The Color of the Prophet’s ﷺ Turban: Ahadith on Black and White Turbans
Source: Ahkam wa Masail, Vol. 01, in the light of Qur’an and Hadith, p. 505
❖ Question
What was the color of the turban of the Prophet ﷺ? Since wearing the turban is a Sunnah, why do many scholars not practice this Sunnah? Please also mention the ahadith regarding the black turban.
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʿAmma Baʿd!
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ declared white garments as the most virtuous, hence white clothing holds special merit.
Regarding the color of the Prophet’s ﷺ turban, different ahadith have been narrated:
✿ Black Turban
One well-known narration states:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered Makkah with a black turban on His head.”
- Muslim: Kitāb al-Ḥajj, Bāb Jawāz Dukhūl Makkah bighayr Iḥrām
- Tirmidhī: al-Libās, Bāb al-ʿImāmah al-Sawdāʾ
- Abū Dāwūd: al-Libās, Bāb fī al-ʿAmāʾim
This indicates that wearing a black turban is permissible, as the Prophet ﷺ himself wore it.
✿ White Turban (Preferred)
From the perspective of virtue, the white turban is superior, since the Prophet ﷺ commanded the wearing of white garments and gave them preference.
❖ Summary
- Wearing a black turban is permissible, proven from the Sunnah.
- The white turban is superior, as white clothing was commanded and preferred by the Prophet ﷺ.
- Wearing the turban itself is a Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, and many scholars do practice it, although adopting it at every occasion is not always possible.
References:
- Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim – Kitāb al-Ḥajj
- Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī – Kitāb al-Libās
- Sunan Abī Dāwūd – Kitāb al-Libās
هذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
