Head cover for men

[Tony]

They wear them because it is a sunnah and a highly recommended act in all 4 madhabs.

http://www.central-mosque.com/fiqh/topi.htm

Mnay thanks sister this helps a great deal, Im still not sure if its saying just when praying or generally.

 

[Tony]

:bump1: is it just for praying or all day fri

 

[AabiruSabeel]

Topi/head cover for Muslims is one of the Sha'air Al-Islam (salient symbols of Islam) as mentioned by Mullah Ali Qari Rahimahullah. So it is better to wear it all the time. I am sure there are references for wearing it while going to toilet, eating, drinking etc.

The article linked above has four references among which only one speaks of wearing head cover and turban during prayer. Remaining three are general instances, so it is better to wear it all the time.

Something regarding Sunnah here:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxPjKMubcXA&feature=PlayList&p=8093283DAEE088F4&index=7[/media]

 

[Beardo]

Question. So it is sunnah for men to cover their head. Does it matter what they cover it with? Like, could wearing a baseball cap be considered sunnah, if the intention behind it is to cover the head?

Basically, one should attempt to dress like the Sulaha (righteous). I can't picture the pious people wearing a cap backwards on their head during Salaah. lol :rollseyes

So the true head cover is preferred. However, I would say a cap does suffice.

 

[rpwelton]

I took a class taught by Sh. Yasir Qadhi on the issue of clothing and this topic was covered. The ruling is that the head covering at the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was a cultural thing, not a religious one. Both the Muslims and non-Muslims wore turbans (just as both pagans and Muslims wore thobes and rode camels).

"Al Shatibi said, 'Customs change matters from something praiseworthy to something blameworthy, and vice versa. For example, uncovering the head, for this is an issue that varies from place to place. In eastern lands, it is something frowned upon for people of stature (muru'a), while in western lands it is not. Therefor the Islamic ruling on it changes from place to place, and in eastern lands it would be taken into account for considering someone not worthy, while this would not be the case in western lands." (al-Muwafaqat, 2/284).

So here we see that it is deemed praiseworthy in cultures that view it as such (ie, the eastern cultures).

One cannot say: 'you must wear a cap during prayer' or it is more rewarding to do so when in a western land, as this is not typical western culture. However, if you are in the Middle East or Asia, it is blameworthy for you not to wear one, because a cap is viewed as something that one should wear. That being said, usually people feel more comfortable wearing one when at an Islamic gathering, just as they feel more comfortable wearing thobes.

Thus, we have to be careful when we just pick and choose fataawa from random internet sites, as these types of matters are more difficult and the knowledge should be taken directly from one who is knowledgeable in these manners.

And Allah knows best.

 

[Muhammad]

An important issue here is intention. I once heard that although such acts may not be Sunnah, some scholars consider performing them out of love for the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) to be rewardable. Moreover, the same person mentioned there are many factors influencing whether certain rulings apply. For example, we need to consider the pressure on Muslims in places like Britain, and it might be a sign of their defeat if they removed their niqab/thawb etc. Allaah (swt) knows best.

Regarding prayer, we should be in our best appearance for it. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, "Allaah is more worthy that one beautifies oneself for." (At-Tabarani and Al-Bayhaqi).Hence wearing a head cover can be considered as beautifying oneself, to the extent that some scholars even say it is a detestable act to uncover the head while praying for no valid reason (refer to the book regarding mistakes in prayer by Sh. Mashhur Hasan Al-Salman, also see 3rd link below).

It appears that there are different views to take into account and the discussion may be deeper than we think. The above is simply what I've come across but in no way do I have a firm answer. Allaah (swt) knows best.

EDIT: Some links:

http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/22758
http://www.islamtoday.com/show_detail_section.cfm?q_id=203&main_cat_id=4
http://www.allaahuakbar.net/important_issues_of_islaam/making_salah_bearheaded.htm
http://forums.almaghrib.org/showthread.php?t=31487

 

[AabiruSabeel]

Personally speaking, I feel it little awkward to see anyone with a beard but no cap. It looks like there is something missing. A cap also beautifies one's outlook.

It is a part of Muslim's identity. The way a minar says this building is a Masjid, a cap says this person is a Muslim.
I remember reading a story somewhere about a group of Muslims visiting a foreign country, and the time of Jumu'ah prayer was approaching but they were unable to find any Masjid nearby. They did not know any local Muslims, so they took a car or taxi and started looking for Masjid in every lane and street. They were quite worried as the time was running short. Suddenly they saw a man wearing a topi (cap) riding a cycle. They took the car near him, said Assalamu Alaikum, and he showed them the way. He too was going towards Masjid.
They said, they would have missed their Jumuah that day if that man would have been bare headed. How on earth could they have known this is a Muslim?

There are many benefits of wearing a cap. People would say Assalamu Alaikum to you, which in itself is a good deed (10 good deeds). Someone would be in need, like wanting to know the direction of the qiblah, but they can't ask any non-Muslim, so they will be looking for any sign of a Muslim. In public places, when it is the time for prayer, when a lesser practising Muslim sees a person with a cap, going to make wudhu, preparing for prayer, then he too would feel like I should do the same. Otherwise, he will think how can I pray here, I am alone etc etc.
This is something that I have experienced myself. Whenever a Muslim prepares for prayer in a public place, and lays the prayer mat, a lot of Muslims turn up from nowhere saying I am also praying with you. 5 mins ago you wouldn't find a single Muslim there, but as soon as you start, they come out and join you. They were there all the time, but were shy to display their identity, or to start for prayer themselves.

In short, a topi always helps. Gives a feeling of belonging to Muslims, and helps supporting each other.

 

[Tony]

Thankyou brothers may Allah reward you for your advice and guidance. I have decided to wear cap fridays then maybe all time after a while if it proves beneficial to Islam for me to do so. Peace