UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 37
With reference to the religious history of medieval India, the Sufi mystics were known to pursue which of the following practices?
- Meditation and control of breath
- Severe ascetic exercises in a lonely place
- Recitation of holy songs to arouse a state of ecstasy in their audience
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
Correct Option: D
Explanation: Indian Sufi orders practised meditative techniques, spiritual seclusion and devotional music, though methods varied among orders.
Statement/Item-wise Analysis:
1: Correct - Some Sufi traditions used breath control and meditation (including zikr practices).
2: Correct - Retreat and austere solitary devotion were part of certain Sufi disciplines.
3: Correct - Sama/qawwali-style sacred singing could induce devotional ecstasy.
Option-wise Analysis:
A: Incorrect - omits correct item 3.
B: Incorrect - omits correct item 1.
C: Incorrect - omits correct items 1, 2.
D: Correct - includes exactly the valid statements/items and excludes the invalid ones.