Bharatwiki Socrates at 06:13, 3 October 2026

2026-10-03T06:13:05Z

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	{{Short description\|Face veil worn by some Muslim women}}		{{Short description\|Face veil worn by some Muslim women}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=October 2026}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=October 2026}}
	~~{{Infobox clothing type~~
	~~\| name = Niqab~~
	~~\| image = Woman wearing niqab.jpg~~
	~~\| caption = A woman wearing a niqab~~
	~~\| type = [[Face veil]]~~
	~~\| material = Various fabrics~~
	~~\| place_of_origin = [[Arabian Peninsula]]~~
	~~\| introduced = Pre-Islamic Arabia~~
	~~\| related = [[Burqa]], [[Hijab]], [[Chador]], [[Tudong]]~~
	}}
	The '''niqab''' or '''niqaab''' ({{langx\|ar\|نِقاب\|niqāb}}, {{IPA\|ar\|nɪˈqɑːb\|IPA}}), also called a '''ruband''', is a [[face veil]] worn by some [[Muslim women]] as part of [[Islamic clothing\|Islamic dress]]. It covers the face, leaving the area around the eyes clear, and is usually worn with a [[hijab]] that covers the head and neck.<ref name="bbc_difference">{{cite news \|title=What's the difference between a hijab, niqab and burka? \|url=https://www.stage.bbc.co.uk/newsround/24118241 \|work=[[BBC News]] \|date=17 September 2013 \|access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref><ref name="bbc_worldcup">{{cite news \|title=Women's World Cup: Player wears a hijab for the first time in World Cup history \|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/66359145 \|work=[[BBC News]] \|date=31 July 2023 \|access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> The niqab is distinct from the [[burqa]], which covers the entire face and body with a mesh screen over the eyes, and from the hijab, which covers only the hair and neck.<ref name="abc_explainer">{{cite news \|title=Explainer: Why do Muslim women wear a burka, niqab or hijab? \|url=https://newsapp.abc.net.au/newsapp/2014-09-23/explainer-why-do-muslim-women-wear-a-burka-niqab-or-hijab/101281356 \|work=[[ABC News (Australia)\|ABC News]] \|date=23 September 2014 \|access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref>		The '''niqab''' or '''niqaab''' ({{langx\|ar\|نِقاب\|niqāb}}, {{IPA\|ar\|nɪˈqɑːb\|IPA}}), also called a '''ruband''', is a [[face veil]] worn by some [[Muslim women]] as part of [[Islamic clothing\|Islamic dress]]. It covers the face, leaving the area around the eyes clear, and is usually worn with a [[hijab]] that covers the head and neck.<ref name="bbc_difference">{{cite news \|title=What's the difference between a hijab, niqab and burka? \|url=https://www.stage.bbc.co.uk/newsround/24118241 \|work=[[BBC News]] \|date=17 September 2013 \|access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref><ref name="bbc_worldcup">{{cite news \|title=Women's World Cup: Player wears a hijab for the first time in World Cup history \|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/66359145 \|work=[[BBC News]] \|date=31 July 2023 \|access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> The niqab is distinct from the [[burqa]], which covers the entire face and body with a mesh screen over the eyes, and from the hijab, which covers only the hair and neck.<ref name="abc_explainer">{{cite news \|title=Explainer: Why do Muslim women wear a burka, niqab or hijab? \|url=https://newsapp.abc.net.au/newsapp/2014-09-23/explainer-why-do-muslim-women-wear-a-burka-niqab-or-hijab/101281356 \|work=[[ABC News (Australia)\|ABC News]] \|date=23 September 2014 \|access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref>

Bharatwiki Socrates: Created page with "{{Short description|Face veil worn by some Muslim women}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2026}} {{Infobox clothing type | name = Niqab | image = Woman wearing niqab.jpg | caption = A woman wearing a niqab | type = Face veil | material = Various fabrics | place_of_origin = Arabian Peninsula | introduced = Pre-Islamic Arabia | related = Burqa, Hijab, Chador, Tudong }} The '''niqab''' or '''niqaab''' ({{langx|ar|نِقاب|niqāb}}, {{IPA|ar|nɪˈqɑː..."

