In Book Ten, amid counsel on daily conduct and recommended readings, there is a portrayal of the evolving ambiance in North Indian society during the turn of the century, as perceived by Metcalf.

[7] Carla Petievich underscores Metcalf's commitment to her enduring scholarly inquiries, exploring how reformist Islam shapes the un-gendered Muslim individual, rather than framing the text primarily around women.

By presenting nuanced details, readers gain profound insights into the everyday lives of relatively privileged North Indian Muslim women and families—the primary subjects and readership of the original work.

[7] Carla Petievich points out a flaw in the author's analysis, expressing dissatisfaction with its insufficient exploration of the paradoxical relationship between the equality of male and female souls in Islam and the embedded social hierarchies.

The critique centers on the perceived oversight in fully unpacking the implications of Ashraf Ali Thanwi's methodology for shaping exemplary Muslims, with a specific focus on prescribed female behavior.

Praised for its contribution to Western readers' understanding of social history and Islamic culture, the translation unveils rich socio-cultural insights into gender roles and religious reforms among nineteenth-century Indian Muslims.