Niqab

The niqab or niqaab (Arabic: نِقاب, romanized: niqāb, IPA: [nɪˈqɑːb]), also called a ruband, is a face veil worn by some Muslim women as part of 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. 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.

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. 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 and Shafi'i traditions, consider it obligatory or recommended. The niqab has been the subject of political and legal controversy in several countries, particularly in Europe, where France became the first country to ban face coverings in public in 2011.

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)." In French, the term first appeared in the Le Robert dictionary in 1982. The hijab, the headscarf, comes from the verb hajaba, "to cover." The jilbab derives from the verb jalaba, "to be clothed"; this garment covers the entire body and can be accompanied by a niqab. 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. The burqa comes from the Arabic burqu', or "to hide one's face," which appeared in the Petit Robert in 1993.

The niqab is a veil that covers the entire face except for the eyes. It is usually worn with a hijab that covers the head and neck, and may be worn with a separate eye veil. 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. The hijab is a type of headscarf that covers up a woman's hair and neck but leaves the face uncovered.

In different regions, the face veil has different names and forms. In North Africa, the hayik and sefsari are traditional forms of covering. In the Middle East, the abaya and melaya are worn. In the Persian world (Iran, Afghanistan), the tchador or tchadri is used. 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 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." 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. 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). 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. If it were obligatory for a Muslim woman to cover her face, then the Quranic verse would have indicated this explicitly.

Another key verse is 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." This verse is often cited as evidence for the hijab protecting women from being molested.

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). 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. Moreover, the niqab may have been specific to the Mothers of Believers (the Prophet's wives). It is determined in Ilm al-Usul (Principles of Jurisprudence) that anything that has multiple interpretations cannot be used as evidence.

Another hadith states: "A woman in ihram is not to cover her face nor wear gloves" (Bukhari). 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).

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. 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."

Scholarly opinions

The majority of scholars maintain that it is not obligatory for a woman to cover her face or wear gloves. The permissibility of exposing her face and hands is based on the Quranic verse 24:31. 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. This is based on the fact that a woman's face is not part of her awrah. The niqab falls under "permissible acts."

However, some scholars, particularly within the Shafi'i and Salafi traditions, hold that covering the face is obligatory or recommended, especially in times of moral corruption and the spread of trials. 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. 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.

Al-Azhar University in Egypt has declared that the niqab is a purely Arab custom and not a religious obligation. 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.

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. In Saudi Arabia, the niqab is culturally associated with the Najd region and is a stronghold of 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.

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. 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. 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. 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. This attitude was most prevalent in Tunisia (56%), Turkey (52%), and Lebanon (49%). Nearly as many in Saudi Arabia (47%) also said a woman should be free to choose how she dresses.

North Africa

In pre-Islamic times, face veils were part of local customs in some regions of Arabia and North Africa. Traditionally, the face veil was not only used by women, but also by men. In North Africa, the hayik and sefsari are traditional forms of covering. This also explains why Islamic practices in North Africa are different from those in the Gulf and again different from those in Southeast Asia.

South Asia

The niqab is also common in Pakistan. The Pakistani burqa, with its pastel colors, is almost identical to the Afghan chadri, with its net screen over the eyes. The term burqa does, however, refer to the black niqab worn in certain countries, including India.

Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, the Taliban have mandated that women cover themselves completely in public spaces, with the burqa or chadari as the preferred option. They also permit the use of an abaya accompanied by a niqab, which leaves only the eyes visible. 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. The chadari was mandatory from 1996 to 2001 under Taliban rule and again since their return to power on 15 August 2021. 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.

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. Belgium followed in July 2011, becoming the first EU country to ban the full Islamic veil in public places. Bulgaria implemented a ban in public places in 2016. Denmark and Austria took action in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Switzerland banned full face coverings following a referendum in 2021. The Netherlands and Germany have more restrictive rules but no nationwide bans. Portugal recently adopted a bill banning face veils such as the niqab and burqa in public environments. Italy has also legislated on face coverings. Countries such as Germany, Spain, and Sweden have no nationwide bans at all. The European Court of Human Rights has upheld France's ban, declaring it compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

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 interpretations of Islam. In Afghanistan, the Taliban have mandated full face covering, with the burqa or chadari as the preferred option. 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.

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. 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. Critics of such bans argue that they perpetuate colonial power dynamics that disproportionately affect non-white and non-first-world women. Some French feminist associations have described the full veil as transforming women into "prisons or mobile coffins." 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.

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. 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.

History

The niqab existed before the advent of Islam, was kept by Islam, and was enjoined by the Messenger of Allah. In pre-Islamic times, face veils were part of local customs in some regions of Arabia and North Africa. Traditionally, the face veil was not only used by women, but also by men. 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.

See also

• Burqa
• Hijab
• Chador
• Islamic clothing
• Islamic scarf controversy in France
• Taliban treatment of women

External links

• BBC Religions: Niqab
• Pew Research: How people in Muslim countries prefer women to dress in public