Niqab

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A woman wearing a niqāb in Yemen

A niqāb (Arabic: نِقاب‎) is a veil which covers the face, worn by some Muslim women as a part of sartorial hijāb.

Niqab is most common in the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and the UAE. It is also common in Pakistan, and parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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 munaqqabah (plural munaqqabāt) as "niqābī" may be used in a derogatory manner (much as with "hijābī" versus muhajjabah).^[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] Muslim girls are advised to wear the niqāb starting at puberty.^[2][3]

Niqāb in Islam

Rationale

The niqāb is regarded differently by the various schools of Islamic jurisprudence (madhāhab). The issue has continued to arouse debate between Muslim scholars and jurists both past and present concerning whether it is fard (obligatory) or Mustahabb (highly recommended) for a woman to wear niqāb. Salafi Muslims believe that a woman's awrah in front of unrelated men is her entire body including her face and hands. ^{[4] [5] [6] [7] [8][9]}

Salafi women in countries such as Saudi Arabia veil their faces because they believe the face of a woman is considered awrah.^[10] However, wearing the niqab is not exclusive to Salafi Muslims and other Muslims whether Shia or Sunni, regard niqab as mustahabb(seeking the love of Allah).^{[11] [12]}

The rationale of the niqāb comes from the Qur'an and Hadith. It was known that the many wives of Muhammad were made to cover their faces whenever around men they did not know, and under Islam the niqāb is a requirement for all women, since womanhood is mentioned along with the wives of Muhammad in the Qur'anic dictat to cover.^[13] The following verse from the Qur'ān shows this:^[14]

O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters, and the women of the faithful, to draw their wraps over them. They will thus be recognised and no harm will come to them. God is forgiving and kind.^{[Qur'an 33:59 (Translated by Ahmed Ali)]}

The Qur'an makes a few statements about women covering themselves.^[2][15] The reasons for the niqāb are to keep Muslim women from worrying about their appearances and to conceal their looks.^{[16] [17]}

Hadith

The hadith (Arabic plural:ahādīth) are traditions concerning the practices of the early Muslim community. The Arabic word jilbab is used in the following traditions:

• Narrated Aisha (part of a much longer narration): "...When he reached my place in the morning, he saw the figure of a sleeping person and he recognized me on seeing me as he had seen me before the order of compulsory veiling (was prescribed). So I woke up when he recited Istirja' (i.e. "Inna lillahi wa inna llaihi raji'un") as soon as he recognized me. I veiled my face with my head cover at once, and by Allah, we did not speak a single word, and I did not hear him saying any word besides his Istirja'. (Volume: 5, Book Number: 59, Hadith Number: 462)

• Narrated Aisha: The woman is to bring down her Jilbāb from over her head and [then place it] upon her face. {Bukhari:6:60:282}, {Sunnan Abu Dawud 32:4091}
• Narrated Aisha: The riders used to pass by us when we were with the Messenger of Allaah in ihrām When they came near, each of us would lower her Jilbāb from her head over her face, and when they passed by we would uncover our faces. Sunnan Abu Dawud 1:1833
• Narrated Aisha: Safwaan ibn al-Mu’attal al-Sulami al Dhakwaani was lagging behind the army. She said, “He came to where I had stopped and saw the black shape of a person sleeping. He recognized me when he saw me, because he had seen me before Hijāb was enjoined. I woke up when I heard him saying ‘Inna Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon (verily to Allaah we belong and unto Him is our return),’ and I covered my face with my Jilbāb Sahih Muslim 2:2770
• Narrated‘Aasim al-Ahwal: We used to enter upon Hafsah bint Sirīn who had put her Jilbāb thus and covered her face with it, and we would say to her: May Allah have mercy on you. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And as for women past childbearing who do not expect wedlock, it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer) clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment” [al-Noor 24:60]. And she would say to us: What comes after that (of the āyah)? We would say: “But to refrain (i.e. not to discard their outer clothing) is better for them”. And so she said: [Referring to, ‘But to refrain is better for them’], “It is to keep the Jilbāb.” Sahih al-Bukhari 3:311:1
• Narrated Ibn ‘Abbās: Allah commanded the believing women, when going out of their homes for some need, to cover their faces from above their heads with their Jilbābs, leaving one eye(or both) to see the path. ^[18]
• From Asmā’ bint Abi Bakr, that she said, “We are used to cover our faces from the men, and cut our hair before that in Ihrām (for Hajj).^[19]
• From Asmā’ bint Abi Bakr, We would cover our faces while we were Muhrim, and while doing that we would be with Asmā’ bint Abi Bakr As-Siddeeq.^[20]
• From Ibn Abi Khaythamah, We entered upon Umm Al-Mu’minīn on Yawm At-Tarwayah and we said to her, ‘Oh Mother of the Believers! Here is a woman who refuses to cover her face and she is a Muhrimah (in ihrām). So ‘Aa’ishah lifted her Khimār from her chest, and covered the woman’s face with it.^[21]
• Narrated Aisha: "When (the Verse): "They should draw their veils over their Juyubihinna," was revealed, (the ladies) cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their faces with the cut pieces. Sahih al-Bukhari 60:282:1
• Narrated 'Aisha: The Apostle of Allah used to offer the Fajr prayer and some believing women covered with their veiling sheets used to attend the Fajr prayer with him and then they would return to their homes unrecognized Sahih al-Bukhari 8:368:1
• Narrated Um 'Atiya: We were ordered the Apostle of Allah to bring out our menstruating women and veiled women in the religious gatherings and invocation of Muslims on the two 'Eid festivals. These menstruating women were to keep away from their Musalla. A woman asked, "O Allah's Apostle ' What about one who does not have a niqab?" He said, "Let her share the veil of her companion." Sahih al-Bukhari 8:347:1
• From Anas that the Messenger of Allah said: And if one of the women of Paradise looked at the earth, she would fill the whole space between them the earth and the heaven with light, and would fill whatever is in between them, with perfume, and the veil of her face is better than the whole world and whatever is in it."Sahih al-Bukhari 8:572:1
• Narrated Thabit ibn Qays : A woman called Umm Khallad came to the Prophet while she was veiled. She was searching for her son who had been killed in the battle. Some of the Companions of the Prophet said to her: You have come here asking for your son while veiling your face? She said: If I am afflicted with the loss of my son, I shall not suffer the loss of my modesty. The Apostle of Allah said: You will get the reward of two martyrs for your son. She asked: Why is that so, oh Prophet of Allah? He replied: Because the people of the Book have killed him."Sahih al-Bukhari 14:2482:1
• All of a woman is awrah.Whenever she leaves her home Satan reachs by her."Sunnan Abu Dawud 2:311

