The Burqa Controversy
S G Haque

The Muslim community always remains in the news for one reason or other. The Hijab or Burqa system prevalent in Muslim society is once again in the news. This time, the Europeans suffering from anti-Muslim hysteria has blatantly objected to the practice of women wearing the Hijab or Burqa. It is a bitter truth that after the 9/11, the Muslims are in the eyes of storm across the world and the people are being seen with giving advice that people of Islamic world have the medieval mind set and the practicing of Islamic codes i.e. Sharia hampers their educational, intellectual & mental growth. The recent burqa controversy initiated by former foreign minister of Britain, Jack Straw and the decision of government of Netherlands to enact a law to ban the burqa has ignited the Muslims world over. Actually, the Burqa has always been projected to be a main hurdle in the way of development or empowerment of Muslim women. Moreover, after 9/11attacks and London bombing of 7/7, the global pressure on Muslims to reform has been growing. Today, every one is being seen giving advice the Muslims to get rid of the age old Purdah system, which according to them has become obsolete and seems to become unbearable to the world, especially westerners. However, the Purdah system is in the use among non-Muslims in several parts of India from centuries.
The one important thing in this regard is that even Muslim clerics are not unanimous agreed on the practice of Muslim women of covering the whole body from face to the toe. Although, the holy book Quran directs not only Muslim women to dress up modestly, but the book of wisdom also directs men to wear the dress properly and not to expose the intimate parts of their body. The Holy Quran says, "Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: And Allah is well acquainted with all that they do" [24:30]" and "Say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms ... " [24:31].
It is a general perception that the Purdah system is a curse and an outcome of intellectual backwardness of the community. People believe that, this system will vanish the day, when Muslim society attains the education. But a recent survey suggests that, the number of Burqa wearing Muslim women is increasing tremendously. The Burqa clad women are seen these days more than ever. According to this survey, the percentage of Burqa clad women has risen from about 10 to 30 in recent past in the Kerala, the state of highest literacy rate in India. Apart from this, interestingly, the Burqa has also become a subject of fashion designers today. The designer Burqas have successfully found place in the women’s robe. According to another study, today, the Muslim women of extremely weaker sections don’t wear Burqa, as they are said to be backward and ignorant of Islamic teachings. The growing number of educated and wealthy Muslim women is also increasing the population of Burqa wearing women in India and the recent Burqa controversy of Europe also suggests that more the educated Muslim women, more Burqa clad women. Clearly, it poses a serious problem before sociologist, the world over, as the education and intellectual advancement do not seem to put break on the centuries old Purdah system considered to be a root cause of Muslim women’s backwardness.