A Truth-revealing Question to the Muslim Woman: The Unbelievers Want to Know, ‘Where do you Stand?’

The way Muslim women should dress in public has been a strongly debated topic in recent months. But a new study has now revealed what the citizens of different Muslim countries believe is appropriate female dress – and how widely views differ between them.

The survey was conducted across seven countries – Tunisia, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey – which all have a majority Muslim population

And the research from the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research found that most residents in these countries prefer women to cover their hair with a traditional hijab, al-Amira or head scarf rather than cover their entire face with a full burqa or niqab.

 Survey: Chart shows how people from seven different countries with a majority-Muslim population believe women should dress

Researchers asked respondents to pick their favoured style of female Muslim dress from a chart, assembled by the Pew Research Center, showing a range of clothing from the full burka (see image one on the chart above) and niqab (see image two) to types of hijabs (image four and five) to no head covering at all (image six).

The majority of those questioned – 57% in Tunisia, 52% in Egypt, 46% in Turkey and 44% in Iraq – believed the white hijab or basic al-Amira (shown in image four) is the most appropriate dress for a Muslim woman.

But the more conservative black hijab or chador (shown in image three) was the second favourite choice of citizens in Iraq and Egypt.

And a 63%-majority of those polled in Saudi Arabia chose the second most conservative form of dress, a niqab.