Traditionally, the position accorded to women is gauged either by that of their husbands or the status of their families; they do not possess a separate identity of their own. Few women from the upper classes were economically independent; most women were reliant on their husbands or other male members of their family. In fact, almost all religious scriptures affirm women's economic dependence on men. The second largest chapter of the Quran states:

From time immemorial, women belonging to lower social orders had contributed to their means of subsistence, and therefore appeared free from unnecessary restraint. Since for centuries the Indian economy has been based on agriculture, a large portion of its population was directly or indirectly dependant on land. Among the female population, about 59.3 per cent of women belonged to the agriculture class; however, only 4.8 per cent owned their land.

This chapter explores the economic condition of Indian Muslim women and the extent to which they enjoyed property rights. To properly understand their economic condition, it looks at Indian Muslim women of two classes, viz., the landed class and the occupational class. Since one-fifth of the land in the United Provinces belonged to Muslims, it is essential to investigate the colonial land system before investigating the condition of peasant women.