The Ottoman sultan banned the burqa in 1892

Submitted by Ottoman (Lithuania), Nov 19, 2012 at 06:36

Excerpt from an April 1892 decree by the Ottoman sultan (padişah) Abdul Hamid II banning the wearing of the çarşaf (i.e., the burqa):

Çarşafs are absolutely not suitable for Muslim women for veiling because they can be used by bad men for entering places, with the aim of committing mischief. Recently there has been a case of an armed man dressed in a çarşaf who broke into a woman's house, attacked her, stole valuables, threw them to his accomplices through the window, and escaped.

Both from the religious point of view and for the good of society, taking into account harm and inconveniences that can ensue, it is thought that people should be reminded about this and given good advice; indeed, a decree of the padişah is needed to prohibit the wearing of the çarşaf by women."

Source: http://tr.wikisource.org/wiki/II._Abd%C3%BClhamit'in_siyah_%C3%A7ar%C5%9Faf_giyilmemesi_hakk%C4%B1nda_verilen_padi%C5%9Fah_emri

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