Authored by: Sheikh Mubashir Ahmed Rabbani (may Allah protect him)
Question:
Can a person lead the prayer while bareheaded? If permissible, please provide evidence.
Answer:
Hafiz Abdul Manan Noor Puri (may Allah protect him) provides the following response:
In Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and Musnad Ahmad, it is narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Allah does not accept the prayer of a mature woman unless she wears a head covering.” [Abu Dawud, Book of Prayer: Chapter on Woman Praying Without a Head Cover, 641]
This Hadith is authentic, as confirmed by Sheikh Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) in Sahih Ibn Majah and Sahih Abu Dawud. From this Hadith, it is evident that the prayer of an adult woman without a head covering is not valid. However, this does not apply to men or young girls, implying that their prayer is valid even if performed bareheaded. Therefore, if a man prays bareheaded, one should not argue over this matter. Those who pray bareheaded should also consider that covering the head for prayer does not bring more reward than praying bareheaded; there is no need to insist on this act.
The requirement to cover the head is specifically for adult women, and there is no evidence in the Qur'an or Sunnah mandating that men must pray with their heads covered. The verse:
"Take your adornment at every mosque"
[Al-A’raf: 31]
is not an obligation on men to cover their heads for prayer, and using it as an argument for covering the head is incorrect.
Hafiz Abdul Manan Noor Puri’s response is valid. Since there is no restriction in the Qur'an or Sunnah mandating that men cover their heads during prayer, a man's prayer—whether he is an Imam, a follower, or praying alone—will be valid without a head covering. Those who claim that praying bareheaded is invalid should provide authentic evidence for their claim. Many mosques keep simple caps that people would not even prefer wearing outside of the mosque but put on for prayer.
Moreover, it is noteworthy that the Prophet ﷺ never prayed after shaving his beard, so would these individuals claim that a man without a beard cannot pray? May Allah grant us the correct understanding of the religion and the ability to act upon the Qur'an and Sunnah. (Ameen!)
Question:
Can a person lead the prayer while bareheaded? If permissible, please provide evidence.
Answer:
Hafiz Abdul Manan Noor Puri (may Allah protect him) provides the following response:
In Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and Musnad Ahmad, it is narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Allah does not accept the prayer of a mature woman unless she wears a head covering.” [Abu Dawud, Book of Prayer: Chapter on Woman Praying Without a Head Cover, 641]
This Hadith is authentic, as confirmed by Sheikh Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) in Sahih Ibn Majah and Sahih Abu Dawud. From this Hadith, it is evident that the prayer of an adult woman without a head covering is not valid. However, this does not apply to men or young girls, implying that their prayer is valid even if performed bareheaded. Therefore, if a man prays bareheaded, one should not argue over this matter. Those who pray bareheaded should also consider that covering the head for prayer does not bring more reward than praying bareheaded; there is no need to insist on this act.
The requirement to cover the head is specifically for adult women, and there is no evidence in the Qur'an or Sunnah mandating that men must pray with their heads covered. The verse:
"Take your adornment at every mosque"
[Al-A’raf: 31]
is not an obligation on men to cover their heads for prayer, and using it as an argument for covering the head is incorrect.
Hafiz Abdul Manan Noor Puri’s response is valid. Since there is no restriction in the Qur'an or Sunnah mandating that men cover their heads during prayer, a man's prayer—whether he is an Imam, a follower, or praying alone—will be valid without a head covering. Those who claim that praying bareheaded is invalid should provide authentic evidence for their claim. Many mosques keep simple caps that people would not even prefer wearing outside of the mosque but put on for prayer.
Moreover, it is noteworthy that the Prophet ﷺ never prayed after shaving his beard, so would these individuals claim that a man without a beard cannot pray? May Allah grant us the correct understanding of the religion and the ability to act upon the Qur'an and Sunnah. (Ameen!)