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

It was never applicable to every class of society and when applied to every class
as now in India it is a positive evil which the sacred law ever sanctioned. Hence the
purdha system is not a part of Islamic law. It is a custom of the court introduced
after the Kilafat had degenerated from the true Islamic standard under Persian
Byzantine influence and had become mere oriental despotism. It comes from the
source of weakness of Islam and not from the source of strength8'.
The following InJunction is enjoined in the Holy Quran, " 0, Prophet I ,
Thy wife and daughters and the women of believers to draw their cloacks down their
face. That will be better so that they may be recognised and not annoyed"8B. So
it will be seen that the face veil alone is sanctioned. The peculiar purdha system
practised by the Coromandel Muslim women probably originated to distinguish them
from the women of other religious groups and became universal in the course of
time.
Tell
Long before the onset of puberty, the Muslim girls in the Coromandel are
trained to cover the head and upper part of the body with the scarf. When they
attain puberty, they are secluded within the four walls of zenana. When they have
to go out, they wrap the whole body from head to foot exposing only the eyes and
nose with a white mantle (called dupatti) which is very unwieldy. This cloth is very
heavy in Thanjavur district. This type of purdha is peculiar to the Marakkayar,
Labbai and Rawthar women in the coastal belts. However, thls type of purdha has
the advantage of an exterior cloth which can be worn or discarded with ease without
disturbing the regular dress inside. Muslim women are accustomed to this for
generation and it is being followed to this daysg.
Inspite of all these religious sanctions and Quranic injunctions the position of
Muslim women was not good during the period of our study. Many of them were In
letter and not in spirit. The women were suffering from several social disabilities.