During the period of the Delhi Sultanate, what were the Muslim primary schools called that provided basic religious and literary education to children?

Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to medieval Indian history and focuses on educational institutions during the period of the Delhi Sultanate and later Islamic rule. It asks for the term used for primary schools where Muslim children received basic instruction, especially in reading the Quran and learning elementary religious and literary subjects. Knowing these terms helps students understand how education was organised in different cultures and periods.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question is about primary level Muslim schools.
• It refers to the period of the Sultanate, which points to medieval Islamic rule in India.
• Options include various terms, some related to administration or other institutions.
• The learner is expected to distinguish between basic schools and higher learning centres.

Concept / Approach:
In Islamic educational tradition, maktabs, often written here as makthabs, are primary schools where children learn basic reading, writing, and religious texts. Madrasas, on the other hand, are institutions of higher learning that provide advanced religious and sometimes secular education. During the Sultanate period in India, maktabs functioned at the primary level attached to mosques or community centres. To answer correctly, students should recall that maktabs or makthabs are the primary schools, while madrasas refer more to higher studies.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Focus on the phrase schools which taught primary education to Muslims, which clearly points to basic level institutions. 2. Recall that in Islamic education the term maktab or makthab is used for elementary schools teaching reading of the Quran and basics of language. 3. Review the options and identify Makthabs as the term that matches this function. 4. Recognise that Madrasas are generally understood as centres of higher religious learning rather than primary schools. 5. Conclude that Makthabs is the most accurate answer for primary education during the Sultanate period.
Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, students may cross check with history or social studies textbooks that describe the education system during the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal periods. These books often mention that primary education for Muslim children was imparted in maktabs, usually attached to mosques. Madrasas, run by rulers or nobles, served to train scholars and officials. Terms such as mukhaddam and darbar appear in different contexts like village administration or royal courts, not primary schooling. This consistent use of the term maktab across sources confirms that Makthabs is the correct option in this context.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Mukhaddams were village headmen or local officers and are not names of primary schools.
Kohies does not appear in standard textbooks as a term for Muslim schools in the Sultanate context and seems to be a distractor.
Madrasas were institutions of higher religious education and produced scholars and legal experts, not simple primary schools for children.
Darbars were royal courts where kings held audiences and conducted state business, not educational institutions for primary teaching.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes confuse maktab and madrasa, thinking both words mean any Muslim school. As a result they may wrongly pick madrasas as the answer. Others may not recognise the term makthab because of slight spelling variations across books. To avoid such mistakes, remember that in the context of primary education, maktab or makthab is the technical term, while madrasa normally refers to a higher learning institution. Keeping this distinction in mind helps in answering many exam questions on Islamic education systems.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Makthabs.