sultanate.