THE burka – the one piece of clothing which stirs controversy, conjures up strong emotions and divides opinion like no other.

It is the Islamic veil worn by Muslim women which covers the entire face, apart from a small slit allowing for the eyes.

The Quran, Islam's holy book and treated as the word of God, tells Muslims - of both sexes - to dress modestly.

The holy text tells “faithful women” to cover their private parts and not to show their beauty "except what is apparent of it" – which is where the dispute between scholars begins.

Does the latter half of that sentence mean shield just the alluring parts of the female anatomy or every inch of the body from the gaze of others?

Religious and cultural traditions differ across the Muslim world, with many different garments worn by Muslim women to express their faith.

Uzma Ahmed, a High Wycombe dentist, wears a burka and she does not understand why the veil and those who wear it are targeted.

She told the Free Press: “The women who wear a burka are mostly moral women of good character who I feel are being victimised by people who often misunderstand why women veil in the first place.

“Most veiled women have a strong connection to God, are modest married women who do not wish to attract male attention.

“Much like Christian nuns who cover themselves as an act of piety, Muslim women serve their communities and through their clothing try to signal that they are women dedicated to God and are of good character.”

So, what’s the big fuss about the burka and the other veils, such as the Niqab, the Al-Amira and Khimar to name but a few?

Why has a veil been banned in France and its outlawing debated in other western European countries?

The French banned the burka - and other forms of veils - because it was deemed to be a threat to women’s rights and the secular state.

And there have been calls on these shores to follow the lead set across the Channel – with Conservative MP Philip Hollobone previously proposing a bill to outlaw the wearing of a burka or balaclava in public.

He called the burka “offensive” and “against the British way of life”, threatening a “fully integrated society”, while others believe veils - which effectively cover up one’s identity - are a threat to security.

Mr G Hargrove wrote to the BFP saying: “Safety and security are obviously an issue, when people cannot be clearly seen and recognised.”

But opponents have hit back, saying it is in fact “un-British” and undemocratic to tell people what they can and cannot wear.

Zahid Jawed from the Wycombe Islamic Society thinks women who wear veils in devotion to their faith should be allowed to do so and does not understand why people are against it in a free society.

He said: “We live in a secular society where all dress codes are acceptable – this includes wearing very little or almost nothing at the beach.

“So it is very difficult to understand why the burka is such an issue. Those who don’t believe in Islam cannot be expected to explain the Muslim point of view, especially a view they may not agree with.

“Those who wear the burka or cover their head do not accept it is just a cultural thing, they have their textual interpretations and believe it is part of their faith and that needs to be respected.”

But High Wycombe resident Anthony Mealing is of the opinion that ‘when in Rome’, people should do as the host nationals do out of respect for the country’s law and traditions.

He said: “Britain and for that matter most of Europe, has for the last two thousand years been culturally predominantly Christian.

“This has engendered a number of basic standards, one might say these are not necessarily correct and some might not be considered even morally correct, but they are established.

“From this hypothesis there are a number of people who find the wearing of the full veil in public offensive. Should this not be taken into account bearing in mind we are the host not the visitor?

“Look at the dress requirement to enter the Vatican, there is even an illustration to remind visitors of the minimum dress code acceptable.

“As a Christian and visitor, I would be a fool to disregard this advice, for me no shorts or T shirts, but outside the confines of that establishment some might argue that T shirts in the summer heat were more practical.”

The call to ban the burka was seemingly quashed by Home Secretary Theresa May last year, with the Home Office saying: "It is not for government to say what people can and cannot wear.

"Such a prescriptive approach would be out of keeping with our nation's longstanding record of tolerance.”

But, as displayed upon the Bucks Free Press letters page and the recent burka-related controversies in France and Belgium, the topic continues to raise its head on a weekly basis.

With a large Muslim population in the UK and south Buckinghamshire, the veil will continue to be a regular sight in our public places.

But, back to the debate, is it a harmless garment freely worn by Muslim women to express their devotion to their faith and their community?

Or is it a threat to national security, women’s’ right and a symbol of an ever increasing “us and them” society?

Or should we simply not concern ourselves with the burka and focus our attention on other issues at hand - such as the benefit system, the health service, jobs and the economic state - which affect everyone regardless of culture, religion or dress code?