Difference between Niqab and Burqa

Key difference: Niqab and burqa are two different kinds of clothing that are available to Islamic women. A burqa is a loose outer garment that covers the whole body head-to-toe. The aim of the burqa is to cover the shape of the body in front of males outside of the family. In addition to the body, the burqa also covers the head and face. A niqab or ruband, on the other hand, is not a full body covering. It is a part of the sartorial hijab and covers only the face. It is a form of a veil that covers the face including the ears and the hair.

Niqab and burqa are two different kinds of clothing that are available to Islamic women. Islamic women wear these cloths as a form of protection. They also act as a sign of modesty. Many claim that this clothing is decreed by the Islamic religion, culture and norms. Hence, many are times women are forced to wear these clothing in front of men by the social norms, elders and peers. However, many women choose to wear these clothing to represent their own belief in their religion and culture. They are worn by Muslim women as a symbol of modesty, privacy, and morality.

A burqa is a loose outer garment that covers the whole body head-to-toe. The aim of the burqa is to cover the shape of the body in front of males outside of the family. In addition to the body, the burqa also covers the head and face. It can be a one-piece or a two-piece garment. One piece is the loose frock type garment that covers the body, while the second piece is a skirt or pant like garment that aims to cover the legs. The frock-type garment is usually just draped over the head and not adjusted or fastened to the woman’s body.

The face-veil portion is usually a rectangular piece of semi-transparent cloth whose top side is sewn to corresponding portion of the head-scarf. The veil hangs down loose from the scarf or is side-attached to the scarf, and it can be turned up if the woman wishes to reveal her face. The burqa contains a small opening for the eyes which may or may not be covered with a mesh panel.

‘The name burqa’ is an Arabized Persian word of purda or parda, which means curtain and/or veil. Burqa can also be written as burkha, burka or burqu.

A niqab or ruband, on the other hand, is not a full body covering. It is a part of the sartorial hijab and covers only the face. It is a form of a veil that covers the face including the ears and the hair. The headpiece may even cover some, if not all of the neck and chest area. The niqab has a split in the eye area, which leaves the eyes uncovered. However, some niqabs may have a cloth mesh covering the eye area. The niqab can be attached or tied to the woman’s head by laces or by clips.

There are two main types of niqab: the half face niqab and the full face niqab. The half face niqab covers only the lower part of the face, leaving the forehead uncovered. The full face niqab covers the whole face with only slits for the eyes.

The main difference between a niqab and burqa is the fact that a covers the face while a burqa covers the whole body. Furthermore, a burqa usually covers the eyes as well, however, a niqab does not. 

Image Courtesy: deeps-mythoughts.blogspot.com, teaandpolitics.wordpress.com

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