HW# 31 Burqas, Habibs, or Veils which to wear??

HW#31

While reading this section of Bagdhdad Burning by Riverbend I came across the words Burqas, Hijab, and Veil. I had an idea about what these things were, because I have seen a few people in my school wearing them, and had heard a little about them, but I never really know what they were, then I saw that there were three different types and I got really confused, so I decided to look them up.

I found the deffinition of all three on http://www.wikipedia.com/

"A veil is an article of clothing, worn almost exclusively by women, that is intended to cover some part of the head or face." (wikipedia-veil)

A burqa (also transliterated burkha, burka or burqua) is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions for the purpose of cloaking the entire body. It is worn over the usual daily clothing (often a long dress or a shalwar kameez) and removed when the woman returns to the sanctuary of the household (see purdah). (wikipedia-burqa)

Hijab or ħijāb (حجاب) is the Arabic term for "cover" (noun), based on the root حجب meaning "to veil, to cover (verb), to screen, to shelter. (wikipedia-hajib)

All of these terms are important to the book Baghdad Burning because they are part of there everyday lives. If they didn't already wear them everyday they now have to think about wearing them for their own protection. There is a lot that I didn't know about these headscarves. Like that it was an option and they didn't have to wear them, even thought it was part of their religion.

"Hijab, Burqa, veil." wikipedia. 2007. Wikipedia. 15 Nov 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org.

Riverbend, Baghdad Burning. 1. New York: The Feminist Press at the city University of New York, 2005.