The debate over women wearing burkas is a heated one at present, so much so that someone was beaten with a shoe over it.

A fight broke out on live TV between Australian Muslim cleric Mostafa Rashid and Egyptian lawyer Nabih al-Wahsh, after Rashid claimed the headscarf is a cultural tradition rather than a religious duty.

The discussion, held on Egypt’s popular LTC TV, was about the place of the burka in the Islamic world.

Of course, the fierce dispute involved personal insults, with Rashid known for his soft attitude towards religious matters such as alcohol.

al-Wahsh even called his opponent an “apostate,” later claiming on Facebook that Rashid had converted to Christianity.

The back and forth is quite entertaining, although I am well aware this is a serious matter.

Like with many debates, it should be up to the women to decide what they want to do, although that’s not always the case in many cultures (even Christian ones).

And, just in case you’re unsure, here’s a little diagram explaining the various traditional outfits worn by Muslim women:

[source:express]