Jun 6, 2011
Not all headscarves are burkas: 7 types of Muslim headwear for women
From the BBC…
The word hijab comes from the Arabic for veil and is used to describe the headscarves worn by Muslim women. These scarves come in a myriad of styles and colours. The type most commonly worn in the West is a square scarf that covers the head and neck but leaves the face clear.
The al-amira is a two-piece veil. It consists of a close fitting cap, usually made from cotton or polyester, and an accompanying tube-like scarf. The shayla is a long, rectangular scarf popular in the Gulf region. It is wrapped around the head and tucked or pinned in place at the shoulders.
The khimar is a long, cape-like veil that hangs down to just above the waist. It covers the hair, neck and shoulders completely, but leaves the face clear. The chador, worn by many Iranian women when outside the house, is a full-body cloak. It is often accompanied by a smaller headscarf underneath.
The niqab is a veil for the face that leaves the area around the eyes clear. However, it may be worn with a separate eye veil. It is worn with an accompanying headscarf. The burka is the most concealing of all Islamic veils. It covers the entire face and body, leaving just a mesh screen to see through.
* * * * *
Good call. Most people from the States have no idea there’s a difference.
I like the shayla. I often wish I had something like in winter when it’s raining/snowing/sleeting. I guess I could improvise one though. Or ask my friend who’s from the middle east how to improvise one…
We have them in the West. We call them pashminas.
Truly interesting. Are these from different cultures within the Islamic world or are they for different situations?
Islamic women wear different scarves depending on how legalistic the government is where they live. For instance, in a place where Sharia law is highly enforced, women wear a niqab, or possibly a burka.
So Islamic women decide what to wear by being suppressed and dictated by whoever governs the country they live in?
@tom: there is not a place in the world where that does not apply. Try using no clothes at all in public, see what happens.
Not being allowed to go fully naked in public applies to all people, not just women.
What about Western women who do the same? Jewish women, Christian women, they have dress requirements as well, including head coverings.
Of course.. and they wear them willingly as part of their faith.. (one hopes anyway) legally speaking, they don’t have to be part of that faith with those specific trappings.. They could choose to be Nudist Pagans of the other end of the spectrum and be naked in specifically allowed areas..
You asked what about them… What about them indeed? They aren’t forced to wear them by Sharia law, Only the law of a religion they are allowed to leave without pain of death…
As a fashion choice, I like the hijab and shayla… :)
AMBER – Pagans arent nudist FYI.
Good info! And most of these things are sooo helpful in desert climates as they keep the sun off.
Very awesome. I was wondering about this myself earlier today.
The Shayla is how I wear my scarf in cold weather! Now I know what it’s called!
there are two laws one that states the covering of the entire body and the other says the maximum that is allowed to show when wearing hijab are your hands face and feet. unless the women are living in an Islamic state the burka is a choice, hijab though is compulsory for all muslim women,fyi hijab means covering of the body (with the specifics above) its not just the scarf
The burka is one of the most repressive and repugnant articles in the world. I would be very interested to know if there are actually women who choose to wear a burka. The vast majority are forced by law. I worked as a contractor in Kabul, and even in sweltering heat, where it would be difficult to breath inside a burka, they were still worn out of fear.
I believe some do choose. I remember hearing an interview with a woman who wore a burka who said it was nice not to have men staring at her all the time.
Not that I think it’s a good idea. Men and women ought to be able to relate to one another.
@david there are many who wear it as a choice! its a spiritual decision for those who are not forced by law there are women all around the world who choose to wear burqa eg. hong kong,south america and canada there are no laws in these countries to wear the burqa they choose to do it themselves in my observations many who opt to wear it are converts therefore no one persuaded or forced to wear burqa.
I wear a hajib. I wear it out of respect of my religion, respect to myself, and respect to my husband. I wear a Shayla-style headcovering, and it is amazing how many people smile and nod, or stop to ask me how I did my scarf so nicely. It also helps keep me warm in the winter and keeps the sun off of my head in the summer.
And no, I am not muslim. I am a pagan. Not all pagans are running around naked, not all Muslimahs wear hajib. Even your precious Christianity has women wearing headcovers.
Burkas can be a relief sometimes. Men can get so disgusting when a woman walks by, like she is meat and not a breathing, thinking, feeling human being. Having to assess who I am by what I say, not by who I wear or what color my hair is, has made me people relate to me in a more personal fashion.
Who cares???
People who like to learn about different cultures, maybe? You can very easily just not click on the link if you don’t want to read or know about the subject at hand.
Very informative! I teach many young Muslim women at an urban high school in the USA. I appreciate knowing the different names to appreciate how they dress. Thank you!
We have even more to choose from here in Niger. Many wear the chador, but such a wide variety!
the burka is creeptastic. good for committing murders.
This is actually incorrect. No one actually knows what a “Khimar” was as referred to in the Qur’an. The modern adoption of the term “Khimar” for a hijab-like covering was perpetuated by the Wahabis/Salafis/Conservatives as an attempt to justify their attempts to force women to wear a hijab.
Try walking into a bank with a ski mask on…..