History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c17.12

c17.12

This may be called Sūfic interpretation of 'Alāuddīn's Market Control. The incident has not been mentioned by any historian contemporary or later. It is recorded in a book on saints written about fifty years after the enforcement of market regulations. Even if it be accepted as true, since the Qazi's conversation with Sultan took place at a private interview, the philanthropic motive of the Sultan as depicted by the author of *Khairulmajālis*, may have been only a passing whim of his mind. Barani, the contemporary historian, definitely states that 'Alāuddīn introduced market regulations for the benefit of the imperial troops. The army was only a portion of the humanity (Khalq-i-Khuda) whom the king was trying to make happy. Moreover, the prices were controlled in Delhi alone, and nothing was done for the benefit of the people elsewhere. Again, the peasants and the traders were also as good Khalq-i-Khuda as the soldiers, but the regulations of 'Alāuddīn, as would appear from the following pages, proved to be highly injurious to their interests. Even to the soldiery the benefit of the cheapness of the prices did not amount to much. If the prices for the necessaries of life were lowered the salaries of the soldiers were also curtailed, and it is difficult to conclude that the troops really gained from the new arrangement. Ziyāuddīn's humorous expression that a rumour got afloat in Delhi that "a camel could be had for a *dang*, but wherefrom the *dang*" clearly explains the position. The revenue regulations of the sultan impoverished the agriculturists. His reduction of salaries of soldiers did not improve the lot of government servants. In these circumstances the control of price was the outcome of an imperative necessity rather than of a philanthropic motive. Moreover, the harshness and violence with which the market regulations were enforced, tell a story very different from that related by Shaikh Nasiruddin.