What is the difference between hijab and burqa?

It is difficult for the European part of the population, not exposed to Islam, to understand the difference in the elements of the national costume. But such items of women's wardrobe in eastern countries as the hijab and burqa have a number of differences. They differ not only in cut, but also in wearing rules.. Therefore, interested girls should study this issue in more detail.

What is the difference between a hijab and a burqa?

The burqa is a thick hoodie-veil with cut out sleeves. This piece of clothing completely covers the girl's head and body. A special mesh called chachvan is sewn at face level, through which the woman sees everything that is happening.

Hijab is a special headscarf that a girl ties on her head, covering her hair, ears and neck.. At the same time, the girl’s face remains completely open. Nowadays, this wardrobe item is very popular among representatives of Eastern culture.Markets and shops offer a huge selection of different scarves. They differ in shades and style.

Important! Many women today prefer a light scarf, which they tie on their heads, instead of a bulky burqa. Eastern girls follow fashion no less than Europeans and know how to present themselves in all their glory.

Today, the burqa has practically become a relic. Few women use it in their wardrobe. But they wear the hijab with pleasure and admit that the headscarf really makes them attractive and beautiful.

What is a burqa?

As already noted, The burqa is a type of clothing belonging to the culture of Islam. A long robe with a kind of sleeves, a thick loose blanket covering the woman’s body from head to toe. Even the face is covered with a dense horsehair net, which the girl can raise and lower at will.

There is a wide variety of women's clothing in Islam:

• A burka is a veil, just like a burqa, covering a woman from head to toe, but leaving a slit for the eyes, covered with a dense mesh;
• niqab is a type of veil that leaves only the girl’s eyes open;
• The veil is a thick robe that covers the girl’s body. In this case, a separate scarf is tied to the head;
• The hijab is designed to cover the girl’s hair and neck, while leaving her face open.

As a rule, people who are ignorant of Islam do not separate all these wardrobe items and confuse them with each other. But each of them has its own characteristics and differences from the burqa and hijab. The main differences between the burqa and other types of Muslim clothing are:

• degree of closure (the burqa does not leave a single centimeter of skin exposed, the body and head of the oriental beauty are hidden behind a thick blanket);
• density of the fabric (the hijab is made of thin material that beautifully frames the face, while the burqa is a very thick cover);
• length (the burqa covers the entire body, which means its length reaches the ground, the hijab is intended to cover only the head);
• colors (hijab has the ability to allow a woman to choose her style and shade, they are bright and beautiful, the burqa is usually made of dark material, for example, black or dark blue).

Characteristics of Hijab

This type of clothing can be called any scarf or blanket that is tied in such a way that the hair, neck and ears are hidden. Some modifications also involve covering the shoulders. According to Sharia norms, a girl can only have her face and hands exposed, so all Muslim girls wear a hijab or other types of headdresses or robes.

Important! A small bright scarf much better emphasizes the beauty and chastity of a woman, while hiding all parts of the body, as stated in the norms of behavior. A girl can feel confident and free, but at the same time clearly indicate her belonging to a certain religion.

Among the main characteristics, only its size is distinguished. This should be a large enough piece of material that can reliably cover the parts of the body specified in the standards of conduct. There are no special instructions regarding the style and color of the scarf. They can be brightly colored and have graphic and other designs. Any clothing that can be tied around the head will pass for a hijab. It only indicates that the woman is a Muslim and follows the rules of behavior of Sharia.

How are they similar?

They are similar only in that they hide a certain part of the body or the entire figure of a representative of the Muslim faith. The burqa hides almost everything, while the hijab hides only the woman's head. But both of these things are aimed at protecting the woman and her decency in society.

Nowadays there are no such strict rules in eastern countries about women wearing capes, but centuries-old traditions are very difficult to banish. In the modern world, there are several activist movements that advocate women's “liberty” and the refusal to wear headscarves and veils. But most often this is practiced only in European countries.

Important! Women in most eastern countries also have freedom to choose a headdress. However, if a woman was raised in a strictly religious family where women wore headscarves and veils, she will most likely also wear a burqa.

Along with this, eastern countries have also become more accepting of this issue. For example, in a number of countries there is a ban on women walking on the streets without a headscarf, even if they belong to a different religion. This can be found in Saudi Arabia or Iran. But in Turkey, which is also a Muslim country, there is no such ban. Perhaps this is due to the large influx of tourists, where women do not want to change their usual clothing style.

Today, Sharia women have received more freedom and no one will punish them for not wearing a hijab or changing their burqa to a light headscarf. Society is more accepting of this issue and girls can freely walk the streets, covering only their hair and neck. Some even dare to take off their traditional headdresses, but such insolence is still condemned.

However, in remote villages and hamlets where traditions are scrupulously respected, women continue to wear thick veils and hide their bodies, because this is what is written in the Koran. And there they can really beat a girl with stones if she dares to take off her headscarf, which signifies chastity. Perhaps soon morals will change in the outback, but for now these are the harshest places where there are clear restrictions on women’s freedom of choice.

What is the difference between them?

Despite the fact that both wardrobe items have the same goal - to hide the outlines of a woman’s body, they also have significant differences:

1. difference in colors (the darkness of the burqa cannot compete with the brightness and sophistication of the hijab);
2. size (the fabric of the burqa covers the woman to the toes in a shapeless bag, hiding all the outlines of the silhouette and even the eyes, which are covered with a special mesh).

Recently, the burqa has been considered not the most popular item of clothing; many women have defended their right to gain freedom from this bulky item. But many people wear the hijab with great pleasure, explaining that they feel confident and protected in the headdress. And this is confirmed by millions of statements from Eastern women who note that they feel comfortable in hijab, and at the same time they feel beautiful and free.

Scientific studies have proven that when men see naked women, they become more aggressive, their arms begin to move, and their brains become aroused. From the researchers' point of view, it is believed that men view naked women as less human. This explains the fact that by wearing a headscarf, women in eastern countries, where punishing girls was the order of the day, feel protected.