Abstract
Literature is considered an important source of history. Different types of historical literatures
were produced in India during medieval period. Minhaj Siraj, Hasan Nizami, Fukhri-i-Mudabbir
and Zia-ud-din Barani were the professional historian who revealed the political history of
medieval India. In medieval tradition of historiography, historical works could be written in a
special style and might combine the oratory and poetry. Amir khusrau (1253-1325A.D) was a
multifaceted, multi-talented poet to whom the term ―renaissance man‖ genuinely applies. His
poetic version described the minute details of political, social and cultural aspects of Indian life;
even he criticized the public activities of women.
Amir Khusrau was associated with three dynasties of Sultanate period in Hindustan. Amir
Khusrau integrated into his vast poetic output, many perspicacious observations about
contemporary Indian mores. His work is valuable not only as literary source but also for
historical, social and political insight. Amir Khusrau is also known as the harbinger of the
cultural synthesis between Hindu and Muslim civilization. His work is a defining moment in Indo
Persian literature as it makes available crucial insights into his intellectual heritage and cultural
intricacies of his age. Amir Khusrau was a known poet of his age, acknowledged as ―Tuti-iHind‖. His primary concern was to demonstrate his literary works. He gained lasting reputation
and got the reward of his literary performances. His work including his five Diwans and Masnvis
such as Ijaz-i-khusrawi, Nuh-i-Siphar, Hast-Bhaist, Matla-ul-Anwar, Khazain-ul-Futuh, Qiranus-Saadain covered many aspects of Sultanate history. Amir Khusrau narrates political, religious
and social life of medieval period through his poetry. Amir Khusrau‘s work also depicts the
moral standards of that time regarding women. Khusrau addresses various issues of women
through his masnavis. Although, his work is an alternate source of history but it is remarkable in
portraying the real face of feminisms in Middle Ages. This article basically encompasses those
literary works of Amir Khusrau which dealt with the status of women during Sultanate period.
Key Words: Purdah, Medieval, Sultante, Isami, Singa
Rukhsana Iftikhar , Muhammad Sohail. (2016) Historical Review of Medieval Feminism in South Asia: Amir Khusrau’s work, South Asian Studies, Volume 31, Issue 2.
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