Q69.
With reference to the religious history of medieval India, the Sufi mystics were known to pursue which of the following practices? 1. Meditation and control of breath. 2. Severe ascetic exercises in a lonely place. 3. Recitation of holy songs to arouse a state of ecstasy in their audience. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Answer
D
Explanation
All three practices are associated with Sufi mystics: (1) Meditation and control of breath (zikr/breathing exercises) are central to Sufi practice. (2) Severe ascetic exercises in solitary retreat (chilla/khalwa) are practiced by Sufis. (3) Recitation of holy songs (qawwali/sama) to arouse ecstasy is a hallmark Sufi practice. All three are mentioned in NCERT Medieval India (S.K. Pandey, Chapter 8).