06 December 2009

Veil's spread fans Egypt's fear of hard-line Islam

When Egypt's government banned Islamic veils and all-encompassing robes in the dorms of public universities, it cited reports of men wearing the garb to sneak into the women's quarters.

But there was a deeper reason behind the move: an intensifying struggle between the moderate Islam championed by the state and a populace that is turning to a stricter version of the faith, whose most visible hallmark is the niqab - the dress that covers the entire female form. [The Associated Press] Read more [via Butterflies and Wheels]