2026-10-03T06:08:35Z

Created page with "{{Short description|Face veil worn by some Muslim women}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2026}} {{Infobox clothing type | name = Niqab | image = Woman wearing niqab.jpg | caption = A woman wearing a niqab | type = Face veil | material = Various fabrics | place_of_origin = Arabian Peninsula | introduced = Pre-Islamic Arabia | related = Burqa, Hijab, Chador, Tudong }} The '''niqab''' or '''niqaab''' ({{langx|ar|نِقاب|niqāb}}, {{IPA|ar|nɪˈqɑː..."

New page

{{Short description|Face veil worn by some Muslim women}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2026}}
{{Infobox clothing type
| name = Niqab
| image = Woman wearing niqab.jpg
| caption = A woman wearing a niqab
| type = [[Face veil]]
| material = Various fabrics
| place_of_origin = [[Arabian Peninsula]]
| introduced = Pre-Islamic Arabia
| related = [[Burqa]], [[Hijab]], [[Chador]], [[Tudong]]
}}
The '''niqab''' or '''niqaab''' ({{langx|ar|نِقاب|niqāb}}, {{IPA|ar|nɪˈqɑːb|IPA}}), also called a '''ruband''', is a [[face veil]] worn by some [[Muslim women]] as part of [[Islamic clothing|Islamic dress]]. It covers the face, leaving the area around the eyes clear, and is usually worn with a [[hijab]] that covers the head and neck.<ref name="bbc_difference">{{cite news |title=What's the difference between a hijab, niqab and burka? |url=https://www.stage.bbc.co.uk/newsround/24118241 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=17 September 2013 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref><ref name="bbc_worldcup">{{cite news |title=Women's World Cup: Player wears a hijab for the first time in World Cup history |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/66359145 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=31 July 2023 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> The niqab is distinct from the [[burqa]], which covers the entire face and body with a mesh screen over the eyes, and from the hijab, which covers only the hair and neck.<ref name="abc_explainer">{{cite news |title=Explainer: Why do Muslim women wear a burka, niqab or hijab? |url=https://newsapp.abc.net.au/newsapp/2014-09-23/explainer-why-do-muslim-women-wear-a-burka-niqab-or-hijab/101281356 |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |date=23 September 2014 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref>

The niqab is most common in the Arab countries of the [[Arabian Peninsula]], including [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Yemen]], [[Oman]], and the [[United Arab Emirates]], as well as in [[Pakistan]] and parts of [[North Africa]].<ref name="nlb_niqab">{{cite web |title=Niqāb |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2011-02-22_105257.html |website=[[National Library Board|NLB]] |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref><ref name="sbs_niqab">{{cite news |title=What is Burqa, Niqab and Hijab? |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/ |work=[[Special Broadcasting Service|SBS]] |date=17 August 2017 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> Its religious status is debated among Islamic scholars; the majority view holds that covering the face is not obligatory, while some scholars, particularly within [[Salafi movement|Salafi]] and [[Shafi'i school|Shafi'i]] traditions, consider it obligatory or recommended.<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab">{{cite web |title=Niqab |url=https://www.dar-alifta.org/en/fatwa/details/1214/niqab |website=Egypt's Dar Al-Ifta |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref><ref name="iftaa_jordan">{{cite web |title=Is the Niqab a traditional dress? What is the position of Sharia on it? |url=https://aliftaa.jo/QuestionPrintEn.aspx?QuestionId=438 |website=The Iftaa' Department, Jordan |date=5 January 2010 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> The niqab has been the subject of political and legal controversy in several countries, particularly in [[Europe]], where [[Islamic scarf controversy in France|France]] became the first country to ban face coverings in public in 2011.<ref name="irishtimes_ban">{{cite news |title=The Irish Times view on Switzerland's veil ban: pluralism in retreat |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/editorial/the-irish-times-view-on-switzerland-s-veil-ban-pluralism-in-retreat-1.4505768 |work=[[The Irish Times]] |date=8 March 2021 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref>

