✍ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
In Salah, for a man, covering the ʿawrah (the area between the navel and the knees) is obligatory. Apart from this, having a cloth over the shoulders is required, but covering the head is not obligatory.
He narrates:
رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي فِي ثَوْبٍ وَاحِدٍ مُتَوَشِّحًا بِهِ فِي بَيْتِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، قَدْ أَلْقَى طَرَفَيْهِ عَلَى عَاتِقَيْهِ
“I saw the Prophet ﷺ offering Salah in a single garment, wrapped around himself, in the house of Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها. He had placed both ends of the garment over his shoulders.”
[Bukhari: 354, 355; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb al-Ṣalāh fī al-Thawb al-Wāḥid; Muslim: 517; Muwaṭṭa: 1/140; Abū Dāwūd: 628; Tirmidhī: 339; Nasā’ī: 2/70; Ibn Mājah: 1049]
This narration indicates that the Prophet ﷺ did not have his head covered during Salah.
It is reported that Jābir رضي الله عنه once performed Salah wearing a single garment, despite having another one nearby. After the prayer, someone asked why he prayed in only one garment when another was available. He replied:
نَعَمْ، أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ يَرَانِي الْجُهَّالُ مِثْلَكُمْ، رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي كَذَا
“Yes, I wanted ignorant people like you to see me (doing so). I saw the Prophet ﷺ perform Salah in this manner.”
[Bukhari: 370; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb al-Ṣalāh bighayr Ridāʾ]
Even during times of abundance and ease, ʿUmar رضي الله عنه did not consider covering the head as a requirement for Salah.
[Bukhari: 365; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb al-Ṣalāh fī al-Qamīṣ wa al-Sarāwīl; Muslim: 515; Abū Dāwūd: 625; Nasā’ī: 2/69; Ibn Mājah: 1047; Ḥumaydī: 937; Abū Yaʿlā: 5773]
As for adult women, praying without a head covering is invalid. Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
لَا يَقْبَلُ اللَّهُ صَلَاةَ حَائِضٍ إِلَّا بِخِمَارٍ
“Allah does not accept the Salah of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a Khimār (head covering).”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd: 596; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb al-Marʾah Tuṣallī bighayr Khimār; Abū Dāwūd: 641; Aḥmad: 6/150; Tirmidhī: 377; Ibn Mājah: 655]
❖ For Men:
✔ It is permissible to perform Salah bareheaded.
✔ Covering the shoulders is necessary; head covering is not obligatory.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ and his Companions prayed in this manner, particularly when only one garment was available.
❖ For Women:
✘ Covering the head is mandatory for the validity of Salah.
❀ Performing Salah Bareheaded ❀
In Salah, for a man, covering the ʿawrah (the area between the navel and the knees) is obligatory. Apart from this, having a cloth over the shoulders is required, but covering the head is not obligatory.
① Hadith of ʿUmar ibn Abī Salamah رضي الله عنه
He narrates:
رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي فِي ثَوْبٍ وَاحِدٍ مُتَوَشِّحًا بِهِ فِي بَيْتِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، قَدْ أَلْقَى طَرَفَيْهِ عَلَى عَاتِقَيْهِ
“I saw the Prophet ﷺ offering Salah in a single garment, wrapped around himself, in the house of Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها. He had placed both ends of the garment over his shoulders.”
[Bukhari: 354, 355; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb al-Ṣalāh fī al-Thawb al-Wāḥid; Muslim: 517; Muwaṭṭa: 1/140; Abū Dāwūd: 628; Tirmidhī: 339; Nasā’ī: 2/70; Ibn Mājah: 1049]This narration indicates that the Prophet ﷺ did not have his head covered during Salah.
② Hadith of Jābir رضي الله عنه
It is reported that Jābir رضي الله عنه once performed Salah wearing a single garment, despite having another one nearby. After the prayer, someone asked why he prayed in only one garment when another was available. He replied:
نَعَمْ، أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ يَرَانِي الْجُهَّالُ مِثْلَكُمْ، رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي كَذَا
“Yes, I wanted ignorant people like you to see me (doing so). I saw the Prophet ﷺ perform Salah in this manner.”
[Bukhari: 370; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb al-Ṣalāh bighayr Ridāʾ]③ Practice of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه
Even during times of abundance and ease, ʿUmar رضي الله عنه did not consider covering the head as a requirement for Salah.
[Bukhari: 365; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb al-Ṣalāh fī al-Qamīṣ wa al-Sarāwīl; Muslim: 515; Abū Dāwūd: 625; Nasā’ī: 2/69; Ibn Mājah: 1047; Ḥumaydī: 937; Abū Yaʿlā: 5773]
Ruling for Women:
As for adult women, praying without a head covering is invalid. Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
لَا يَقْبَلُ اللَّهُ صَلَاةَ حَائِضٍ إِلَّا بِخِمَارٍ
“Allah does not accept the Salah of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a Khimār (head covering).”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd: 596; Kitāb al-Ṣalāh: Bāb al-Marʾah Tuṣallī bighayr Khimār; Abū Dāwūd: 641; Aḥmad: 6/150; Tirmidhī: 377; Ibn Mājah: 655]
Summary of Rulings:
❖ For Men:
✔ It is permissible to perform Salah bareheaded.
✔ Covering the shoulders is necessary; head covering is not obligatory.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ and his Companions prayed in this manner, particularly when only one garment was available.
❖ For Women:
✘ Covering the head is mandatory for the validity of Salah.
