Are Men Required to Cover Their Heads During Prayer?
Are men required to cover their heads in the prayer?
The Prophet Muhammad (saw) and the Companions covered their heads after adopting Islam just like they did before Islam as a custom and as required by climate conditions. The Messenger of Allah (saw) established prayer with his daily clothes and did not wear additional or special clothes for worship. Sometimes he wore a turban on his cap and sometimes he used a cap without turban or a turban without a cap (See. Tirmidhi, Libas, 12, 42; Ibn al-Qayyim, Zad al-ma‘ad, I, 135; Muttaqi, Kanz al-ummal, VII, 121).
Some scholars accepted it as sunnah for men to cover their heads in prayer considering these practices of the Messenger of Allah (saw). According to this approach, it is deemed makruh tanzihi to perform prayer without covering one’s head as it will mean not performing a sunnah act (Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, II, 407; Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-falah, p. 130).
Some other scholars stated that establishing prayer without a headwear is permissible as they accept this practice as a custom (See. Shatibi, al-Muwafaqat, II, 489). Consequently, it is better to cover head with something like a cap, a turban, etc. However, it is also permissible to establish prayer without a headwear.
Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWAS
