The Administration of the Sultanate of Dehli c16.s6.14

c16.s6.14

(iii) During their stay in the city, the regular soldiers (wajhadārs) also required cash which they could get only from their assignments. The sultan permitted them to draw a half of their salary; the other half was probably paid to the soldier's family living in the assigned area. This permission to draw half the salary while the soldier was away from his assignment was termed an iṭlāq : it was probably made out in the form of a payment order, which the soldier often discounted for a third of his salary to bankers who would ultimately get the full amount for which the voucher was made. The bankers thus got a sixth of the salary as commission.