Q: Hi, I passed by a woman yesterday and she was wearing a burka, but over her face she had a metal (silver? steel?) plate. I was just wondering what that's for...? Does it have any significance? Can't find anything on google, or even a picture of one. Thanks.
A: You mean this one? (a face veil) http://www.flickr.com/photos/girloflight/64712240/in/set-1328618/ It's simply called a Burqaa or you can say Niqab. Younger Muslim women who chose to wear a Niqab now just use a black cloth instead of the silver/gold Burqaa, which older women are more used to wearing. It is actually not made of steel rather some kind of material. A Niqab is a Muslim woman's way of covering her face as a sign of modesty as required by the Kura'an. Within Islam it is debated whether this face veil is actually obligatory or not. A write-up on the Niqab: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/beliefs/niqab_1.shtml