Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c7.s2.t1.77

c7.s2.t1.77

The variety of dresses is nowhere so striking as among the religious classes of the Muslims. The ordinary orthodox Muslim was only anxious to wear clothes of simple material like linen and to avoid silks, velvets, brocade or furs and coloured garments, in accordance with the spirit of the Shari‘at. His turban was usually of the standard size of seven yards, and if there were any ends, they were thrown at the back. He wore the ordinary shirt and drawers. An orthodox Muslim was very particular in wearing socks and shoes to maintain the ritual purity of his ablutions and did not forget to recite the proper Qur’anic verse (The *Qadr*., Chap. XCVII) when he washed them. He would not wear any except perhaps as iron ring.⁴ The ascetics were not a class, but individuals, in matters of dressing. Some wore a tall darwish cap, the *Qalansuwah* on their head and wooden sandals on their feet and wrapped just a sheet of unsewn cloth round themselves.⁵ The Sufis, as other men of letters, chose to wear loose gowns made of woollen material.¹