A niqāb (Arabic: نِقاب) is a veil which covers the face, worn by some Muslim women as a part of sartorial hijāb. Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A veil is an article of clothing worn almost exclusively by women that is intended to cover some part of the head or Face. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Islam and clothing Hijab or ħijāb ( ar حجاب, pronounced) is the Arabic term for "cover" (noun based on the root حجب meaning "to It is popular in the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf but it can also be found in North Africa, Southeast Asia, the United States, the Indian subcontinent and all over Europe, particularly the United Kingdom and Sweden. The Persian Gulf, in the Southwest Asian region is an extension of the North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan The United States of America —commonly referred to as the This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia For geopolitical treatments see South Asia. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation.
Women who wear the niqāb are often called niqābī; this word is used both as a noun and as an adjective. However, some prefer the participial form munaqqaba (plural munaqqabāt) as "niqābī" may be used in a derogatory manner (much as with "hijabi" versus muhajaba). [1] Because of the wide variety of hijab worn in the Muslim world, it can be difficult to definitively distinguish between one type of veil and another. The terms niqab and burqa are often used interchangeably. [1]
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Niqāb in Islam
Rationale
The niqāb is regarded differently by the various schools of Islamic jurisprudence known as madhāhab. Fiqh ( Arabic: فقه, fɪqəh is Islamic Jurisprudence. Fiqh is an expansion of the Sharia Islamic law—based directly on the Madhhab or Mazhab ( Arabic مذهب mæðhæb pl مذاهب mæðæːhıb) is an Islamic school of thought, or Some see it as obligatory, or fard , while others see it as recommended, or mustahab. Fard (الفرض also farida (الفريضة is an Islamic term which denotes a religious duty Mustahabb (Arabic مستحبّ literally "recommended" is an Islamic term referring to recommended favored or virtuous actions The majority of scholars believe only hijab is required; others see niqāb as required. [2][3] However, some Muslims believe that those who wear the niqab will be rewarded, even if it is not required, because they are following the example of the Prophet Muhammed's female family members.
The rationale of the niqāb comes from the Qur'an and Hadith. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran Hadith ( ar الحديث, pl aḥadīth; lit. "narrative" are oral Traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic It was known that the wives of Mohammed covered their faces whenever around men they did not know, and proponents of the niqāb claim that this means it is a requirement for all women. IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics [4] The Qu'ran says "Oh Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies. That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. "[5] The Qur'an makes a few statements about women covering themselves. [6][7] The reasons for the niqab are to keep Muslim women from worrying about their appearances and to conceal their beauty. [8] Muslim girls are advised to wear the niqab starting at puberty. [6]
Styles
There are innumerable styles of niqāb and other facial veils worn by Muslim women around the world. Palu is a City on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, located 1650 km northeast of Jakarta, at. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. There are two very common forms which are found all over the world. The first is the "half niqāb" is a simple length of fabric with elastic or ties and is worn around the face. This typically leaves the eyes and part of the forehead visible. The other is the "full" or "gulf-style niqāb" which is a total face cover. It consists of an upper band that is tied around the forehead, together with a long wide piece which covers the face, leaving an opening for the eyes. Many also have two or more sheer layers attached to the upper band, which can be worn flipped down to cover the eyes or left over the top of the head. Contrary to common belief, these eyeveils do not generally restrict vision any more than a dark pair of sunglasses would. Although a person looking at a woman wearing a niqab with an eyeveil would not be able to see her eyes, she is able to see out through the thin fabric.
Other less common and more cultural or national forms of niqāb include the Afghani style burqa, a long pleated gown that goes from the head to the feet with a small crocheted grill over the face. A burqa (also Transliterated burkha, burka or burqua) is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions for the [1]. The Pak Chador, a relatively new style from Pakistan, which consists of a large triangular scarf with two additional pieces. A chador or chadar ( Persian چادر) from Sanskrit chattram) is an outer Garment or open Cloak worn by [1] A thin band on one edge is tied behind the head so as to keep the chador on, and then another larger rectangular piece is attached to one end of the triangle and is worn over the face, and the simple hijāb wrapped, pinned or tied in a certain way so as to cover the wearer's face.
Other common styles of clothing popularly worn with a niqāb in Western countries include the khimar, a semi-circular flare of fabric with an opening for the face and a small triangular underscarf. Islam and clothing Hijab or ħijāb ( ar حجاب, pronounced) is the Arabic term for "cover" (noun based on the root حجب meaning "to A khimar is usually bust-level or longer, and can also be worn without the niqāb. It is considered a fairly easy form of headscarf to wear, as there are no pins or fasteners; it is simply pulled over the head. Gloves are also sometimes worn with the niqab, because many munaqabāt believe no part of the skin should be visible other than the area immediately around the eyes or because they do not want to be put in a position where they would touch the hand of an unrelated man (for instance, when accepting change from a cashier).
