Muslim cleric calls for one-eyed veil

by David Masters

A Saudi Arabian cleric has said that Muslim women should wear a full veil that reveals only one eye.

Speaking on television, the conservative sheikh Muhammad al-Habadan said veils that reveal two eyes encourage women to wear make-up and act seductively.

The level to which women should cover up is a controversial issue in Muslim societies.

Some clerics argue that women should only show their eyes, whilst others say that only the head need be covered, and still others say that the spirit of Islam requires that Muslims dress modestly, which may or may not include a head scarf.

The niqab, the full veil that covers everything but the eyes, is common in Saudi Arabia.

Many Middle Eastern countries, however, only require women to wear a headscarf that covers their hair.

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