Abu Rehn Alberuni whose real name was Mohammad Bin Ahmad was a famous historian, mathematician, philosopher, poet and scholar of the court of Mahmud Ghaznavi.

He spent several years in India. His book ‘Tahquiq-e-Hind’ is a very valuable source of information of economic, political, religious and social conditions prevailing in contemporary India.

He studied Sanskrit with a view to read the philosophical and religious books of the Hindus. He also rendered the Puranas and the Bhagwadgita into Persian.

On astronomy, he wrote a scholarly book entitled ‘Alqanuwal- Masudi’. His books have now been translated in almost all the major languages of the world.

Alberuni’s Account of India:

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(i) Social conditions:

Indian society was cast-ridden. Several evil prac­tices like child marriage, prohibition of widow marriage, ‘Sati’ and ‘Jauhar’ existed in the Hindu society. Only the Brahmans had the right to attain salvation. People had a very narrow outlook.

(ii) Religious conditions:

Idol worship was prevalent. Brahamans had the sole privilege of reading the Hindu scriptures.

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(iii) Political conditions:

Alberuni informs as that the feeling of nationalism among the Indians was almost absent. The country was fragmented into a number of independent states. These states were jealous of each other and constantly engaged in fights against one another.

(iv) Legal system:

According to Alberuni, criminal law was very mild in India. The Brahmanas were exempted from death punishment. The limbs of serious offenders were amputated.

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(v) Economic conditions:

King was not the owner of the land. He took land tax from the peasants at the rate of one-sixth of the produce.

(vi) Philosophical conditions:

Alberuni has unreservedly praised In­dian philosophy. He was particularly impressed by the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita.

(vii) Little historical sense:

Alberuni found that the Indians did not evince much interest in writing chronological history.

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