Preface

In my book The Legacy of Muslim Rule in India, I had said that ‘It is not, pertinent here to make a detailed study of the Muslim slave system which was an institution as peculiar as it was unique.’ A detailed study of the Muslim slave system in medieval India is being made here. In The Legacy I had also said that ‘the best way to understand the content and spirit of Muslim rule in India  is by going through Muslim scriptures (as) all medieval chroniclers were scholars of Muslim law.’ In their writings they often quote from their holy books to vindicate the actions of their conquerors and kings. Hence Muslim scriptural sources are referred to quite often in the present work which is a study both in the theory and practice of Islamic slavery

BA-57A Ashok Vihar
Delhi - 110 052

K.S.LAL
10 January 1994

---