The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c19.66

v4.c19.66

The most important feature of Aurangzīb’s internal administration was his deliberate reversal of the policy of his predecessors towards his non-Muslim subjects and vassal princes, which change of policy is generally held to have caused the swift downfall of the empire after his death. But with him it was not a matter of personal caprice or earthly gain. According to the orthodox interpretation of the Qurānic law, it is the duty of every pious Muslim to “exert himself in the path of God”, or, in other words, to wage holy wars (*jihād*) against non-Muslim countries (*dār-ul-harb*) till they are turned into realms of Islām (*dār-ul-Islām*). In theory the conquered infidel population is reduced to the status of slaves, but in practice even idol-worshippers were allowed to share in the modified form of protection which early Islām granted to the “People of the Book” (viz. Jews and Christians). A non-Muslim lived under a contract (*zimma*) with the state; life and property were spared to him by the Commander of the Faithful, but he had, in return, to undergo certain political and civil disabilities and pay a capitation tax; he was not allowed to wear fine dresses, ride on horseback, or carry arms; he must behave respectfully and submissively to every member of the dominant sect; and he could not be a citizen of the state. He was under certain legal disabilities with regard to testimony in law courts, protection under the criminal law, and in marriage. He must avoid any offensive publicity in the exercise of his faith and must not erect any new temple. For not embracing Islām, he had to pay commutation money (*jizya*) with marks of humility (*Qurān*, ix. 29). This tax has been called by some modern writers a fee for exemption from military service; but the analogy is entirely false, because the army of the Mughul empire was a purely mercenary body and in no sense a conscript force or a nation in arms. There was no compulsion on the Muslim population to enter the army in India, and no fine on those Muslims who did not enter it; every soldier, Muslim or Hindu, enlisted voluntarily, and every soldier, Muslim no less than Hindu, drew the regular salary.