wearing a topi (hat) in salat, is it sunnah or a mere tradition

Name

Question:

Is wearing a topi (hat) sunnah or a mere tradition? One person says that it is a mere tradition. He also says that nowhere in the Hanafi Fiqh books is it mentioned that wearing a topi is recommended when praying. Is he correct?

Answer:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Wearing a topi (hat) is from the Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) and the practice of the sahabah, the tabi’een, the tab’ tabi’een and the general Muslims in every generation. To say that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam), the sahabah, the tabi’een etc. did not wear a topi is a grave mistake and a clear error. It is absurd to say that the Muslims have been wearing a topi in every generation and location due to mere tradition. For details on this topic, we recommend the book “The Crown of a Believer” by my teacher, Mufti Husain Kadodia sahib (May Allah protect him). It can be downloaded by clicking here. It is also available from our download page.

To say that nowhere in the Hanafi Fiqh books is it mentioned that wearing a topi is recommended when offering salat is also absurd. It is mentioned in almost every Hanafi Fiqh book that offering salat with the head covered is mustahab (preferable) – i.e. salat with the head covered carries more rewards than offering salat bareheaded – and that it is makrooh (undesirable) to offer salat bareheaded due to laziness. However, if by offering salat bareheaded, one feels more khushu’ (humility) then it is not makrooh to offer salat bareheaded in that case. The references and citations from Hanafi Fiqh books is given in the footnote below.[i]

And Allah Ta'ala knows best

Mufti Faizal Riza
2/5/2013

Darul Ifta Australia
www.fatwa.org.au

[i] وتكره الصلاة حاسرا رأسه تكاسلا وتهاونا ، ولا بأس إذا فعله تذللا وخشوعا بل هو حسن، هكذا حكي عن شيخ الإسلام أبي الحسن السغدي رحمه الله ... ( وبعد أسطر )... قال الشيخ الإمام الفقيه أبو جعفر رحمه الله: والمستحب للرجل أن يصلي في ثلاثة أثواب، قميص وإزار وعمامة ( المحيط البرهاني: 2/139 ) والبسط في شامي: 1/ 639، 641 ط سعيد

الدر المختار - (1 / 691)

(و) كره .... (وصلاته حاسرا) أي كاشفا (رأسه للتكاسل) ولا بأس به للتذلل، وأما للاهانة بها فكفر، ولو سقطت قلنسوته فإعادتها أفضل

الفتاوى الهندية - ط. دار الفكر - (1 / 106)

وتكره الصلاة حاسرا رأسه إذا كان يجد العمامة وقد فعل ذلك تكاسلا أو تهاونا بالصلاة ولا بأس به إذا فعله تذللا وخشوعا بل هو حسن كذا في الذخيرة

حلبي صغير - (1 / 88)

( و ) يكره ( أن يصلي حاسرا ) أي كاشفا رأسه ( تكاسلا ) أي لأجل الكسل بأن اشتغل تغطيته ( أو تهاونا ) بأن لم يرها أمرا مهما في الصلاة ( ولا بأس عليه إذا فعله ) أي كشف الرأس ( تذللا وخشوعا ) لأنه المقصود في الصلاة

البحر الرائق - (2 / 27)

والمستحب أن يصلي الرجل في ثلاثة أثواب قميص وإزار وعمامة .... وإن صلى في إزار واحد يجوز ويكره وكذا في السراويل فقط لغير عذر وكذا مكشوف الرأس للتهاون والتكاسل لا للخشوع

الفتاوى البزازية - (1 / 13)

وإن صلى مكشوف الرأس إن تهاونا يكره وإن تضرعا لا

بدائع الصنائع - (1 / 301)

و كانت الصلاة متعمما أفضل من الصلاة مكشوف الرأس لما أن ذلك أبلغ في الاحترام

فتاوى قاضيخان - (1 / 65)

ولو صلى رجل مكشوف الرأس وهو يجد عمامة إن كان على وجه التذلل والتضرع لا بأس به وإن كان على وجه التهاون يكره

مراقي الفلاح - (1 / 168)

و ) تكره وهو ( مكشوف الرأس ) تكاسلا لترك الوقار ( لا للتذليل والتضرع )

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