<P> Islamic dress in Europe , notably the variety of headdresses worn by Muslim women , has become a prominent symbol of the presence of Islam in western Europe . In several countries the adherence to hijab ( an Arabic noun meaning `` to cover '' ) has led to political controversies and proposals for a legal ban . The Netherlands government has decided to introduce a ban on face - covering clothing , popularly described as the `` burqa ban '' , although it does not only apply to the Afghan - model burqa . Other countries , such as France and Australia are debating similar legislation , or have more limited prohibitions . Some of them apply only to face - covering clothing such as the burqa , chador , boushiya , or niqab ; some apply to any clothing with an Islamic religious symbolism such as the khimar , a type of headscarf ( some countries already have laws banning the wearing of masks in public , which can be applied to veils that conceal the face ) . 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 . </P>
what is the name of the muslim dress
hijab