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

equal status. Ranking as in caste system does not occur at the level of sects or
subsects as one expects. But ranking exists on the level of individuals and is based
primarily on the individual conduct, his age, wealth, personal character and
religiousness. Some occupations are considered undesirable and those who perform
them are ranked low. There is no continuing stigma attached to the person who
once having performed them have turned to different profession. This kind of social
mobility is very common in Islamic society. There is no untouchability among the
Muslim groups. lnterdining freely occur at feasts and functions with all participants
sitting shoulder to shoulderlg.
Islamic society is highly egalitarian. Members of the sects have equal economic
opportunities. But the egalitarian ideology does not aply in the realm of matrimony
among the Corornandel Muslims, most of them consider sect and subsect identity is
to be an important factor in selecting a spouse. In opting for intersubsects, the
overriding concern is not however one of trying to maintain purity of blood as in
Hindu caste ranking. The concern is for matching spouses who have the same
economic background and same cultural and religious traditions since religious and
social practices widely differ among the sects. Nevertheless intermarriages occur.
As rightly pointed out by Mattison Mines the mixed couples and their children are
not ostacizedzO.
Thus the Coromandel Muslims are endogamous, not socially ranked and there
is no bar for interdining. These essential features of a true Islamic society are being
followed for generations. All these facts will go to show the absence of caste or class
among the Muslims at any point of time.
The Tamil speaking Muslims identify closely with the Hindu Tamils, and they
are different from that population only in ethos and social structure. Their customs,
dress, food and manners have been influenced by the larger aoclety, Islam seems
to have affected it's followers here only to certain extent in this respect. For the
rest they remain indistinguishable from the unconverted members of their previous
order. Customs continued to be practised in the age old way having most often
nothing to do with those prescribed by Islam. Thoburn laments that "one thlrd of the
Muslims are only Muslims in namew2'. But the Marakkayars claim more closeness
and admixure of Arab blood than the other sects like the Rawthars and Labbais.
The Marakkayars also speak a variety of Tamil which contain a smattering of Arab
words and terms.