== Definition and terminology ==

The word ''niqab'' comes from the [[Arabic]] ''an niqâb'', from the verb ''naqaba'', which means "to make a hole (for the eyes)."<ref name="academic_terminology">{{cite book |last=De Féo |first=Agnès |editor-last=Turner |editor-first=Lindsay |chapter=A Note on Terminology |title=The Niqab in France: Between Piety and Subversion |publisher=[[Fordham University Press]] |year=2024 |pages=xi–xiv}}</ref> In French, the term first appeared in the ''Le Robert'' dictionary in 1982.<ref name="academic_terminology"/> The ''hijab'', the headscarf, comes from the verb ''hajaba'', "to cover."<ref name="academic_terminology"/> The ''jilbab'' derives from the verb ''jalaba'', "to be clothed"; this garment covers the entire body and can be accompanied by a niqab.<ref name="academic_terminology"/> ''Sitar'' comes from the Arabic word ''satara'', which means "to hide" and refers to a variant of the niqab which involves an additional veil drawn over the eyes, resulting in total cover of the face.<ref name="academic_terminology"/> The ''burqa'' comes from the Arabic ''burqu''', or "to hide one's face," which appeared in the ''Petit Robert'' in 1993.<ref name="academic_terminology"/>

The niqab is a veil that covers the entire face except for the eyes.<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab"/> It is usually worn with a hijab that covers the head and neck, and may be worn with a separate eye veil.<ref name="bbc_difference"/> The burqa, by contrast, is the most concealing of all the head coverings; it is a single piece of fabric worn as an outer layer that covers the whole body, often leaving a mesh covering to see through.<ref name="bbc_difference"/><ref name="abc_explainer"/> The hijab is a type of headscarf that covers up a woman's hair and neck but leaves the face uncovered.<ref name="bbc_worldcup"/>

In different regions, the face veil has different names and forms. In [[North Africa]], the ''hayik'' and ''sefsari'' are traditional forms of covering.<ref name="cairn_northafrica">{{cite journal |title=La question de l'honorable parlementaire appelle une réponse en deux volets |journal= |year= |volume= |issue= |pages=}}</ref> In the [[Middle East]], the ''abaya'' and ''melaya'' are worn.<ref name="cairn_northafrica"/> In the [[Persian world]] ([[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]]), the ''tchador'' or ''tchadri'' is used.<ref name="cairn_northafrica"/> The [[Bedouin]] of southern [[Palestine]] and the [[Sinai Peninsula]] use face veils that are short and decorated with coins; in northern Sinai, the veil sections are longer and often contain embroidery, chains, pendants, and beads.
== Religious context ==

=== Quranic basis ===
The primary Quranic verse cited in discussions of the niqab is [[An-Nur|Surah An-Nur]] (24:31): "And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof."<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab"/> The majority of scholars from among the companions and those who came after them interpreted "adornments" in this verse to mean the face and hands.<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab"/> They based their opinion on reports from [[Ibn Abbas]], [[Anas ibn Malik]], and [[Aisha]], and on the words of God: "Wrap [a portion of] their headcovers (khimar) over their chests" (Quran 24:31).<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab"/> The ''khimar'' referred to in the verse is a headcover, and ''al-jayb'' refers to the front opening of a shirt; God commands Muslim women to cover their chests with their headcovers.<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab"/> If it were obligatory for a Muslim woman to cover her face, then the Quranic verse would have indicated this explicitly.<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab"/>

