Hijab and burka controversies in Europe

Hijab and burka controversies in Europe revolve around public reactions and opposition to the variety of headdresses worn by Muslim women, which have become prominent symbols of the presence of Islam in especially Western Europe. Although Muslim communities have long existed in parts of Eastern Europe, particularly the Balkans, the Muslim populations of Western Europe are largely the result of more recent immigration. For many Muslim women, garments such as the hijab (an Arabic term meaning "to cover") and niqab are regarded as religious obligations grounded in Islamic scripture and law. Nevertheless, in several European countries, the wearing of these garments has led to political controversies and proposals for legal restrictions, ranging from partial to full bans. Some countries already have laws banning the wearing of masks in public, which can be applied to veils that conceal the face. Other countries are debating similar legislation, or have more limited prohibitions. Some of them apply only to face-covering clothing such as the burqa, boushiya, or niqab; some apply to any clothing with an Islamic religious symbolism such as the khimar, a type of headscarf. The issue has different names in different countries, and "the veil" or hijab may be used as general terms for the debate, representing more than just the veil itself, or the concept of modesty embodied in Hijab.