The Foundation of Muslim Rule in India: A History of the Establishment and Progress of the Turkish Sultanate of Delhi, 1206–1290 A.D. c17.29

c17.29

Among judicial officers in a large city like Delhi, besides a number of qazis dealing with cases coming under the purview of the tashii law, we hear also of the Criminal Courts; the *amir-i-dad*. *amir-i-dad*, lately known as *dadbak*. He, it seems, was the chief city magistrate, for his designation suggests his association with the detection and redress of crimes. He apprehended criminals and also tried cases with the assistance of the *qazi*. His court, called the *masnad-i mazalim wa adl*, closely corresponds to the *diwan-i-mazalim* of the Abbaside government of Bagdad and also, in some respects, to the *wilayatul-mazalim* of al-Mawardi². The latter assigns to him such functions as checking the arbitrary exaction of taxes, supervising and controlling the *amins* (officer in charge of surveying and keeping a register of Muslim property). He was also to see that the head of every department dealt fairly and uninterferingly with the employees. It is not certain if the *amir-i-dad* of Delhi also performed these functions. Minhaj has the following statement to make respecting the *amir-i-dad* with whom he worked for several years. "It must be about eighteen years since the *masnad-i-mazalim wa adl* has been adorned by his (Saifuddin Ajami) dignity, and during the whole period he has followed the path of justice and equity and has been obedient to the *Shariah*. The writer of this work, upon two occasions, for nearly eight years, is seated on the same bench with that just *malik*....in the capital city; and the author has seen that the whole of his acts, procedure and expositions have been conformable with faith and *sunnah*. By the dignity of his punishment and the majesty of his justice, the multitude of contumacious persons round about the capital and the gangs of evil doers and robbers, having drawn back the hand of violence....are quiescent in the court of fear and terror¹”. The *amir-i-dad* would thus appear to be a judge of criminal cases and also charged with punishing convicted criminals. His was also possibly a tribunal for trying officers accused of oppression and malpractices. He also enforced the *qazi’s* decisions and helped the *muhtasib* in applying his regulations². The *amir-i-dad* had his provincial representations and as their head was called the *amir-i-dad-i-mamalik*³. He had also an assistant, called *naib-i-dadbak*⁴.