The document discusses the politics of the veil in the Middle East. It begins by defining key terms like hijab, khimar, chador, abaya, niqab, and burqa. It then provides brief histories of these items of Islamic dress and discusses verses from the Quran that relate to dress codes for women. The document also outlines the history of the veil and discusses Western and Middle Eastern feminism in relation to views on the veil, covering perspectives both in support of and resisting its use. It concludes by listing references consulted in creating the document.

1. Key Concepts,
Politics of the „Veil‟ Background,
and Ideas

2. DEFINING TERMS
Arab
Muslim
Middle East
Veil

3. ORIENTALISM: THE HAREM

4. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined

5. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined
Hijab

6. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined
Hijab
The practice observed by some
Muslim women of wearing concealing
clothing (esp. headgear), or (in early
use) living in seclusion; the religious
code which governs this.

7. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined
Khimar

8. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined
Khimar
A head covering or veil worn in public
by some Muslim women, spec. one of
a type covering the head, neck, and
shoulders.

9. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined
Chador

10. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined
Chador
Originally: a cloth spread over a Muslim tomb.
Later: a large piece of material worn as a long
shawl or cloak by Muslim women, and
sometimes by Hindu or other women, esp. in
South Asia and Iran; hence chador shawl. Also:
any of various similar garments worn by men
in South Asia.

11. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined
Abaya

12. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined
Abaya
Dress that covers the whole body.

13. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined
Niqab

14. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined
Niqab
A veil worn by some Muslim women,
covering all of the face and having
two holes for the eyes.

15. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined
Burqa

16. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined
Burqa
A long enveloping garment worn in
public places by Muslim women to
screen them from the view of men
and strangers.

17. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined

18. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined

19. Islamic Dress Code for Women Defined

20. HISTORY OF THE VEIL

21. HISTORY OF THE VEIL

22. HISTORY OF THE VEIL

23. SURA 24:31
“That they [feminine gender] should not display their
beauty and ornaments except what [must ordinarily]
appear thereof; that they should draw their khimar
[headveil] over their bosoms and not display their
beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their
husbands‟ fathers, their sons, or their women, or the
slaves whom their right hands possess, or male
servants free of physical needs, or underage
children.”

24. SURA 4:23
“Prohibited to you [male gender] are your
mothers, daughters, sisters; father‟s
sisters, mother‟s sisters; brother‟s
daughters, sister‟s daughters; “suckling”
mothers, suckling sisters; your wives‟
mothers; your step-daughters under your
guardianship, born of your wives, wives of
your biological sons.”

25. WESTERN FEMINISM
1 ST WAVE

26. WESTERN FEMINISM
2ND WAVE

27. WESTERN FEMINISM
3RD WAVE

28. MIDDLE EASTERN FEMINISM:
INTERNAL RESISTANCE

29. MIDDLE EASTERN FEMINISM:
ANTI WESTERN RESISTANCE

30. MIDDLE EASTERN FEMINISM:
BOTH

31. MIDDLE EASTERN FEMINISM:
BOTH

32. MIDDLE EASTERN FEMINISM:
BOTH

33. REFERENCES
Most of the definitions were taken directly from the
Oxford English Dictionary Online.
The drawn pictures were borrowed from the BBC.
Fadwa El Guindi, Veil: Modesty, Privacy, and
Resistance
Nawar Al-Hassan Golley, “Reading Arab Women‟s
Autobiographies: Shahrazad Tells Her Story”