Young Malaysians wearing "tudungs", or headscarves, rehearse a religious song at a pre-school in Put...,...

Young Malaysians wearing "tudungs", or headscarves, rehearse a religious song at a pre-school in Putrajaya, 35 kilometres (22 miles) south of Kuala Lumpur July 19, 2002. [Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad questioned fellow Muslims\' religious priorities on Friday, saying their focus on form over fundamentals had brought Islam to its lowest point in history. He bemoaned Muslims\' failure to match the progress of Christian countries since the Industrial Revolution of the early 19th century, blaming it on followers\' preoccupation with less important issues such as rules on women\'s clothing. Some Malaysian Muslim women, including Mahathir\'s wife, choose not to wear the "tudung" decreed by the country\'s religious teachers even though his two decades in power have seen a surge in piety among Malays.]