1. What is the core belief of Islam?
A) Polytheism
B) Monotheism and submission to one God
C) Worship of saints and idols
D) Meditation as the primary religious practice
2. What is the Shariat in Islam?
A) The biography of Prophet Muhammad
B) The Islamic holy law
C) A collection of Sufi poems
D) A ritual dance performed by Sufis
3. Who were the Sufis?
A) Muslim mystics who emphasized personal devotion to God
B) Warriors who spread Islam through conquest
C) Merchants who traded across Asia and Africa
D) Religious scholars who enforced Sharia law
4. How did Sufism differ from orthodox Islam?
A) It focused on rigid adherence to rituals
B) It emphasized love, devotion, and union with God over formal religious laws
C) It rejected the idea of a personal relationship with God
D) It strictly followed legalistic interpretations of the Quran
5. Which of the following was NOT a common practice among Sufis?
A) Zikr (chanting of sacred names)
B) Sama (spiritual singing and music)
C) Raqs (whirling dance)
D) Human sacrifices
6. What were Sufi silsilas?
A) Lineages of Sufi teachers and disciples
B) Holy books of Sufism
C) Special garments worn by Sufi saints
D) Secret religious societies
7. Who was the founder of the Chishti Sufi order in India?
A) Baba Farid
B) Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti
C) Nizamuddin Auliya
D) Sheikh Nuruddin Wali
8. Where did Sufi saints hold spiritual gatherings and teach their disciples?
A) Temples
B) Mosques
C) Khanqahs (hospices)
D) Fortresses
9. Which Sufi order was particularly influential in Kashmir?
A) Chishti
B) Qadiri
C) Suhrawardi
D) Rishi
10. What role did Sufi shrines (dargahs) play in medieval Indian society?
A) They served only as places of burial for saints
B) They became centers of spiritual guidance, healing, and social gatherings for people of all faiths
C) They were restricted to Muslim followers only
D) They were places where only religious scholars gathered
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Answers and Explanations
1. B) Monotheism and submission to one God
Islam is based on the belief in one God (Allah) and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.
2. B) The Islamic holy law
Shariat is the legal and moral code in Islam, developed by religious scholars.
3. A) Muslim mystics who emphasized personal devotion to God
Sufis were Islamic mystics who focused on inner spirituality and love for God.
4. B) It emphasized love, devotion, and union with God over formal religious laws
Sufism was more personal and emotional, focusing on divine love rather than strict legalism.
5. D) Human sacrifices
Sufi practices included zikr, sama, and raqs but did not involve sacrifices.
6. A) Lineages of Sufi teachers and disciples
Silsilas were spiritual lineages connecting Sufi masters to their disciples, forming different orders.
7. B) Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti
Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti established the Chishti order in India, promoting love and tolerance.
8. C) Khanqahs (hospices)
Sufi saints taught and provided shelter in khanqahs, which were open to all.
9. D) Rishi
The Rishi order of Sufism, founded by Sheikh Nuruddin Wali (Nund Rishi), was influential in Kashmir.
10. B) They became centers of spiritual guidance, healing, and social gatherings for people of all faiths
Sufi shrines attracted devotees from different religions, promoting harmony and spiritual healing.