• A woman called Umm Khallad came to the Prophet while she was veiled. She was searching for her son who had been killed (in the battle) Some of the Companions of the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said to her: You have come here asking for your son while veiling your face? She said: If I am afflicted with the loss of my son, I shall not suffer the loss of my modesty. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: You will get the reward of two martyrs for your son. She asked: Why is that so, Apostle of Allah? He replied: Because the people of the Book have killed him. (Book Number: 14, Hadith Number: 2482) If she was wrong in her understanding, Muhammad would have corrected her.

Styles

A woman in Palu, Indonesia

A woman in Monterey, California

There are innumerable styles of niqāb and other facial veils worn by Muslim women around the world. 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 grille over the face.^[1]. The Pak Chador, a relatively new style from Pakistan, which consists of a large triangular scarf with two additional pieces.^[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. 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.) over their clothing, though some munaqabat in Western countries wear a long, loose tunic and skirt instead of a one-piece overgarment.

Enforcement, encouragement and bans

Enforcement

Covering the face was enforced by the Taliban regime, however the burqa was the most common covering among Afghan women.^[22] While some women wholeheartedly embraced the rules, others protested.

Non-governmental enforcement of niqab is found in many parts of the Muslim world. In Saudi Arabia, all Saudi Muslim women are required to wear the niqab in cities such as Mecca, Medina and Taif. In other cities such as Dammam and Abha, women are not required to wear it by law but it remains de facto obligatory. In southern cities also, most women observe niqab. The Saudi niqāb usually leaves a long open slot for the eyes; the slot is held together by a string or narrow strip of cloth. In 2008, the religious authority in Mecca, Mohammad Habadan called on women to wear veils that reveals only one eye, so that women would not be encouraged to use eye makeup.^[23]

Politics

Women in Adana (Turkey) wearing the niqab.

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.^[24][25] 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. Since Hamas took over Gaza strip during the Battle of Gaza (2007) women are wearing Niqab in large numbers. [3].^[26]

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.^[27] 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.^[28]

The niqāb is outlawed in the Muslim country of Tunisia. In Turkey, where the overwhelming majority of the population is Muslim, the traditional womenswear in cities at the turn of the twentieth century was called çarşaf (an outer garment similar to the Iranian chador) which would be accompanied by a piece of semi-transparent clothing to cover the lower face, called peçe. Although this combination is still being worn in some localities, the practice of covering the face has largely died off. In Turkey today, niqabi women, just like women wearing hijab, cannot work as public servants, neither can they continue studies at schools, including the private schools. Although there is no single law banning niqab at private companies, it would be nearly impossible for a niqabi woman to find work.

Europe

Although the burqa is a more emphatic symbol, the niqāb has also been prominent in political controversies on Islamic dress in Europe. The Netherlands government plans a legal ban on face-covering Islamic clothing, popularly described as the 'burqa ban', which includes the niqāb.^[29]

In the United Kingdom, comments by Jack Straw, MP started a national debate over the wearing of the "veil" (niqāb), in October 2006. 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. It was decided that being unable to see her face prevented the children from learning effectively. Azmi argued that it was helping the children understand different people's beliefs.^[30]

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.^[31] There have been questions as to whether women may have their faces covered on a driver's license. 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.^[32]

Canada

Elections Canada, an independent agency responsible for elections and referendums, stated that Muslim women can cover their faces while voting. The decision was criticized by Conservatives, Liberals and the Bloc Québécois. The New Democrats did not oppose this decision.^[33]

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.^[34]

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 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.^{[citation needed]} 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 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.^[35] 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.^[36]

See also

• Islamic dress controversy in Europe
• Burqa
• Hijab
• Chador
• List of types of sartorial hijab

References

Niqaab A Seal On The Debate by Kamillah Khan

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: niqab

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: niqab

• In Defense of Niqab in Islamic Law
• 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'
• Why the Veil Liberates Women