IN THIS WEEK'S ISSUE
Demystifying the many forms of veils
The veil takes many forms throughout the Islamic world. One of the first questions that emerged soon after UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw called the veil "a visible statement of separation and of difference", was why do Muslim women wear the veil?
- By Vinita Bharadwaj, Staff Writer
- Published: 00:00 November 2, 2006
- Image Credit: Ramachandra Babu/Gulf News
- Niqab: A veil that covers the face except the area around the eyes. It can be worn with a separate veil for the eyes
The veil takes many forms throughout the Islamic world.
One of the first questions that emerged soon after UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw called the veil "a visible statement of separation and of difference", was why do Muslim women wear the veil?
Considering that the Quran does not explicitly call for the face to be covered, non-Muslims are now discovering and learning that the face veil or niqab is actually a rarer form of covering and primarily what Straw was referring to in his comments.
The niqab leaves just a slit for the eyes, at times even covering them with a see-through material, and is not mandatory according to the Quran. If some Muslim women do choose to wear the niqab, it is more for cultural reasons than religious requirements.
The Quran says that all Muslim men and women must dress modestly. This is translated from the concept of hijab (meaning ‘covering up' in Arabic) that widely interprets male modesty as wearing loose clothing and covering the area between the navel and the knees and female modesty as covering everything except the face, hands and feet in the presence of men they are not related to.
Muna, a 26-year old GCC national, says that foreigners often get confused between the hijab and the niqab.
"Hijab is a scarf that covers the neck and hair and it's not surprising to see Muslim women wearing this around the world. Even with the hijab, there are different traditions and styles of covering the hair depending on where you come from," she says.
When in the UAE, for instance, Muna wears a shayla (see illustration) and an abaya. However, if she is travelling, she admits to following the hijab, as prescribed by Islam, but opts for loose-fitting clothing without an abaya.
Mark of dignity
Cultural, geographical and historical factors are responsible for the presence of various types of veils and headscarves worn in the Muslim world.
For instance, Muslim women in South Asia drape the dupatta (long rectangular scarf accompanying the traditional shalwar kameez) around their heads as opposed to wearing a separate hijab or veil. Farha, a Muslim from India, says she wears a hijab only when she is on a pilgrimage or is visiting elderly relatives, whom she describes as being "more traditional".
Both Farha and Muna agree with the definition of the hijab on the popular website, Islamonline.com, as "an attitude, a way of thinking and behaviour".
"Definitely. Wearing a scarf or even a veil and then having no morals totally defeats the purpose of the hijab," says Muna. The site elaborates on the ideology, saying it involves conducting oneself with dignity at all times.
Historically, the first recorded use of the veil is attributed to the Assyrians, the Greeks and even the Persians and dates back as far as the 13th century BC. It was worn by Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Norman women until the late 12th century AD. These veils were used to cover the hair and the neck.
Variations of veils and headscarves were also known to have existed and used in other religions such as Christianity and Judaism. Some Hindu women in the northern parts of India - particularly Rajasthan - are known to cover their heads and faces (purdah) in front of all men other than their husbands.
However, some historians believe this is yet another example of a cultural shift as the northern parts of India were heavily influenced by Muslim rulers.
The niqab can be extended into different forms such as the burqa, which is worn by women in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. The Afghan veil covers the woman's entire face except for the region around her eyes, which is covered by a net transparent enough to permit visibility.
The Pakistani and Indian versions are generally known to reveal the face or eyes. Blue is said to be a popular choice of colour for a burqa. The cap can be elaborately embroidered.
The Iranian chador is an outer cloak that is worn in public. It is a long semi-circular cloth thrown over the head and closed in the front. There are no openings for the hands. Traditionally, the chador was worn with a headscarf and a long rectangular white veil below the eyes.
However, the modern chador does not require the veil. Though online sources say that Ayatollah Khomeini regarded black as the appropriate colour for a chador, some Iranian women opt for other colours.
Many Iranian women choose to wear the chador, but others, especially the young, prefer a reasonable facsimile - a headscarf and long overcoat, or any other loose-fitting clothes that hide the female figure.
Not just for women
It is the men and not the women of the Tuareg of North Africa who wear the veil. It is based on a belief that by covering their faces they ward off evil spirits. There are also anthropological suggestions that the harsh desert environment encourages the use of the veil. Men begin wearing it at 25 - it covers their entire face except the eyes. They wear the veil at all times, even in the presence of their own families
What the Quran says
According to Shaikh Mohammad Suleiman Faraj of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in Abu Dhabi, references to the hijab and veil can be found in the Quran in Surah Al Noor, Verses 30-31 and Surah Al Ahzab, Verse 59. The following is his translation:
Surah Al Noor, Verse 31:
"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not show off their beauty and ornaments except what is (ordinarily) visible thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! Turn ye all together towards God, that ye may attain Bliss."
Surah Al Ahzab, Verse 59:
"O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
Hadith:
He adds that the Hadith also addresses the dress code for women and men. The most oft-quoted Hadith, he says, is as follows: "Aisha said: Asma, daughter of Abu Bakr (that is, Aisha's sister), entered upon the Apostle of God (PBUH) wearing thin clothes. The Apostle of God turned his attention from her and said, ‘O Asma, when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it does not suit her except that she displays parts of her body except this and this', and he pointed to her face and hands." (Sunan Abi Dawud) "For men, it is the middle part of the body from navel to knee. For women, it is the entire body except hands and face," he adds.
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