QUESTION:
Is it permissible for a man to wear an Imamah (turban) with the middle of his head uncovered? If he prays Salah in this manner will it be valid? Zaid prays his Salah with a handkerchief wrapped around his head, which is just about long enough to go round his head twice, is this permissible or not?
Questioner: Maulana Muhammad Shabbir Siyalwi, U.K.
ANSWER:
Wearing a turban with the middle of your head uncovered is prohibited and Salah like this is severely disliked (makruh-e-tahrimi) and is necessary (wajib) to repeat.
Radd-ul-Mukhtar vol. 1 pg. 438:
“ تکوير عمامة علي رأسه و ترک وسطه مکشوفا کراهة تحريمة ”
This is called i’tijaar and common fiqh books mention that i’tijaar is disliked (makruh). However if you have a hat on your head and tie your turban so that the top of your hat is uncovered then this is not i’tijaar.
Hazrat Sadr-ul-Shariah (رحمه الله تعالى) says,
“I’tijaar occurs when there is nothing beneath the turban on your head”.
[Fatawa Amjadiyyah vol. 1 pg. 399]
Praying Salah with a handkerchief on your head that wraps around only twice is disliked (makruh) because this is not considered to be a turban, even if it is without a hat, in fact you should not even tie a turban without a hat because a Blessed Hadith says:
فرق ما بيننا و بين المشرکين العمائم علي القلانس رواه أبو داؤد
This has been explained by Imam Ahmad Rida Khan (رحمه الله تعالى) in Fatawa Ridawiyyah vol. 7 pg. 299.
Allah تعالى is most knowing.
Answered by Mufti Shams ul Huda Misbahi
Translated by Mawlana Muhammad Rashid Madani
Endorsement
This answer is correct.
Muhammad Hayat
Dar-ul-Uloom Hanafiyyah Razawiyyah
Hajeerah Azad Kashmir
Also see:
[Q-ID0150] Wearing an Imamah (turban) without a hat underneath