How to Hijab: Face Veils
Niqab This is the famous "face veil." It is usually made of cotton or light polyester, and either has ties, a velcro closure, or snaps which goes OVER the hijab and around the back of the head. It may also have an elastic band that you just slip on under the head covering. This is the so-called "half niqab." You can buy these in a variety of colors, but black is the most commonly worn one. Sometimes will have a flip down flap that covers the eyes as well. Some tribal women wear leather niqabs, or heavy cloth ones decorated with gold coins or shells.
Munaqaba, Niqabi A woman who wears niqab
Boushiya Niqab style that ties around the head (or snaps or velcos) and covers the eyes. The eye veils sometimes can be raised up to expose only the eyes. Other styles can only be raised up to expose the entire face.
Burq'a This has also been getting a lot of attention lately (Afghanistan). It covers EVERYTHING, hands, feet, and face. The face part features a lattice work grill that allows the woman to breath and see. In Afghanistan, it may also be called a chaderi. However, Arabs refer to the tie-on face veil with a string between the eyes as a "burq'a," so keep this in mind when perusing catalogs.
Pak Chadar This is a new style coming from Pakistan. It is a one piece stretch khimar, about waist length (depends) with a built in face veil that fastens by drawing it over the face from one side, instead of over the head. Reputed to be extremely comfortable, especially for sisters wearing glasses. Insha'Allah, Modern Muslima is getting her hands on one soon, I'll let you know.
Buying Tips
I personally feel the only way to buy a niqab is after trying it on, but many women buy their niqabs online, and don't seem to have too many problems with them. If you are buying one with snap or velcro closures, make sure you can try it on or return it later, as these styles may be too small for your head. This goes double ditto if you wear glasses.
You may find that a niqab is snug or just right when you have the glasses on, but too tight when you remove the glasses (thus, forcing you to retie it everytime you remove your glasses). Consistently, the number one recommended niqab for women who wear glasses is the Umm Sahl design from al Muhajabat. It was designed specially for a sister who wears glasses. However, if you buy it, make sure you can return it. Sometimes it may be too tight for you if you put your glasses on.
Also, if you wear glasses, you may find that it is hard or ridiculous looking to pull down the eye veils on a boushiya, as the glasses stick out. The veil may also get caught in the hinge of your glasses. If you want to cover your eyes and you wear glasses, try to find one of the long mesh boushiyas which does not have removable eye veils. The only downside to this is that you either cover it all, or you uncover the whole face; also I've only seen these in black.
Wearing Niqab
If you are wearing a "half niqab" style, that is, one simple panel of cloth with elastic, you should put it on underneath your khimar or hijab.
If you are wearing boushiya or Arabic burq'a, you can either put it on under the scarf (ie, tie it on around your bare head and then put the scarf on), or you can tie it on over your scarf. Most women do this, but sometimes it looks odd if the scarf isn't exactly matching (ie, a black boushiya tied over top a light flowered scarf). You might find the material easier to manage if you wear it over a plain al Amira hijab, which is what many women do. It's all about personal taste.
My recommendation is that you practice wearing niqab in your home or other private places. Many women find it difficult to breathe or see in niqab when they first start wearing it.
Niqab Styles Made with Scarves
Here are styling instructions for two styles of face veiling which can be made with your basic 40"x40" scarf. (The Pharoah style also works well with 60"x60" scarves). Please note that while both of these styles are comfy for glasses-wearing sisters, you might also fog up your glasses. :)
Syrian Niqab
1. Fold 40"x40" scarf into triangle. Place at center of head, and follow Basic Pin Style steps 1 and 2.
2. Draw right hand tail across face under eyes or nose, and pin at back of the head.
3. Fan left hand tail across shoulder and pin or tuck into garment.
note: in Syria, this is not done with patterned scarves. It is only worn in white, black, or navy.
Pharoah Niqab
1. Follow steps for Pharoah style hijab (pin at back of the head).
2. Draw right hand tail around the shoulder, over the face (under eyes or nose), and pin above left ear.
3. You can draw the left hand tail around, fan open and pin on shoulder, or fan it under the face veil and pin above right ear.
On to How To Hijab for Men
On to Hijab, Jilbab, and Niqab Resources
Muslim Webmasters: How to Hijab is copyrighted. You
do not have permission to copy any part of this guide and put it on your website. You have
permission to link your viewers to the
first page ONLY.
© 1998 - 2004, Modern Muslima and Saraji Umm Zaid
