Muslim modesty: Head coverings a symbol of faith or oppression?

It is probably one of the most visible and controversial symbols of Islam.

Westerners often view the hijab, or head covering, worn by Muslim women as oppressive. Even among members of the Islamic faith, it is subject of debate.

How should it be worn?

Does it need to be worn?

Is it a choice or requirement?

In recent months, the hijab and other forms of Islamic coverings have come under scrutiny in the media and by politicians. In June, French president Nicolas Sarkozy suggested women who completely cover their faces by wearing burqas are silent prisoners and that the practice is a "debasement of women."

Those comments have translated into debate over why Muslim women cover at all.

For Maysa Kergaye, coordinator of the Utah Islamic Speakers Bureau, the reason to veil is simple: It's a requirement of the Islamic religion. Beyond that, it is something that serves as a reminder of her beliefs and a "shield" to help protect her from doing the wrong things and being in the wrong place.

Kergaye said she does not feel diminished as result of wearing her hijab.

"Islam actually came and liberated women," she said. "It said they are equal and should not be viewed as a piece of meat. They're humans. They are individuals who do not have to sell their body. They should use their brains."

The tradition of women veiling their heads has been around for centuries, even among early Christians, according to Frank Griffel, professor of Islamic Studies at Yale University. The rules for its use among members of the Islamic faith can be found in Sura 24 of the Quran, where both men and women are told to guard their modesty.

In regard to women, it reads: "And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms." The rest of the scripture clarifies that women only need to cover in front of males who are not family.

Because the verses are not explicit, there are a few Muslims who believe modesty does not require covering, however, religious text clarifies it beyond any doubt, according to Kergaye. Some cultures are more liberal, while others have more conservative methods of dress and types of headscarves.