earlier that the niqab would be banned in all public universities , his ruling sparked controversy with the growing number of women in the country who choose to stay covered . The initiative from Al-Azhar is seen by many in Egypt as an attempt to counter the growing appeal of the strictest interpretations of Islam . An increasing number of young women in Egypt are turning to the niqab . The niqab is worn by many Muslim women throughout the Arab world and beyond and is most common in the countries of Saudi Arabia , Yemen , Bahrain , Kuwait , Qatar , Oman and the United Arab Emirates . It is also commonly worn in Pakistan . `` The niqab should be worn under two circumstances , '' a cleaning lady who works at Al-Azhar , told CNN recently . `` A very beautiful woman should wear it to prevent men from fighting over her , and an ugly woman should wear it to hide her face . '' There is no consensus among Muslim scholars regarding the wearing of the niqab , the piece of cloth that covers a Muslim woman 's face . Women who wear it
CAIRO , Egypt -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There 's more to wearing the `` niqab '' -- the austere , all-covering veil favored by ultra-religious Muslim women -- than meets the eye . Cairo University students wearing niqab stand outside a university dormitory on Oct. 7 unable to enter due to the new rules preventing admission to niqab wearers . A recent declaration by a leading Egyptian cleric that women will not be allowed to wear the niqab in university areas frequented only by women has sparked demonstrations by female students in Cairo determined to wear the all-encompassing veil wherever they go . Egypt 's Al-Azhar university , the highest seat of Sunni Islam , recently convened an all-male committee to rule on what women can wear at Egypt 's public universities . The Shaikh of Al-Azhar , Shaikh Tantawi , announced after the meeting that a ban on the niqab , also known as the burqa , would apply to such university areas as female dormitories and all-women classes . Do you think Muslim women should wear the niqab ? Tell us below in the SoundOff box Even though that was a step down from a statement he made