Another key verse is [[Al-Ahzab|Surah Al-Ahzab]] (33:59): "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."<ref name="iftaa_jordan"/> This verse is often cited as evidence for the hijab protecting women from being molested.<ref name="iftaa_jordan"/>

=== Hadith ===
A widely cited hadith is narrated by Aisha: "Riders used to pass by us when we were with the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) wearing ihram. When they came near, each one of us would lower [part] of her garment from her head over her face. When they passed by, we would uncover our faces" (Ahmed, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah).<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab"/> Scholars who advocate for the niqab cite this hadith as evidence for covering the face. However, scholars who oppose its obligation argue that this hadith does not include evidence on the obligation of wearing niqab because the actions of the companions are not proof that something is an obligation.<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab"/> Moreover, the niqab may have been specific to the Mothers of Believers (the Prophet's wives).<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab"/> It is determined in ''Ilm al-Usul'' (Principles of Jurisprudence) that anything that has multiple interpretations cannot be used as evidence.<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab"/>

Another hadith states: "A woman in ihram is not to cover her face nor wear gloves" (Bukhari).<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab"/> Based on this statement, there is a scholarly consensus that a woman must not cover her face nor wear gloves during prayer, which follows that a woman's face and hands are not ''[[awra]]'' (those parts of the body that must be covered).<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab"/>

The Iftaa' Department of Jordan states that the niqab existed before the advent of Islam, was kept by Islam, and was enjoined by the Messenger of Allah.<ref name="iftaa_jordan"/> This is supported by the hadith in which the Prophet, when asked what clothes may be worn in the state of Ihram, replied: "Do not wear a shirt or trousers, or any headgear, or a hooded cloak; but if somebody has no shoes he can wear leather stockings provided they are cut short off the ankles, and also, do not wear anything perfumed with Wars or saffron, and the Muhrima (a woman in the state of Ihram) should not cover her face, or wear gloves."<ref name="iftaa_jordan"/>

=== Scholarly opinions ===
The majority of scholars maintain that it is not obligatory for a woman to cover her face or wear gloves.<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab"/> The permissibility of exposing her face and hands is based on the Quranic verse 24:31.<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab"/> According to the majority of scholars and the position adopted by Egypt's Dar Al-Ifta, the niqab is a custom and not part of religion or adornment.<ref name="dar_alifta_custom">{{cite web |title=The niqab between worship and customs |url=https://dar-alifta.org/ |website=Egypt's Dar Al-Ifta |date=3 December 2013 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> This is based on the fact that a woman's face is not part of her ''awrah''.<ref name="dar_alifta_custom"/> The niqab falls under "permissible acts."<ref name="dar_alifta_niqab"/>

However, some scholars, particularly within the [[Shafi'i school|Shafi'i]] and [[Salafi movement|Salafi]] traditions, hold that covering the face is obligatory or recommended, especially in times of moral corruption and the spread of trials.<ref name="iftaa_jordan"/> The Iftaa' Department of Jordan advises women to keep their niqab and not uncover their faces, especially if their husbands have asked them to cover.<ref name="iftaa_jordan"/> Most texts of the four classical schools of Islamic jurisprudence indicate that it is obligatory for a woman to cover her face at times of moral corruption and the spread of trials.<ref name="iftaa_jordan"/>

[[Al-Azhar University]] in Egypt has declared that the niqab is a purely Arab custom and not a religious obligation.<ref name="dar_alifta_custom"/> The former Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar, [[Mohamed Tantawy]], also declared that the niqab has no part in ''deen'' (religion) and that it is only a culture.<ref name="islamqa_tantawy">{{cite web |title=Recently the Sheikh Tantawi, the most senior Sheikh in Jamiatul Azhar |url=https://islamqa.org/ |website=IslamQA |date=28 July 2012 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref>

