Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c7.s4.t1.11

c7.s4.t1.11

The question of oaths is somewhat difficult to answer. The orthodox, as a rule, did not permit swearing, under any condition whatever.⁴ But if the solemnity of an occasion demanded, careful selection was made from among holy objects for taking oaths.⁵ The soldier had a weakness for swearing. A refined military general confined himself to the use of ‘Haqqa’ (‘by God’).¹ The sanctity of a word in certain cases was permitted to be vouched for by such oaths as those of Allah, the Prophet, the Shari‘at, the Imam, the Qur’an, the ‘sword’, and the ‘salt’.² The profuse oaths of common people and their way of swearing do not bear repetition. The Hindus usually took an oath by the Ganges to add force and authority to their statement.³ Among Rajputs the throne of the ruler and Satis were sacred.