Burqa
A Burqa is a piece of clothing. It is worn by some Muslim women. They can wear it as an outer garment. It only leaves a semi-transparent mesh in front of the woman's eyes, so she can see. The rest of the body is covered by it.
Other garments for Muslim women that cover less of their body are the hijab and the niqab. People often confuse the hijab and the niqab and call it burqa instead.
In Islamic texts
The Quran does not say that women need to cover their faces with a veil, or cover their bodies with the full-body burqa.
Burqas around the world
In France, Italy, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Latvia, Bulgaria, Sri Lanka, Morocco, Tunisia, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands wearing a burqa (and the niqab) in public is illegal. And in more countries, it is illegal to enter a government building, public building, public transport, schools, or to drive a vehicle with a burqa (or a niqab).
Burqa Media
Pre-Islamic relief showing veiled Middle Eastern women, Temple of Baal, Palmyra, Syria, 1st century CE.
Coptic Orthodox Christian woman wearing a garment with a Christian head covering (1918)
A map of countries with a burqa ban. Map current as of 2023[update]
A member of the Haredi burqa sect in Meah Shearim, Israel