In June 2009, while speaking to the French parliament, President Nicolas Sarkozy spoke out against the burqa on CNN. "It will not be welcome on French soil," he said." We cannot accept, in our country, women imprisoned behind a mesh, cut off from society, deprived of all identity. That is not the French republic's idea of women's dignity."
People reacted strongly, either with outrage or elation. All over the world the burqa has become a subject of discussion and controversy. Many Western countries have some sort of burqa ban in place, usually at schools and government office buildings. Many places are considering banning the burqa for security reasons, while others claim that it is divisive; it prohibits women from engaging in normal social activities.
Burqas in History
While the burqa is often associated with the Islamic faith, its history actually predates Islam by thousands of years. The earliest known instance of women veiling their faces is found in the Assyrian empire, which dates back to 5000 BC.
Although not all women veiled their faces during the empire; the veil developed as a way to keep aristocratic women separate from the masses, especially the slave women and the prostitutes. If slave women or prostitutes were found veiling their faces, they would be publically lashed. Other cultures favoured the veil for upper class women; The Byzantine Christian women of Persia, the Rajput women in India and many in classical Greek society.
Islam started in Mecca, through the teachings of the Islamic prophet, Mohamed (570 – 632 A.D.) As the religion spread, it came into contact with other customs and cultures. Often times the local customs were adopted and made part of the Islamic faith, not the other way around. Face veiling was a custom adopted by Islam, not organic to it. For the first 100 years of Islam, Muslim women did not veil their faces.
Burqas Today
The Islamic holy book is the Qu’ran (pronounced Koran). From this book, all Muslims derive their faith. The Qu’ran makes three references to dress:
“O children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. These are some of God's signs, that they may take heed.” (7:26)
“O prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and the wives of the believers that they shall lengthen their garments. Thus, they will be recognized (as righteous women) and avoid being insulted. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful.” (33:59)
" Say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty ; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof. " [Quran : 24.31]
While Islamic scholars disagree about exactly how these passages should be interpreted, it is generally recognized that these are the passages pertinent to women’s dress and that they call for nothing more specific than modesty.
However, different interpretations have led to four primary pieces of clothing becoming popular, the Hijab, the Niqab, the Abaya and the Chadri. The term Burqa encompasses all of these separate pieces of clothing. A woman may use a Hijab and a Niqab to create a burqa or simply wear a Chadri that is all one piece.
The Hijab is the piece of cloth that covers the hair and neck but leaves the face exposed. It is the most commonly worn piece of clothing for Muslim women. The Abaya is loose and flowing robe, often worn in conjunction with the Hijab. The Niqab is the face veil. It is the small piece of cloth that is causing the most controversy and is the most commonly associated with the Burqa. The Chadri is the burqa that covers a woman from head to toe in a tent-like costume with only a woven mesh over her eyes allowing her to see. It is the burqa that is seen in Iran and Afghanistan and is favoured by the Taliban.
It is the passage 24:31 that causes the most controversy surrounding women’s dress. While some scholars argue that it is permissible for a woman to display the common parts of the body – face, hands, wrists, feet and ankles – others argue that the term “beauty” suggests more. The logic is that a woman’s face is the most beautiful part of her, and displaying beauty is discouraged. Therefore it is immodest to display it for anyone other than women and close male relatives.
Burqas in the Future
In recent years the Burqa has become a symbol not just of modesty, but also of political affiliation. As Arabic culture and Islam have spread and are challenged in other nations, like France, this political identity has become increasingly important. The Burqa has been in existence for approximately 7000 years. It is doubtful that it will be eradicated in the modern world as there have been and always will be people who seek to keep this tradition alive for political, social and religious reasons. And it will, for this reason, continue to be a source of controversy.
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