Most munaqabāt also wear an overgarment (jilbab, abaya etc. The term jilbab or jilbaab (Arabic جلباب is the plural of the word jilaabah which refers to any long and loose-fit coat or garment worn by some Muslim The abaya ( Arabic عباءة plural abayat عباءات is an Overgarment worn by some women in parts of the Islamic world. ) over their clothing, though some munaqabat in Western countries wear a long, loose tunic and skirt instead of a one-piece overgarment.
Politics
The niqāb has had a significant role for women in the West Bank during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Many Palestinian women, especially students, have worn white niqābs during protests of Israel's actions. [9][10] These women often wear green banners with Arabic messages in them. Female candidates from the Hamas party in the 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections campaigned in niqābs, even in photographs. Ḥamas (ar حركة حماس acronym ar حركة المقاومة Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn Since Hamas took over Gaza strip during the Battle of Gaza (2007) women are wearing Niqab in large numbers. The Battle of Gaza ( معركة غزّة) was a Military conflict between Hamas and Fatah which took place between June 7 and . [2]. [11]
Sultaana Freeman gained national attention in 2003 when she sued the U.S. state of Florida for the right to wear a niqāb for her driver's license photo. Sultaana Lakiana Myke Freeman is a resident of the state of Florida United States The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the [12] However, a Florida appellate court ruled that there was no violation in the state requiring her to show her face to a camera in a private room with only a female employee to take the picture, in exchange for the privilege of driving.
In 2005, a non-Muslim student at Eastern Michigan University spent a semester wearing a niqāb for a class project (she referred to the face veil as a 'burqa,' a term which can be used to describe both the full, "gulf-style" niqab she wore and the Afghani style head-to-toe garment). Her experiences, such as feeling like no one wanted to be near her, led her to conclude that conservative Muslim dress is disapproved of in the United States. [13]
The niqāb is outlawed in the Muslim countries of Tunisia and Turkey, although in Turkey this ban is not enforced very strictly. Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches
Europe
Although the burqa is a more emphatic symbol, the niqāb has also been prominent in political controversies on Islamic dress in Europe. Islamic dress, notably the variety of headdresses worn by Muslim women, has become a prominent symbol of the presence of Islam in Western Europe A burqa (also Transliterated burkha, burka or burqua) is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions for the The Netherlands government plans a legal ban on face-covering Islamic clothing, popularly described as the 'burqa ban', which includes the niqāb. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands [14]
In the United Kingdom, comments by Jack Straw, MP started a national debate over the wearing of the "veil" (niqāb), in October 2006. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located John Whitaker Straw (born 3 August 1946 most commonly known as Jack Straw, is a senior British Labour Party Politician. The United Kingdom debate over veils began in October 2006 when the MP and government minister Jack Straw wrote in his local newspaper The This was further inflamed by extensive media coverage of the case of Aishah Azmi, a teaching assistant in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, who lost her appeal against suspension from her job for wearing the niqāb while teaching English to young children whose first language is different. Aishah Azmi is a British Muslim woman who came to public attention after being suspended and then dismissed from her position as a Classroom Dewsbury is a Market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. West Yorkshire is a Metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of It was decided that being unable to see her face prevented the children from learning effectively. Others argued she was helping the children understand different people's beliefs. [15]
North America
United States
Muslims in the United States tend to be more integrated than those in some other Western areas, and as such, the niqab in its extreme forms is uncommon. [16] There have been questions as to whether women may have their faces covered on a driver's license. A driver's license, driver license, driver licence, or driving licence is an official document which states that a person may operate a Although this is an ongoing debate, the prevailing view is currently that hiding one's face on a form of photo identification defeats the purpose of having the picture. [17]
Canada
Elections Canada, an independent agency responsible for elections and referendums, stated that Muslim women can cover their faces while voting. Elections Canada is an independent non-partisan agency reporting directly to the Parliament of Canada. An election is a Decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold formal office A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita The decision was criticized by Conservatives, Liberals and the Bloc Québécois. The New Democrats did not oppose this decision. [18]
