Politics affected by Ulema under the Delhi Sultans and Mughal Emperors: A Historical Review

Ulema is the Muslim scholars in the Islamic world. Ulema played an important role in the polity, society and culture during the Medieval Indian History. The contribution of Ulema attracted in social, religious and intellectual dynamisms in medieval India. The Ulema played an important role in the Muslim society to learn the literature, law, and doctrines of Islam. They were the judges, jurist, priests, leaders, scholars, teachers, readers of Quran and Hadith, recitals of traditions, Sufis, functionaries of mosque and madrasa in the medieval Indian society. Ulema helped to carry on the teaching of Islam, enforced its moral, upheld its law, proclaimed its doctrines, suppressed corruption and vice. The present study analyse the role of Ulema in medieval India. This paper focuses on the contribution of Ulema in the Slave Dynasty, Khilji Dynasty, Tughlaq Dynasty, Sayyid Dynasty, Lodhi Dynasty, and at the reign of Mughal rulers such as Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shahjahan, and Aurangzeb. This paper also focuses on the fatawa literature imposed by Ulema on the Muslim society during the medieval India.