== Regional practices ==

=== Arabian Peninsula ===
The niqab is most common in the Arab countries of the [[Arabian Peninsula]], including [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Yemen]], [[Bahrain]], [[Kuwait]], [[Qatar]], [[Oman]], and the [[United Arab Emirates]].<ref name="nlb_niqab"/><ref name="sbs_niqab"/> In Saudi Arabia, the niqab is culturally associated with the [[Najd]] region and is a stronghold of [[Salafi movement|Salafi]] fundamentalist interpretations of Islam. Salafi women in countries such as Saudi Arabia veil their faces because they believe the face of a woman is considered ''awrah''.<ref name="nlb_niqab"/>

A 2014 [[Pew Research Center]] survey conducted in seven Muslim-majority countries ([[Tunisia]], [[Egypt]], [[Iraq]], [[Lebanon]], [[Pakistan]], [[Saudi Arabia]], and [[Turkey]]) found that most people prefer that a woman completely cover her hair, but not necessarily her face.<ref name="pew_survey">{{cite web |title=How people in Muslim countries prefer women to dress in public |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2014/01/08/what-is-appropriate-attire-for-women-in-muslim-countries/ |website=[[Pew Research Center]] |date=8 January 2014 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> In Saudi Arabia, a 63% majority preferred the niqab, while an additional 11% said that the burqa was the most appropriate style of public dress for women.<ref name="pew_survey"/> In Pakistan, there was an even split (31% vs. 32%) between a more conservative black hijab and the niqab, while nearly a quarter (24%) chose a less conservative white hijab.<ref name="pew_survey"/> The survey also found that even as publics in many of the surveyed countries expressed a clear preference for women to dress conservatively, many also said women should be able to decide for themselves what to wear.<ref name="pew_survey"/> This attitude was most prevalent in Tunisia (56%), Turkey (52%), and Lebanon (49%).<ref name="pew_survey"/> Nearly as many in Saudi Arabia (47%) also said a woman should be free to choose how she dresses.<ref name="pew_survey"/>

=== North Africa ===
In pre-Islamic times, face veils were part of local customs in some regions of Arabia and North Africa.<ref name="qantara_interview">{{cite news |title=Interview with Mohamed El-Moctar: Wars over Symbols |url=https://qantara.de/ |work=Qantara.de |date=29 September 2010 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> Traditionally, the face veil was not only used by women, but also by men.<ref name="qantara_interview"/> In North Africa, the ''hayik'' and ''sefsari'' are traditional forms of covering.<ref name="cairn_northafrica"/> This also explains why Islamic practices in North Africa are different from those in the Gulf and again different from those in Southeast Asia.<ref name="qantara_interview"/>

=== South Asia ===
The niqab is also common in [[Pakistan]].<ref name="sbs_niqab"/> The Pakistani burqa, with its pastel colors, is almost identical to the Afghan chadri, with its net screen over the eyes.<ref name="academic_terminology"/> The term ''burqa'' does, however, refer to the black niqab worn in certain countries, including [[India]].<ref name="academic_terminology"/>

=== Afghanistan ===
In [[Afghanistan]], the [[Taliban]] have mandated that women cover themselves completely in public spaces, with the burqa or ''chadari'' as the preferred option.<ref name="abc_taliban">{{cite news |title=Los talibanes intensifican las detenciones de mujeres por incumplir el código de vestimenta |url=https://www.abc.es/ |work=[[ABC (newspaper)|ABC]] |date=12 June 2026 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> They also permit the use of an ''abaya'' accompanied by a niqab, which leaves only the eyes visible.<ref name="abc_taliban"/> The Taliban's new order has boiled all variation down to two versions of what they consider to be ''sharia'' hijab – either a burqa or a niqab.<ref name="ecoi_hijab">{{cite web |title="We need to breathe too": Women across Afghanistan navigate the Taleban's hijab ruling |url=https://www.ecoi.net/ |publisher=ECOI |date=2 June 2022 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> The ''chadari'' was mandatory from 1996 to 2001 under Taliban rule and again since their return to power on 15 August 2021.<ref name="academic_terminology"/> While traditionally a symbol of modesty, privacy, and status in urban Afghan history, it is globally synonymous with the Taliban's strict mandates, often carrying heavy connotations of gender-based oppression or religious fundamentalism in Western discourse.<ref name="dictai_chadri">{{cite web |title=chadri - Definition |url=https://www.dictai.org/ |website=DictAI |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref>

