The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c20.511

v3.c20.511

The harsher side of Fīrūz Shāh's piety was displayed in the persecution of heretics, sectaries, and Hindus. His decree abolishing capital punishment applied only to those of his own faith, for he burnt to death a Brāhman accused of trying to propagate his religion, and the ruthless massacres with which he avenged the murder of the three Sayyids in Budaun prove his benevolence to have been strictly limited. In general it seems to have been due to weakness of character and love of ease, but he could be firm when a question of principle arose. In the course of years Brāhmans had acquired, probably by the influence of Hindu officials, exemption from the *jizya*, or poll-tax, leviable by the Islamic law from all non-Muslims, and Fīrūz was resolved to terminate an anomaly which exempted the leaders of dissent from a tax on dissent, but the exemption had acquired the character of a prescriptive right, and his decision raised a storm of discontent. The Brāhmans surrounded his palace and loudly protested against the invasion of their ancient privilege, threatening to burn themselves alive, and thus to call down upon him, according to their belief, the wrath of heaven¹. Fīrūz replied that they might burn themselves as soon as they pleased, and the sooner the better, but they shrank from the ordeal, and attempted to work on his superstitious fears by sitting without food at his palace gates. He still remained obdurate, but they had better success with the members of their own faith, and it was ultimately arranged that the tax leviable from the Brāhmans should be borne, in addition to their own burden, by the lower castes of the Hindus.