Who Was Raziya Sultan?

Introduction 

Razia Sultan was the one of the strongest rulers of the entire Delhi sultanate. She was the first Muslim ruler who ruled the northern part of India. She is also the only Muslim woman who becomes ruler of the Delhi sultanate. She was born in 1205 at Badaun and died on 15 October 1240 at Kaithal, Delhi Sultanate. Her full name was, “Sultan Raziyat-Ud-Dunya Wa Ud-Din”. Although her regional name was “Jalâlat-ud-Dîn Razia .” She was the fifth sultan of Delhi. She was the wife of Ikhtiyaruddin Altuna. She belonged to the Sunni Islam religion and was a brave lady in Indian history. 

Razia sultan 

Razia Sultan was the daughter of Delhi sultan Mamluk Sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmish. The father of the Razia sultan had handed over the whole administration to her when he was engaged in the campaign of Gwalior. In this time, she maintained the whole administration from 1231–1232. When the father of the Razia sultan came back to Delhi, he was impressed with her work. Due to this,  Iltutmish nominated the Razia sultan as an heir apparent of the Delhi sultanate. Iltutmish also has a younger brother named Ruknuddin Firoz Shah, and her mother, Shah Turkan, was very clever. Shah Turkan makes the Razia sultan the ruler of the Delhi sultanate. But, her brother Ruknuddin Firoz Shah neglected to accept her as a ruler. So, Razia Sultan planned a rebellion against her half-brother. Some of the Delhi sultanate officials supported her, while some opposed her. She defeated all her opposition and started building her power.

In April 1236, she became the ruler of the Delhi sultanate. After ruling for less than four years in Delhi, she was removed by Ruknuddin Firoz Shah. After that, she got married to Ikhtiaruddin Altuna. She again tried to defeat her half-brother, but Ruknuddin Firoz Shah and his successor Muizuddin Bahram killed her badly in October 1240.

Razia Sultan: names and titles

Razia Sultan was a great women leader of the Delhi sultanate. The public of the Delhi sultanate called her a Raziyya and Raḍiyya. In the period when she ruled the Delhi sultanate, she launched her coin named  Sultan Jalalat al-Duniya wal-Din. 

Ascension of Razia sultan to the throne

The Mamluk Sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmish had declared his eldest son Nasiruddin Mahmud as the successor of his throne. But unexpectedly, Nasiruddin Mahmud died in the year 1229. Iltutmish, also considered his younger son Ruknuddin Firoz Shah, was addicted to pleasurable activities. Hence, he considered that his younger son could not handle the big empire. But, when he monitored the performance of the Razia sultan after coming from the campaign of Gwalior, he declared her as the next ruler of the Delhi sultanate. But many officials of the Delhi sultanate opposed the decision of Iltutmish. But he proved her daughter more capable in comparison to his sons. Some historians also consider that the Iltutmish accepted his younger brother as the next ruler in the last days of his life. Some consider that the Razia sultan does not rule the Delhi sultanate, and it was just a story told by her supporters. Many officials accept her as a ruler because of her capabilities, and some do not. Instead of various difficulties, she becomes the first Muslim woman of India who rules the Delhi sultanate. She died in 1240, and her burial was located in the Bulbul Khana near Turkman Gate, Delhi.

Alai Darwaza

Alai Darwaza is also called the Gate, built by Alauddin khalji. Alai Darwaza was a southern gateway of the monument Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque located Qutb complex, Mehrauli, Delhi.

Who built Alai Darwaza?

Let’s understand who built Alai Darwaza.

Sultan Alauddin Khalji built the Alai Darwaza in the year 1311. The whole structure of Alai Darwaza was made of red sandstone. The structure of Alai Darwaza was in the form of a square domed gatehouse, along with the arched entrances. It also has single-chamber houses. Alai Darwaza has a special position in Indo-Islamic architecture; due to this, the people who belong to Islam considered it a special monument of their religion. The design of Alai Darwaza is based on the Islamic methods of architecture and construction. Alai Darwaza is a world heritage site where many people visit from abroad to see its architectural work.

Conclusion

Razia Sultan was a brave Muslim woman of her time. She proved herself the best ruler with her best ruling strategies and tactics. In the life span of 35 years, she has achieved many things. Although, becoming the ruler in those times, when women are not treated with the same dignity as men, is also a great thing. Alai Darwaza was a historical place of Islamic religions. It is based on the culture of Islam. However, the people belonging to Islam give special respect. It signifies the broad culture of Islam.