== Legal status ==

=== Europe ===
Several European countries have enacted bans or restrictions on face coverings, including the niqab and burqa. [[France]] was the first European country to impose a general ban on covering the face in public places, with a law that took effect in April 2011.<ref name="irishtimes_ban"/><ref name="tagesschau_ban">{{cite news |title=Burka- und Nikabverbote: Wo gilt was in Europa? |url=https://www.tagesschau.de/ |work=[[Tagesschau (German TV programme)|Tagesschau]] |date=7 March 2021 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> [[Belgium]] followed in July 2011, becoming the first EU country to ban the full Islamic veil in public places.<ref name="swissinfo_ban">{{cite news |title=De la libertad en Londres a la prohibición en París: el velo islámico divide a Europa |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/ |work=[[Swissinfo]] |date=14 November 2025 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> [[Bulgaria]] implemented a ban in public places in 2016.<ref name="abna_ban">{{cite news |title=From Portugal to Italy, Spain; Why Europe Turned Again to Banning the Niqab? |url=https://en.abna24.com/ |work=ABNA |date=27 September 2026 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> [[Denmark]] and [[Austria]] took action in 2017 and 2018, respectively.<ref name="abna_ban"/> [[Switzerland]] banned full face coverings following a referendum in 2021.<ref name="irishtimes_ban"/><ref name="radiomitre_ban">{{cite news |title=Seis países europeos prohibieron el velo integral por seguridad ciudadana y dignidad de la mujer |url=https://radiomitre.cienradios.com/ |work=Radio Mitre |date=7 November 2025 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> The [[Netherlands]] and [[Germany]] have more restrictive rules but no nationwide bans.<ref name="slobodenpecat_ban">{{cite news |title=Burqa on the face of Europe |url=https://www.slobodenpecat.mk/ |work=Sloboden Pecat |date=12 September 2026 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> [[Portugal]] recently adopted a bill banning face veils such as the niqab and burqa in public environments.<ref name="riksdag_portugal">{{cite web |title=Från Riksdagsförvaltningen 2025-10-28 |url=https://data.riksdagen.se/ |publisher=[[Riksdag]] |date=28 October 2025 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> [[Italy]] has also legislated on face coverings.<ref name="timesofindia_italy">{{cite news |title=Meloni's Burqa Ban: What Italy Is Banning And Where Rest Of Europe Stands |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=21 September 2026 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> Countries such as [[Germany]], [[Spain]], and [[Sweden]] have no nationwide bans at all.<ref name="timesofindia_italy"/> The [[European Court of Human Rights]] has upheld France's ban, declaring it compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.<ref name="columbia_echr">{{cite web |title=Francia (2014) donde la Gran Sala declaró compatible con el Convenio Europeo la prohibición general del velo integral |url=https://globalfreedomofexpression.columbia.edu/ |publisher=[[Columbia University]] |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref>

=== Muslim-majority countries ===
In some Muslim-majority countries, the niqab is either mandated or strongly encouraged. In [[Saudi Arabia]], the niqab is culturally dominant in the [[Najd]] region and is associated with [[Salafi movement|Salafi]] interpretations of Islam. In [[Afghanistan]], the Taliban have mandated full face covering, with the burqa or chadari as the preferred option.<ref name="abc_taliban"/> In other Muslim-majority countries, such as [[Turkey]] and [[Tunisia]], the niqab is less common, and there have been debates about its place in public life.<ref name="pew_survey"/>

