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litigated, under that law. Thus marriage Settlements
are drawn up by Moulvees, and the separate
shares of widows, sons, and daughters, of all families
of Mahomedans are defined by them. Wills are
written by them, and conveyances and deeds of
gift in special cases; in short, the civil law business
of the Mahomedan people of India is in their hands.
English judges are supposed to be conversant with
Mahomedan law; but there are many points in
which the general direction of a competent law
officer is needful, and a Moulvee who has passed a
prescribed examination is attached to every civil
court.
There are no more strict or bigoted professors of
the Mahomedan faith than the Moulvees of India.
They surpass in these respects, in a great degree, the
Ulemas of Turkey and Egypt, who occupy an equivalent
position in social life. They are, as they believe
they ought to be, consistent opposers of, and
enemies to, all infidels; eise they read the Koran
and other holy books to little purpose. They believe
there ought to be no rival to the creed of the
prophet, and they tolerate none. It is not in regard
to the departed glories of an imperial government
only that they grieve, but that rival religions exist
and progress. The reforms, the admission to national
Privileges of Christians granted by the Sultan
of Turkey, are by them considered heretical and
abominable.
No. 54. Moulvee Kwajeh Torab Ali.
Kwajeh Torab Ali, a Mussulman, as indicated by
his name, is an inhabitant of Coel (Allyghur), where he
is, as the title Moulvee denotes, a lawyer, and pleads
in the civil courts. He also possesses lands, and
trades in indigo. The term “ Kwajeh ” is applied
to all the members of this fraternity, because their
aneestors vvere retainers or household servants of
some of the reigning Kings of Delhi.
No. 55. A Kazi of Bareilly.
The title of Kazi, or Kadi, will be familiär to the
general reader as that of a Mahomedan law officer,
attached to all Mahomedan States and communities.
His offices in India extended more particularly to
social questions, and the Kazi was in turn censor of
public morals, director of local religious rites and
festivals, and administrator of ecclesiastical law.
Under the Mahomedan government of India, Kazis
were appointed to all districts according to their size
and the amount of Mahomedan population. Their
duties were to direct ceremonials, to see that periods
of festivals and fasts were properly observed : to
perform marriages, of which the Kazi was the registrar,
as well as of deaths: to officiate at the eeremonies
connected with the birth of children and
purification of women: at all circumcisions, either
in person, or by deputy, and thus generally at all
household as well as public ceremonials. It may be
said, indeed, that from the birth to the grave, the
Kazi’s offices are perpetual in every Mahomedan
family, and cannot be dispensed with. In some cases,
when the rank and learning of the Kazi fitted him
for the office, he acted as judge for his district, both
in civil and eriminal cases ; but such instances were
comparatively rare under the Imperial Moghul
government, the judicial establishments for the most
part, being kept separate from those of the Kazis.
No. 56. Muhawuts.
This dass is found all over the northern provinces.
Their chief oceupation is ear-cleaning and cupping;
the latter Operation being performed by a cow’s horn,
with a hole at the pointed end, through which they
draw and exhaust the air. They are not migratory,
and are settled chiefly in large cities, where they
praetice as a low order of what may be termed quack
doctors. Their religion is Mahomedan.
No. 57. Mussulman Female.
The person represented in the photograph is married
; and is the wife of one of the bridge keepers on
the Ganges canal, near Hurdwar, who is in the employ
of Government, and, therefore, in a humble
but respectable dass of life. It is probable that she
was not secluded; but like many women of the
poorer classes of Mahomedans, dispensed with that
custom owing to inability to keep servants to do the
outside work of the house, fetch water, &e. The
mark of her marriage is worn about her neck, in a
small bead necklace called Pote, common both to
Mahomedans and Hindoos all over India. This is
tied round the bride’s neck at the marriage ceremony
by the bridegroom’s mother, or other near
female relative, immediately after the Kazi who has
performed the rites has given the following blessing:
“ O, great God, grant that mutual love may reign
“ between this couple as it existed between Adam
“ and Eve, Abraham and Sara, Moses and Zipporah,
“ his Higtmess Mahomed Moostafa and Ayesha,
“ &c.” The necklace is now handed to the person
who is to fasten it around the bride’s neck, with a
piece of sugar candy, which the bilde is to eat, as
emblematical of the sweets of matrimony, while the
beads are being adjusted. After this, they are never
removed, except to be rethreaded upon new string,
and it is considered a very unlucky omen if they
should ever be accidentally broken.
No. 58. Diljan.
Diljan, the “ heart of life,” is a Mahomedan
courtezan. Her dress is a black tunic, black silk
trousers, and Cashmere shawl.
No. 59. Wuzeerun.—Bazar woman.
This photograph represents a Mahomedan bazar
woman, or Professional courtezan. Her dress is a
yellow tunic, green silk trowsers, and red Cashmere
shawl.
No. 60. Zahore Begum.
Zahore Begum is a Cashmere Mussulmani, and
follows the profession of a courtezan. She belongs
to the Soonee sect of Mussulmans.
She has a very fair complexion, black hair and
eyes; shewears a black silk dress and yellow shawl,
diamond and emerald Ornaments over the forehead
and round the neck; a diamond ring on her leffc
thumb, cloth shoes, embroidered with gold and set
with preeious stones, and her silver anklets have
small bells attached to them.
