The hijab is a veil worn by some Muslim women in Muslim countries where the main religion is Islam, but also in the Muslim diaspora, countries where Muslim people are minority populations. Wearing or not wearing a hijab is part religion, part culture, part political statement, even part fashion, and most of the time it is a personal choice made by a woman based on the intersection of all four.
Wearing a hijab-type veil was once practiced by Christian, Jewish, and Muslim women, but today it is primarily associated with Muslims, and it is one of the most visible signs of a person’s being a Muslim.
Types of Hijab
The hijab is only one type of veil used by Muslim women today and in the past. There are many different types of veils, depending on customs, interpretation of the literature, ethnicity, geographic location, and political system. These are the most common types, although the rarest of all is the burqa.
- The hijab is a headscarf that covers the head and upper neck but exposes the face.
- The niqab (reserved mostly in Persian Gulf countries) covers the face and head but exposes the eyes.
- The burqa (mostly in Pashtun Afghanistan), covers the whole body, with crocheted eye openings.
- The chador (mostly in Iran) is a black or dark colored coat, that covers the head and entire body and is held in place with one’s hands.
- The shalwar qamis is the traditional outfit of South Asian men and women, regardless of religious affiliation, consisting of a knee-length tunic, and pants
modest islamic wear 