بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
PRAYING WITH NO HEAD COVER FOR MEN
Alhamdulillah.
Though there is no direct hadith commanding a Muslim to cover the head in prayer, it is not from the pillars of wudhu nor from the pillars of salaah, and we do have slight differences of opinion (ijtihad) of the respected matter from the 4 main Madhahib, and we have the unofficial salafi stances, Muslims still can not make their mind up. I thought to present and condense the stances of all the chools of thought below, which I hope, helps the reader make their own mind up on the matter.
Shaikh Albaani (May Allaah’s mercy be on him) (From Al-Qawl Al-mubin fi akhta’ Al-musallin by Mashhur Hussain on page # 58 of the 2nd edition):
“Praying bareheaded is makruh (disliked).”
“It is not established at all that the Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) ever prayed outside the pilgrimage with bare head, without a turban/cap. Whoever thinks he did so then he should bring the proof. If he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) had done so, it would have been recorded. The narration attributed to Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would sometimes remove his cap and place it as a sutrah in front of him is weak (da’eef).”
And he also said:
“All acknowledge that it is desirable for the Muslim to enter prayer in the most perfect Islaamic appearance, due to the hadeeth:“Allaah is worthier of your self- adornment” [hasan]. And it is not part of excellent attire in the custom of the Salaf to habitually bare one’s head, and walk in that guise on the road and when entering places of worship. Rather, it is a foreign custom which infiltrated many Islaamic countries at the time the disbelievers invaded them and brought their habits with them. The Muslims began to imitate them in this, and they lost thereby their Islaamic personality as well as through other similar acts… Nor is it established that the Prophet ever prayed bareheaded and without a turban other than in the state of ihram, although there were plenty of occasions to report it if he did. Therefore, whoever claims that he did, let him produce the proof, for truth is more deserving to be followed.”
(Al-Din al-khalis (3:214) and al-Ajwiba al-nafi`a `an al-masa’il al-waqi`a (p. 110)
Shaikh Albani goes on to explain the mistake of some brothers in Egypt who brought the proof of the permissibility to pray without covering the head by analogizing with how the head is uncovered for someone in ihraam during the pilgrimage. This is wrong since not covering the head during the pilgrimage is from the law (Sharee’ah) of Allaah. If their analogy was right then they should make it compulsory to pray without any head covering at all since it is obligatory to do so during the pilgrimage and to follow all the other restrictions of Ihraam in regular life! [Tamaam-ul-Minnah fee ta’leeq ‘alaa fiqh-us- Sunnah by ‘Allaamah Albaani]
According to the Hanbali Madhhab:
“It is mustahab to pray using a Thawb, Silwar (Sunnah pants) or a Izaar (loincloth) and a turban”
(Quoted By Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni (1994 ed.) 1:404-405)
According to the Maliki Madhhab:
Imaam Maalik said “The turban was worn from the beginning of Islaam and it did not cease being worn until our time. I did not see anyone among the People of Excellence except they wore the turban, such as Yahya ibn Sa`id, Rabi`a, and Ibn Hurmuz. I would see in Rabi`a’s circle more than thirty men wearing turbans and I was one of them, and Rabi`a did not put it down until the Pleiades rose (i.e. until he slept) and he used to say: “I swear that I find it increases intelligence.”
(Quoted by Ibn Abi Zayd, al-Jami` fi al-sunan (1982 ed.) p. 228):
According to the Shafi’e Madhhab:
“It is mustahab to pray using an ankle-length Thawb and a turban”
(Quoted by Al-Misri in Reliance of the Traveller p # 122)
According to the Hanafi Madhhab:
It is mustahab or praiseworthy to pray using “three of one’s best clothes, a Thawb, Silwar (Sunnah pants), and turban or kufi” According to the Hanafi school (Al-Jazayri, al-Fiqh `ala al-madhahib al-arba`a, Kitab al- Salat p. 280-28) [among] the disliked acts (al-makruhat) in prayer are:… i`tijar, which is to tie a scarf around the head and leave the center bare;… [or] praying bareheaded out of laziness. As for praying bareheaded out of humility and submission, it is permitted (ja’iz) and not disliked.(16)
(Quoted by Al-Shurunbali in Muhammad Abul Quasem p #91)
For the lovers of Shaikh `Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani:
“It is the method or habit of orthodox or civilized virtuous men to keep the head covered.”
(From Ghunyat al-talibin 1:14)
“It is mentioned that Anas Bin Malik used to wear a kufi (cap).”
Sunan Abu Dawood Book 3, Hadeeth # 0948:
Narrated Umm Qays bint Mihsan: Hilal ibn Yasaf said: I came to ar-Raqqah (a place in Syria). One of my companions said to me: Do you want to see any of the Companions of the Prophet (SallAllaahu Álayhi Wa sallam)? I said: A good opportunity. So we went to Wabisah. I said to my friend: Let us first see his mode of living. He had a cap (kufi).
Wa Billahi Tawfique wal Hidayya.
والله تعالى أعلم
وصلى اللهم وسلم وبارك على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه والتابعين
أخوك أبو ناصر
Zinaid Abu Naser 