Styles of Muslim headwear

THE DIFFERENT STYLE OF MUSLIM HEADWEAR:

* Burqa - covers the entire body and face

Full body covering leaves nothing but a piece of mesh out of which a woman can see. Often seen in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime.

* Niqab - shows only the eyes

Covers the whole face except for the eyes which may or may not be veiled with a separate piece of cloth.

* Hijab - also known as a Shaylah or Tarhah - shows only the face.

A square or rectangular piece of fabric that is folded, wrapped around the head and fastened under the chin or pinned at the shoulders.

* Khimar - shows only the face.

A piece of fabric that drapes over the woman's head and stops at about her waist.

* Chador - shows only the face

Commonly worn by Iranian women, it hides the entire body and a separate headscarf may be worn underneath to conceal the hair.

* Abaya - dress

Worn over clothes when in public. It is commonly seen in the Arab Gulf countries and is usually black and decorated with sequins or coloured embroidery.