== Controversies ==

=== Feminist and secular debates ===
The niqab has been the subject of intense debate in Europe, particularly in France, where it is seen by some as a challenge to European notions of secularism and modernity.<ref name="riss_secularism">{{cite web |title=RISS 검색 |url=https://m.riss.kr/ |publisher=RISS |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref><ref name="kci_diversity">{{cite web |title=Cultural Diversity and Gender Equality: Discourse on Muslim Women's Veil in Europe |url=https://www.kci.go.kr/ |publisher=KCI |date=18 July 2026 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> Some feminist and secular arguments justify bans on the niqab by framing it as a symbol of the stigmatization and degrading of women, contrary to republican order and gender equality.<ref name="ohchr_france">{{cite web |title=In that article, the term "order" clearly refers to that of the State at the origin of the restriction |url=https://docstore.ohchr.org/ |publisher=[[Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights|OHCHR]] |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> Critics of such bans argue that they perpetuate colonial power dynamics that disproportionately affect non-white and non-first-world women.<ref name="lse_veils">{{cite web |last=Collio Méndez |first=Paula |title='The veils and the women': Can we really advocate for freedom when we are banning them? |url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/ |publisher=[[London School of Economics]] |date=20 March 2024 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> Some French feminist associations have described the full veil as transforming women into "prisons or mobile coffins."<ref name="assemblee_nationale">{{cite web |title=parfois vives, de certaines associations, notamment de femmes, qui voient dans la pratique du voile intégral une remise en cause des |url=https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/ |publisher=[[National Assembly (France)|Assemblée nationale]] |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref> Others argue that hiding a woman's face does not protect her but reinforces the myth that women are weak and must be protected from men's gaze.<ref name="fokus_debate">{{cite news |title=Farouk Aldabag: Niqab och burka – ett kunskapsmässigt missfoster i frihetens namn |url=https://www.fokus.se/ |work=Fokus |date=23 October 2025 |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref>

=== Security concerns ===
In some countries, security concerns have been cited as a justification for banning face coverings. The French government argued that the ban was necessary for public safety and to ensure that individuals could be identified in public spaces.<ref name="ohchr_france"/> The ban has been upheld by the European Court of Human Rights, which ruled that it was compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.<ref name="columbia_echr"/>

== History ==
The niqab existed before the advent of Islam, was kept by Islam, and was enjoined by the Messenger of Allah.<ref name="iftaa_jordan"/> In pre-Islamic times, face veils were part of local customs in some regions of Arabia and North Africa.<ref name="qantara_interview"/> Traditionally, the face veil was not only used by women, but also by men.<ref name="qantara_interview"/> Pre-Islamic Arabic poetry confirms that the niqab was known among some Arabs before Islam and was a style of women's clothing and adornment; Islam did not command it, nor did it forbid it, leaving it to the customs of the people.<ref name="archive_poetry">{{cite web |title=وخذاً كبرقوع(٨) الفتاة مُلْعَمًا |url=https://archive.org/ |publisher=Archive.org |access-date=3 October 2026}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Burqa]]
* [[Hijab]]
* [[Chador]]
* [[Islamic clothing]]
* [[Islamic scarf controversy in France]]
* [[Taliban treatment of women]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/beliefs/niqab_1.shtml BBC Religions: Niqab]
* [https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2014/01/08/what-is-appropriate-attire-for-women-in-muslim-countries/ Pew Research: How people in Muslim countries prefer women to dress in public]

{{Islamic clothing}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Niqab| ]]
[[Category:Islamic clothing]]
[[Category:Face coverings]]
[[Category:Arabic clothing]]
[[Category:Modesty in Islam]]
[[Category:Women's clothing]]
[[Category:Islamic female dress]]
[[Category:Veils]]
[[Category:Articles containing Arabic-language text]]

Niqab - Revision history

Bharatwiki Socrates at 06:13, 3 October 2026