More recently the Conservative Government has introduced legislation which would bar Muslim women from voting if they show up at polling stations with a veiled face. This law was proposed in the wake of the Government's recent dispute with Elections Canada, which has refused to bar people with veiled faces from polling places. [19]
The niqāb became an issue in the 2007 election in Quebec after it became public knowledge that women wearing the niqāb were allowed to vote under the same rules as electors who did not present photo ID, namely, by sworn oath in the presence of a third party who could vouch for their identity. The Quebec general election of 2007 was held in the Canadian province of Quebec on March 26, 2007 to elect members of the Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk The chief electoral officer received an overwhelming number of complaints that this policy was too accommodating of cultural minorities (a major theme in the election), and had to be accompanied by bodyguards due to death threats. All three major political parties were against the policy, with the Parti Québécois and Action démocratique du Québec vying for position as most opposed. The Parti Québécois ' is a Sovereignist Political party that advocates national sovereignty for the Canadian province of Quebec and The Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ is a conservative, nationalist and autonomist provincial Political party in Quebec The policy was soon changed to require all voters to show their face, even if they did not carry photo ID. However, Quebec residents who wear the niqāb stated that they had no issue with showing their faces for official purposes, such as voting. [20] Salam Elmenyawi of the Muslim Council of Montreal estimated that only 10 to 15 Muslim voters in all of the province wear the niqāb, and that since their veils have become controversial, most would probably not vote due to threats and concern for their safety. [21]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d How to Hijab: Face Veils Modern Muslima and Saraji Umm Zaid Retrieved 16 April 2007. Islamic dress, notably the variety of headdresses worn by Muslim women, has become a prominent symbol of the presence of Islam in Western Europe A burqa (also Transliterated burkha, burka or burqua) is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions for the Islam and clothing Hijab or ħijāb ( ar حجاب, pronounced) is the Arabic term for "cover" (noun based on the root حجب meaning "to A chador or chadar ( Persian چادر) from Sanskrit chattram) is an outer Garment or open Cloak worn by This list of types of sartorial Hijab indexes styles of clothing found in predominantly Muslim societies commonly associated with the word hijab.
- ^ Niqāb - Introduction BBC - Religion and Ethics. 16 October 2003. Retrieved 14 April 2007.
- ^ Matter of Choice BBC - Religion and Ethics. 16 October 2003. Retrieved 14 April 2007.
- ^ The Case for Niqab BBC - Religion and Ethics. 16 October 2003. Retrieved 14 April 2007.
- ^ [Why Women Should Wear the Veil http://www.jamiat.org.za/w_veil.html] Jamiatul Ulama (KwaZulu-Natal) - Conciil of Muslim Theologians. 2 August 2001. Retrieved 14 April 2007.
- ^ a b Niqab According to Quran and Sunnah Muttaqun Online. Retrieved 14 April 2007.
- ^ Niqab in Light of the Quran and Hadith Ibn Farooq. Retrieved 14 April 2007.
- ^ Why Women Should Wear the Veil Jamiatul Ulama (KwaZulu-Natal) - Conciil of Muslim Theologians. 2 August 2001. Retrieved 14 April 2007.
- ^ Palestinians Debate Women's Future Under Hamas By Brenda Gazzar. Women's eNews23 April 2006. Retrieved 13 April 2007.
- ^ Islamist women redraw Palestinian debate on rights by Thanassis Cambanis. Boston Globe. Retrieved 13 April 2007.
- ^ The eyes have it: Muslim women win role in Palestinian body politic by Ed O'Loughlin. The Age. 24 January 2006. Retrieved 13 April 2007.
- ^ Judge: Woman can't cover face on driver's license 10 June 2003. Cnn. com Retrieved 13 April 2007.
- ^ No one wanted to be near me: Student wears burqa throughout winter semester by Kurt Hunt. 18 April 2005. Retrieved 13 April 2007.
- ^ Dutch Muslims condemn burqa ban BBC News. Retrieved 13 April 2007.
- ^ 'No discrimination' in veil row BBC News. 19 October 2006
- ^ The Diversity of Muslims in the United States: Views as Americans
- ^ CNN.com - Judge: Woman can't cover face on driver's license - Jun. 10, 2003
- ^ LeBlanc, Daniel. Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Elections Canada blasted for allowing Muslim women to vote with faces covered. Globe and Mail.
- ^ [1] yahoo news.
- ^ "Muslim women will have to lift veils to vote in Quebec election", 23-03-2007.
- ^ "Veiled threats", 24-03-2007.
Niqaab A Seal On The Debate by Kamillah Khan
External links
- Niqab Page
- Religion and Ethics - Beliefs: Niqab, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), 13 April 2007.
- Modesty Gowns for Female Patients, BBC, 5 September 2006
- The Veil and the British Male Elite, Social Science Research Network (SSRN)
- The Obligation of Veiling
- Niqab is Not Obligatory
- The Last Straw!
- A dissertation on 'Niqaab- its Islamic ruling and controversy in the West'
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