"Dale is dependent on limited surviving sources for his account of the evolution of the Māppiḷa community down to the end of the 18th century. From these he can provide no adequate explanation of the processes of conversion which appeared to have transformed a maritime Muslim mercantile community into one mainly composed of low caste, land-bound peasant cultivators. For the period regarding which British records are available, he furnishes a valuable and circumstantial account of the community, based on his own research. This gives rise to questions of uncommon behavioral patterns, in Islamic or other communities..." Digby, Simon. "Book Review." Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society 115.2 (1983): 325.