maritime activities economy and social customs of the muslims of ...

Among the Muslim population of Coromandel the Marakkayars belong to the
Sunni-Shafi madhhab. who also claim a descent from the region's early Arab migrants.
The Labbais, Rowther and Deccanis belong to Hanafi Madhhab. But Jaffur Shurreef
ascertains that the Shafis in some coastal towns of Coromandel were also called as
Labbais and ~ava~ets'~. But the sub sects of the Coromandel Muslim society
merge with each other . The identity of a particular subsect is based on the place
of residence and occupation.
IS THERE A CASTE SYSTEM IN COROMANDEL ISLAMIC SOCIETY ?
There is no place for caste or class in Islam. Caste, as it is, ordinarily a
distinctive institution of Hinduism. Social incompatibility with regard to either
intermarriage or interdining, whether due to difference in race or occupation or
geographical positions is one of the most essential attributes of caste. But as such
Muslims are endogemous. Islam irnpiicltly emphasimr equallty and uniwrral brotherhood.
In theory Islam does not recognise any social distinction or discrimination based upon
ethnicity, lineage and occupation. The Idea of equality and brotherhood was establlshed
during the early days of Islam by it's democratic form of political organisation. Inequality
based on bith and descent is supposed to have no relevance in Islamic theology. Any
ranking and divisions based on heredity, occupation etc. have no place in the ideal
pattern of Islamic society'5.
However,prejudices like those of castes are most commonly found among the
Muslims of Coromandel which leads one to think there exists a caste like Institution.
For instance, the Deccanis look down on the Marakkayars and other Tamil speaklng
Muslims. They claim to be of more honourable birth than the mixed races. They
also claim to be the descendants of Mughual and Turkish origin. While the Deccanis
hold themselves socially superior to the Marakayyars, the Marakayyars consider
themselves better than the Labbais. However, there is no religious bar to intermarriage
between these different sects and subsects and such unions are brought about by
the offer of strong financial inducements1'. In muslim strongholds several subsects
are assigned separate street to live in. There are separate mosques for Hanafls and
Shafis, though no bar to worship in each other's and living intermixed.
lslam does not formulate any caste system, (Jathi) still the Muslims of South
India particularly of Coromandel will look as if affected by the influence of the
Hindu social systems. However, the Muslim subdivisions in Coromandel are not
hierarchially ranked. All sects, sub sects or sub divisions are approximately of