«إِنْ شَهِدَ لَكَ عَدْلَانِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَإِلَّا فَاسْتَوْفِ مِنْهُ الْيَمِينَ»
If two upright Muslim men testify for you, present them; otherwise require his oath.
The governor asks for testimony from two upright witnesses or an oath in the described dispute. This literary scene is not a complete statement of legal rules for every case.
The extraordinary oath employs elaborate imprecations and bodily images. Its rhetorical performance changes the mood of the hearing and helps prepare the financial settlement.