the observance of purdah was not strict among the turks. among the reasons considered for its use are that it represented an elite status during the muslim period and was also used to guard women and men from looking at each other with lust, and as during this period the rulers and nobility sometimes engaged in debauchery and excesses. muslim nobility often engaged in lustful debauchery, concubines were not regarded as a shameful act, but a status of wealth. however, purdah was imposed by sultan firuz tughlaq. akbar made it a rule that those women roaming without a veil be made a prostitute. he also directed that they should live within their house and travel under supervision of a male. muslim women thus suffered greatly and often denied education. the upper-class women were better-off due to private education and entertainment. the purdah system became weaker as the mughal empire declined.