History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c12.s1.12

c12.s1.12

The king sat on a raised dais in the Hall of Audience. When he had taken his seat the Hājibs and Naqībs uttered the word Bismillah (بسم الله). In front of the king stood the Wazir and behind him stood in order his secretaries, the chief Hājibs, the deputy chief Hājibs, the Khās-Hājib, the deputy Khas-Hājib, the Vakīl-al-Dar and his deputy, the Sharaf-al-Hujjāb, the Sayyid-al-Hujjāb and the naqībs who were a hundred in number. Behind the king stood Malik Qabūlah described by the Moor as a wealthy and influential official whose duty was to ward off the flies from the royal person.¹²⁹ To the right and left of the Sultan were posted two hundred young men well-equipped with arms, swords, shields and bows in their hands to guard the person of their sovereign. Besides these, there were in the Audience Hall :—