The approach followed while mentioning the social reform
activities during the medieval period would be to focus not on individual kings
and their achievements but to the extent of their contribution to changes in
social institutions and structure. The Muslim Sultanate who formed a
significant phase of the medieval period were motivated and driven by the same
spirit of social service in the fields of religion and education.
Social welfare during Sultanate:
Sultanate was Islamic state. The kings or Sultans took the
responsibilities of maintaining peace, protection from external attacks,
levying and realization of taxes, providing justice to the subjects. Besides,
the ling did a little foe the social welfare of the masses. In the sultanate,
Malik Ali, a noble of Balban was more generous in giving alms to the needy
people. He always gave a gold or silver coin to the beggars. Ghias-ud-in
Tughlak was a charitable king. Mohammad Gawan was a classical example of utter
benevolence in the sultanate. He spent all his wealth on the poor and himself
ate coursed food of peasant and slept on the ground with a straw mat. There was
a tradition of distribution of gifts by the Sheikhs to the needy Muslims who
came to their Khanquahs. Usually one of the disciples of the sheikh was
appointed as a manager to look after the welfare of the needy.
Social Welfare during the Mughal Rule:
Humayun was
the first Muslim king who took a bold attempt to prohibit the ‘Sati’ system.
Akbar was the great ruler who, not only brought many reforms in Indian society
but also abolished slavery, child marriage and alcoholism and issued strict
orders for those who were indulged in such activities. He took initiatives to
maintain equality among the people irrespective of their class and religion. He
also adopted a secular policy of equality and granted full freedom to the
subjects in the matters of religious beliefs and practices. He was quite
liberal in granting money and land for the benefits of Hindus, Jains, and
Parsees etc. Akbar had a comprehensive system of poor relief. Under this system
poor relief was of two types. The first
was granting relief in cash and
kind to any and every needy person who appeared before him at his daily court.
The second type was a systematic and organized social assistance which
was provided regularly. Wazifas or stipends were also given to the students. He
constructed three shelter homes for the poor in order to control beggary.