A Burqa is an outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions. An outgrowth of the Muslim belief in public modesty, it covers the entire body and face. The garment has often been interpreted in the west as misogynistic, and has been subject to legal bans and attempted bans throughout Western Europe. The Burqa is not to be confused with the Hijab, which usually refers to a head covering.

The Burqa is not explicitly prescribed in the Muslim holy texts. The Qur'an offers guidelines for modesty that are open to interpretation by different Muslim traditions. The Hadith—a guide to practical observance comparable to the Jewish Talmud—is more specific, suggesting that women "veil" their faces, necks and breasts once puberty is reached.

In 2007 and 2008, suicide bombings were carried out by people dressed in Burqas. On October 1, 2007, at a police checkpoint in Pakistan, a Burqa-clad rickshaw passenger is believed to have detonated a deadly blast. A similar incident occurred on May 14, 2008, when 16 people were killed in a suicide bombing in an Afghani bazaar; the perpetrator was reportedly wearing a Burqa.