How can u say that Mohmmad-bin-Tughlaq was 'a mixture of opposites'?
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:
No ruler in Medieval India has earned so much controversy regarding his character and policies as Muhammad Tughlaq. One controversy regarding Muhammad is that “Whether he was a mixture of opposite”? Dr. V. A. Smith maintains, “He was a mixture of opposite as Jahangir was in his later life.” Dr. Ishwari Persad, however, contradicted this view. He writes, “Only when viewed superficially Muhammad appears to be an amazing comprised of contradictions but he was not really so”.
In the history of India, if there was any strange ruler, it was Tughlaq. It was difficult to form a correct estimate of his character and personality not only today but also he remained a problem for his contemporaries too.
Dr. V. A. Smith maintains, “His character has exercised the scholar ever since and to determine his place in history is a difficult task, was he genius or lunatic? An idealistic or visionary? A blood thirsty tyrant or benevolent being? A heretic or devoted Muslim? Muhammad Tughlaq was mixture of two opposites like Jahangir.”
Dr. K. A. Nizami does not accept him as a mixture of opposite. According to him the inconsistency of Barani’s statement has created wrong impression about the Sultan among modern historians.
To see the real picture, we have to analyze the different aspects of his life. In the following lines, different aspects of his life are narrated in order to reach a conclusion whether he was a mixture of opposites. Some modern historians have described the Sultan as mixture of opposites on following grounds:
1. He was extremely humble but at the same time extremely arrogant.
2. At one time, Sultan appeared before the court of the Qazi and asked to treat him as an ordinary person and accepted his judgment but at the other time, he inflicted death penalty for ordinary offences.
3. Similarly at times, he was extremely generous and at other times, an extremely narrow minded. According to Sir Wolsley Haig, “Some of his administrative and most of his military measures give evidence of the highest order, other are the acts of madness”.
To establish further opinion whether he was a mixture of opposites or not, both the bright and the dark sides of his personality will further enable to have a particular opinion about Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
BRIGHT SIDE OF HIS CHARACTER
He possessed some rare qualities as were not to be found in any other ruler of that period.
LEARNED SCHOLAR & VERSATILE GENIUS
He had mastery over different sciences like politics, astronomy, mathematics, logic, medicine etc. He was also able in logic that people called him “Aristotle of that age”. Thomas called him the prince of Moneyers.
Lane Pool says, “M. Tughlaq was most striking figure of medieval India. He was perfect in humanities of his days, a keen student of Persian poetry, the Loin of Indian education, a master of style, supreme eloquent in an age of rhetoric.”
GENEROUS
He always helped the poor with money; opened free and charitable hospitals and treated the foreigners kindly.
RELIGIOUS & PIOUS MAN
He used to say his five prayers regularly and punctually and punished those who did not do so. Ibn-e-Batuta says, “He follows the principles of religion with devoutness and performs the prayers himself and punishes those who neglect them”.
But he did not act upon the advice of the Muslims like his cousin. That is why, certain historians called him witched.
TOLERANT TOWARDS THE HINDUS
He treated them kindly and gave them high posts and tried to stop sati system.
JUST MONARCH
He dealt equally with the Muslims and the Hindus: Shia and Sunni. Once he appeared in the court of Qazi and received 21 strokes of taking cane willingly.
GREAT GENERAL
He established peace and order in his country. In short, there were many admirable qualities possessed by him.
Muhammad Tughlaq ascended the throne in 1325. He is an attractive figure in medieval history. He inherited it to the extent that no other Sultan of Delhi ruled so vast empire. He believed in absolute power of Sultan. Neither Ulma nor ministers were allowed to advise him.
DISTINCTIVE FEATURE OF ADMINISTATIVE STRUCTURE
The distinctive feature of his administrative structure is that he distributed state officers on merit and gave these to the Muslims and the Hindus alike.