Examine the significance of Al-Biruni's book ‘Kitab-ul-Hind’ in the study of Indian History. 

I. The Kitab-ul-Hind : Al-Biruni's Kitab-ul-Hind, written in Arabic, is simple and lucid. It is a voluminous text, divided into 80 chapters on subjects such as religion and philosophy, festivals, astronomy, alchemy manners and customs, social life, weights and measures, iconography, laws and metrology. II. Al-Biruni’s description of India 1. Political Condition : It is clear from Al-Biruni's account that the country was divided into many small parts at that time. More famous among them being Kannauj, Kashmir, Sind, Malwa, Gujarat and Bengal. In the south also there were many small kingdoms in India. All these kingdoms were independent, jealous of each other and were constantly engaged in quarrels against one another. About the Indian judicial system he writes that criminal law was mild in India and the Brahmins were exempted from death punishment. The limbs of serious offenders were amputated. The judges dispensed justice on the basis of the evidence of the witnesses. Punishment was given according to the cost of the theft committed. About the land system and taxation Al-Biruni mentions that the king was not the owner of the land. He took only the land tax. The king took from the peasants l/6th of the produce as tax but the Brahmins were exempted even from this tax.

2. Social Condition : Al-Biruni writes that contemporary Indian society was ridden with the rigid caste system. The country was suffering from many evil practices of child marriage, prohibition of widow remarriage, Sati and Jauhar. There was no feeling of unity and equality in Indian society. In this Tehkikat-I-Hind he mentions about the narrow outlook of Indians saying that Hindus are of the belief that there is no country like India, no king like theirs and no science like theirs. The caste system has reached its peak during the time of Mahmud’s invasions. Al-Biruni mentions that in the society only brahmins had the right to attain salvation. Apart from getting his posts, Brahmins were exempted from payment of taxes.

3. Religious Conditions : Al-Biruni account tells us that time idol worship was prevalent in the country and there was lots of wealth in the temples. Common people believed in many Gods but the scholars and educated people believed in the unity of God head. Al-Biruni writes about this that the Hindus believed in one God which is permanent, all powerful and all pervading.

4. Indian Philosophy : Al-Biruni has unreservedly praised Indian philosophy. He was specially impressed by the Upanishads and the spiritual philosophy propounded in the Bhagwadgita. But he also mentioned that Indians did not evince much taste for writing chronological history. According to him the Indians know very little about the chronology of historical events and if pressed too much, they start narrating stories. He also points out towards the fact that Indians do not give much importance to the exchange of knowledge. He writes, 'Hindus are very miserly in giving their knowledge with great difficulty even amongst their own community what to talk of foreigners.”