Sufis and medieval mystic saints failed to modify either the religious ideas and practices or the outward structure of Hindu/Muslim societies to any appreciable extent. Comment. (UPSC 2014)

Sufis and medieval mystic saints did not cause a social revolution, but saying they made no appreciable impact is inaccurate.

• Religious ideas and practice: They preached one God, inner devotion, love, tolerance and equality, weakening ritualism, priestly monopoly and empty formalism. Bhakti and Sufi traditions made religion more personal, while bhajans, kirtans, qawwali, zikr and shrine worship simplified devotion. Vernacular languages also widened access to religious expression.
• Social structure: Their influence on caste, untouchability, gender inequality and class hierarchy was limited. Hindu society remained stratified; Muslim society retained ashraf-ajlaf distinctions, and segregation and endogamy continued.

Thus, the statement is partly true: Sufis and mystic saints significantly reshaped religious consciousness and cultural life, but could not fundamentally transform the outward structure of medieval Hindu and Muslim societies.