The Administration of the Sultanate of Dehli c11.33

c11.33

The spoils of war are called ghanīmah. Legally all booty should be collected, and a fifth set apart for the state, the rest being equitably distributed among the soldiers. It is lawful for the sultan or the commander-in-chief to select an animal, a sword, or some other article which particularly pleases him for his own use before the division of the spoils. This is called ṣafīyah, and is not taken into consideration at the time of division.² The portion which goes to the public exchequer is legally called khums. Gradually a practice grew up in the sultanate of Dehlī that a fifth was distributed among the soldiers and four-fifths kept in the treasury. Fīrūz Shāh’s ‘ulamā considered it illegal and the sultan re-established the old system.³ When the booty was distributed a cavalryman was given twice and sometimes thrice as much as a foot soldier.⁴