The Niqab is cultural?

It is often the claim of 'moderate' Muslims that the niqab is cultural. This is some remnant of Arab culture, but 'real' Islam doesn't require women to hide behind the Niqab. The 'Hijab on the other hand is considered the sign of a good Islamic woman.
I plan to investigate this here from the Islamic texts to show this is simply untrue.
For example, here's an article from the Toronto Star about the Niqab.
http://www.thestar.com/living/religion/article/715872---people-think-you-re-oppressed-if-you-wear-the-niqab
THE MCC'S call comes on the heels of an incident this month in which the head of the Al-Azhar University in Egypt, whom many consider to be Sunni Islam's foremost spiritual authority, asked a young woman to remove her niqab in her all-girls classroom when she stood up to ask him a question. According to media reports, he then told her the niqab was a cultural practice not founded in Islam.
But Tantawi's comments especially strength…
I plan to investigate this here from the Islamic texts to show this is simply untrue.
For example, here's an article from the Toronto Star about the Niqab.
http://www.thestar.com/living/religion/article/715872---people-think-you-re-oppressed-if-you-wear-the-niqab
THE MCC'S call comes on the heels of an incident this month in which the head of the Al-Azhar University in Egypt, whom many consider to be Sunni Islam's foremost spiritual authority, asked a young woman to remove her niqab in her all-girls classroom when she stood up to ask him a question. According to media reports, he then told her the niqab was a cultural practice not founded in Islam.
But Tantawi's comments especially strength…