With all respect Jimmy you (and many other posters on this thread) do not have a clue about why niqab is worn. Some of the things I have read in this thread have truly astonished me about the depth of ignorance of some people. It would be quite amusing to watch if it didn't concern people I know about and care about.
It is interesting how the word ideology keeps cropping up. Is this what this is really about? You want to start an ideological war like the cold war where your fantastical paranoia supercedes reality. And just like then hatred and fear of the other causes you to abandon your own values. So just like then when Western, democratic governments supported dictators, military coups and terrorists against legitimately democratically elected leaders now you want to ignore concepts such as personal freedom and choice and take away muslim women's right to dress the way they like. It always makes me think people must be so insecure about their own decisions if they cant stand the fact that people would willingly chose to live their lives in a way they do not sanction or approve of? Get over it. The colonial era is over people can run their countries and live their lives the way that they want. It is none of your business how Saudi Arabia is run. That is for the people of that country to decide not you. Or do you want to invade a sovereign country and interfere in their affairs just like you did in Iraq and Afghanistan. And if you can get some oil and gas contracts whilst 'liberating' women then its win win for you right?
This fabricated debate has absolutely nothing to do with niqabis or women's rights and everything to do with cultural imperialism. We know what is best for you, little muslim women. Really what makes you any different, in taking the choice away from muslim women to dress as they like, from those caricatured muslim men you speak of.
Its funny how people claim to care about muslim women's rights but as soon as they start expressing their own views and stop being good little victims you turn on them with guns blazing. Then they are just part of the problem, just as culpable as the terrorists. You may accuse me of being angry and that is because I am and I have every right to be. 28 pages of ignorant bs against a minority of women who only want to be left alone to follow their faith in a way they choose.
Im not really interested in engaging in debate with the vast majority of posters in this thread mostly for the reasons that I stated above that I don't believe it will make a blind bit of difference to you. You don't care about muslim women or what they have to say this is about something deeper then that. But for those who are interested in why some muslim women actually wear niqab i will try to explain.
In Islam we have certain acts of worship that we are required to do as a minimum. For example all muslims are expected to pray 5 times a day and to fast in the month of Ramadhan (though of course not all muslims do this). This is the minimum expectation of praying and fasting expected of all muslims however those who want to can do more. Some people wake up in the night to pray as they feel they can concentrate better at that time. Other muslims will fast twice weekly (not as part of the 5:2 diet) as they feel this helps them spiritually. What I am getting at here is that there are minimum requirements with regards to modesty of men and women in Islam. For me the minimum is that you wear the hijab, you do not wear clothing that is see-through or clings to your shape and that no part of your body shows except your face and hands. Other people may have different standards of what they consider modesty in Islam. That is fine as there is room for flexibility. Now just like some people like to pray more then what is required or fast more then what is required as they feel this helps them spiritually, some women like to wear niqab because they feel that it helps them grow spiritually. It has nothing to do with helping men keep their desires in check that is their responsibility and the Quran makes that clear. Before the Quran mentions anything about women dressing modestly it instructs men:
"Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Verily God is aware of what they do." Holy Quran, Chapter 24, verse 30-31
Most muslim scholars have interpreted that the reason why God mentions Muslim men first is that they are responsible for guarding their own modesty. Even if a woman is standing naked in front of them they should lower their gaze and they should control their own lusts. After this the Quran mentions Muslim women. As for the verse mentioned earlier about women wearing hijab so as not to be molested that verse is not referring to muslim men. [Lobs the molotov]. Why would the Quran be referring to the inappropriate behaviour of muslim men towards women there when the earlier verse has already instructed men to control their conduct. Look up the history if your bothered though it might cause you disappointment that its not as fantastical as you would like.
Now for those saying why are muslim men and women not expected to cover up to the same extent, well that one can be fired right back at you. Do men and women dress the same in this society? No. I remember an incident earlier in the year when I went in to town and saw a group of 4 preteens. Two males and two females. Though it was quite cold (I think it was February or March) the two young girls were wearing denim shorts with no tights or leggings and skimpy tops. The boys on the other hand were wearing baggy jeans, jumpers and jackets. Why is it that men in this society can dress comfortably and appropriately for the weather whilst women are under this pressure to always appear sexually attractive. For those who say its just young girls when the weather finally improves and people start getting their summer clothes out take a long look around you and check out how much more skin women need to exposed to not feel hot then the men their sitting with do. Look at the entertainment industry. It is full of diverse examples for young men the women on the other hand all seem to fit a particular look and need to behave in a particular way to get attention. I read an interview given by Miley Cyrus where she said when she covered up people called her boring. Is this the sort of example you want young women to follow? Get your tits and bum out otherwise your boring? Which mode of dressing do you think would be more appealing for men for women to bare all or dress modestly. For those who will say why does it matter what men think well it is you who framed this as a feminist argument and seem incapable of accepting that muslim women can choose to practise their religion without being forced by their men so in the same way I cant believe that a woman would wear a mini skirt, heels and a skimpy top in icy December of her own free choice.
In Muslim countries you will see that actually men and women dress in a very similar manner. In the Middle East both men and women wear long flowing robes. In Pakistan both men and women wear shalwar kameez (Im sure the mens one is not called that though) though women wear more colourful and attractive ones whilst the men's ones tend to be quite bland. I know its such a big deal to some that the women wear black but ever heard of an LBD. Why is it black? To show women are evil or because little black dresses are flattering? In the same way a long black robe is more flattering to a womans shape then a long white robe. That's why middle eastern women wear it and they can bling it up a lot more then men can the white robe.
The beard is sort of the equivalent of the niqab. (Think about it do you find a man with a huge beard attractive?) In fact most muslim scholars would interpret the beard to be obligatory for men to have but would not consider the niqab to be obligatory. At least women who wear niqab get to take niqab off whilst the men who follow that opinion have to keep their long beards in all occasions.