Previous Year Question

Dar-ul-Shafa literally conveys the sense of a “house of healing or cure.” In medieval Islamic urban usage, the term was used for a hospital or medical institution.

Firoz Shah Tughlaq, who ruled from 1351 to 1388 CE, established a Dar-ul-Shafa or hospital in Delhi as part of his public-welfare measures.

The purpose of this hospital was to provide the sick with medical treatment, medicines and food. Historical accounts state that physicians examined patients, diagnosed diseases, supervised treatment and regulated diet and medicine.

A notable feature of the institution was that the patient did not bear the cost of treatment. The expenses of medicines and food were met from royal endowments or waqf resources. Therefore, the description in the question as a free hospital is appropriate.

Firoz Shah's administration included other welfare institutions as well. He provided assistance to the needy through arrangements such as the Diwan-i-Khairat and also paid attention to irrigation, urban construction and public buildings.

The distinction from the other options is clear—

An alms house was a different form of charitable institution.
A library served learning and preservation of books.
A guest house for pilgrims corresponded more closely to a sarai or lodging facility.
The Dar-ul-Shafa was specifically a hospital for the treatment of the sick.