Hijab vs Burka

This article discusses the differences between hijab vs burka. Being muslim veils there are important differences between them in terms of shape, origing, area of use… Hijab and burka are not the only islamic veils so we metion other veils to highlight the main differences with hijab and burka.

HIJAB DEFINITION

Meaning veil or curtain in Arabic, hijab is the Islamic veil that covers only the hair. It can wrap around the entire face or be tied up a little looser, leaving a few strands of hair sticking out.

The term refers to the veil in its broadest sense, and therefore all its variations. Nevertheless, today it is used mainly to refer to the most common Islamic veil, covering the head and hair, but not the face.
Depending on the region of the world, the hijab can be worn around the entire face as a simple veil covering the hair, or as part of a more complete costume (India, Indonesia).

The hijab therefore does not cover the face, nor the whole body, but there are several types, which can be more or less visible.

The burka

There was a time when the burka was similar to chadri, a traditional garment of Afghan women. This integral model is quite recent. It was imposed in the 1990s by the Afghan Taliban, fanatical Islamists, causing much disagreement among scholars of Islam. Indeed, the Koran does not seem to impose any dress code, but rather recommends wearing a modest dress without artifice. Also, the veil is not intended to protect women, as in the Qur’anic foundations, but rather to avoid the temptation and corruption of men. Wearing the burka rarely goes beyond the borders of Afghanistan.

Often blue in color, the main difference of the burka vs hijab is that this garment covers the entire body, including the face. A veil or “grid” of fabric is installed at eye level to allow one to see.

This garment, which has become a symbol of the oppression suffered by women in countries in the hands of radical Islamists, is said to have existed in this form for only a few decades, the traditional Afghan garment being closer to the Iranian chador. A fabric mesh allows you to see.

The burkini

Models in burkini frame the creator of this Islamic shirt, Aheda Zanetti. (AFP)AFP or licensors
Born from the contraction of burqa and bikini, the burkini is a registered trademark since 2006. Its invention is quite recent. It aims to allow women to bathe in public places while remaining covered.
The burkini was created by Aheda Zanetti, an Australian designer of Lebanese origin. It consists of a tunic and pants, sometimes with a hood. Contrary to what its name might suggest, it is not close to the burqa since it does not cover the face. While some religious figures approve of its use, Salafists still consider it too shameless.

What does the Qur’an say about the veil?

The veil predates the Qur’an: as early as the Assyrians, the free woman was obliged to wear the veil, under penalty of punishment. This practice is found, with varying degrees of obligation, among Jews and Romans.
The Koran takes up this practice and codifies it, without however explicitly recommending the wearing of the veil. Nevertheless, several writings evoke this practice for the wives of the Prophet Mohammed, notably in verse 31 of Sura 24 :

“And tell the believing women to lower their gaze, to keep their chastity, and to show only what they appear to be wearing, and to fold their veil over their breasts; And let them show their attire only to their husbands, or to their fathers, or to the fathers of their husbands, or to their sons, or to the sons of their husbands, or to their brothers, or to the sons of their brothers, or to the sons of their sisters, or to Muslim women, or to the slaves they own, or to impotent male servants, or to impubescent boys who are ignorant of the hidden parts of women. »

But also in verse 59 of Sura 33 :

“O Prophet! Tell your wives, your daughters, and the wives of the believers, to bring back on them their great veils: they will be more quickly recognized and will avoid being offended. Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. »

Hijab vs Burka

HIJAB DEFINITION

The burka

The burkini

What does the Qur’an say about the veil?

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