Why do Muslim women wear the veil?
Islam prescribes modest dress and conduct for both men and women. The rules of modest conduct are the same for men and women and involve keeping chaste, lowering the gaze from the opposite sex, avoiding physical unnecessary physical contact with the opposite sex, avoiding privacy, and keeping conversations on business only. The rules of modest dress are different, because men and women have a different physical appearance and different forms of dress are required to de-sexualize their appearance.
There is nothing that says a Moslem woman must wear a veil. However, they are required to be modestly attired, especially in public, and to not draw the eyes of men. Many conservative Christians have the same idea. An easy way to not draw the attention of men is to wear clothes that hide the body, and a veil does that nicely. Most wear the hijab, which covers the hair. Only a few wear a veil over the face as well. This is a cultural thing – Indonesia is a Moslem country, and few wear veils. Iran is Moslem, and most women do. It depends on local custom, which while based on religion, is actually a cultural thing.
