In one of his famous works, Yahya bin Ahmad Sirhindi claims that the founder of _____ was a descendant of the Prophet.

Correct option is D

The correct answer is (d) Sayyid Dynasty

Explanation:

• Yahya bin Ahmad Sirhindi was a prominent scholar of the 14th century and a notable figure in the Islamic intellectual world.
• In one of his famous works, Sirhindi claimed that the founder of the Sayyid Dynasty was a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.
• The Sayyid Dynasty ruled parts of India in the early 15th century. The founder, Khizr Khan, was believed to have been a descendant of the Prophet through his maternal lineage.

Information Booster:

• The Sayyid Dynasty ruled parts of northern India from 1414 to 1451 and was a short-lived dynasty but important in the political landscape of medieval India.
• Khizr Khan, the founder of the dynasty, was a noble who served under the Timurids and later established himself as the ruler of Delhi.
• The Sayyid Dynasty ruled after the decline of the Tughlaq Dynasty.
• The Sayyid rulers were initially appointed by Timur's descendants, and their rule was largely symbolic due to their limited control over the subcontinent.
• The dynasty ended with the rise of the Lodi Dynasty when Bahlul Lodi took control of Delhi in 1451.

Key Contributions of the Sayyid Dynasty:

1. Establishment of the Sayyid Dynasty:
• Khizr Khan established the Sayyid Dynasty in 1414 after the Tughlaq Dynasty came to an end.
• He was appointed as the ruler of Delhi by Timur's grandson Shah Rukh, and his rule marked the beginning of a period of decline in the Delhi Sultanate's central authority.
2. Political Influence and Weak Rule:
• The Sayyid rulers were mainly puppet rulers who controlled Delhi with the backing of the Timurid Empire.
• Although they were nominally in power, their rule was marked by weak governance and significant political instability, as they lacked the strong military support and control over territories that earlier dynasties had.
3. Battle of Delhi:
• During the rule of Mubarak Shah Sayyid, the Sayyid Dynasty had to deal with the growing power of the Lodi Dynasty.
• In 1451, the Sayyid Dynasty was overthrown in a battle when Bahlul Lodi, the founder of the Lodi Dynasty, defeated the last Sayyid ruler Ala-ud-Din Alam Shah.
• This battle effectively ended the Sayyid Dynasty and paved the way for the rise of the Lodi Dynasty, which would later lead to the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate's Lodi rulers.
4. Cultural Contributions:
• The Sayyid Dynasty did not contribute much in terms of military expansion or architectural achievements, but it played an important role in maintaining political continuity in a period of transition.
• Some administrative practices and military strategies continued under their reign, influencing the subsequent Lodi Dynasty.
5. Decline and Transition to the Lodi Dynasty:
• After the death of Ala-ud-Din Alam Shah, the Sayyid Dynasty came to an end with the Lodi Dynasty taking control in 1451.
• The Lodi Dynasty further solidified the Sultanate’s position before it eventually fell to the Mughal Empire.

Additional Knowledge:

(a) Ghaznavid Dynasty: The Ghaznavid Dynasty, founded by Mahmud of Ghazni, was not claimed to have descended from the Prophet by Sirhindi.
(b) Tughlaq Dynasty: The Tughlaq Dynasty was founded by Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughlaq, but there is no claim of its founder being a descendant of the Prophet in Sirhindi’s works.
(c) Ghurid Dynasty: The Ghurid Dynasty ruled from the 12th century, with figures like Muhammad of Ghor, but it does not claim direct descent from the Prophet Muhammad according to Sirhindi.