Written by: Ash-Shaykh Mubashshir Ahmad Rabbani (ḥafiẓahullāh)
Is a man's prayer valid if performed bareheaded? Please explain with evidence.
In prayer, covering the ʿawrah (private parts) is obligatory, and having something over the shoulders is also required. Beyond this, no other clothing has been mandated by the Sharīʿah.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed prayer in a single garment, as narrated from Sayyidunā Jābir (رضي الله عنه).
Muḥammad ibn al-Munkadir, a narrator, states:
One day I went to Jābir (رضي الله عنه) and saw that he was offering prayer wrapped in a single garment, while another garment was placed beside him. After completing his prayer, someone remarked,
“You are offering prayer in only one garment while you have another one with you?”
He replied, “Yes, I wanted ignorant people like you to witness it.” Then he added:
رأيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يصلي هكذا
“I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ praying in this very manner.”
— [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of Ṣalāh, Chapter: Praying without a cloak, 370]
In another narration from Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī:
رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصلي في ثوب واحد مشتملا به في بيت أم سلمة، واضعا طرفيه على عاتقيه
“I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wrapped in a single garment, praying in the house of Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها), with both ends of the garment placed over his shoulders.”
— [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of Ṣalāh, Chapter: Praying in one garment wrapped around the body]
However, a woman’s prayer is not valid without a head covering, as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
لا يقبل الله صلاة حائض إلا بخمار
“Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a head covering (khimār).”
— [Abū Dāwūd, Book of Ṣalāh, Chapter: A woman praying without a khimār, 641]
Shaykh al-Albānī (رحمه الله) authenticated this narration.
This ḥadīth clearly proves that a man's prayer is valid without covering the head, as there is no such requirement for men mentioned in any narration. If it were mandatory for men, the Prophet ﷺ would have clearly stated that neither men nor women may perform prayer bareheaded, but no such statement is found in any authentic ḥadīth.
One might assume from these evidences that prayer in a single garment was only permissible during times when Muslims had fewer clothes, and later, with increased prosperity, covering the head became obligatory.
To examine this claim, we refer to Amīr al-Muʾminīn Sayyidunā ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه)—undoubtedly more knowledgeable than us in understanding the Sharīʿah.
In similar circumstances, someone asked him about praying in a single garment. ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) listed several types of garments—yet made no mention of any head covering:
— [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of Ṣalāh, Chapter: Praying in a shirt and trousers, 365]
Even in a time of ease and abundance, ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) held the view that covering the head is not obligatory in prayer.
❖ Question:
Is a man's prayer valid if performed bareheaded? Please explain with evidence.
❖ Answer:
In prayer, covering the ʿawrah (private parts) is obligatory, and having something over the shoulders is also required. Beyond this, no other clothing has been mandated by the Sharīʿah.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed prayer in a single garment, as narrated from Sayyidunā Jābir (رضي الله عنه).
Muḥammad ibn al-Munkadir, a narrator, states:
One day I went to Jābir (رضي الله عنه) and saw that he was offering prayer wrapped in a single garment, while another garment was placed beside him. After completing his prayer, someone remarked,
“You are offering prayer in only one garment while you have another one with you?”
He replied, “Yes, I wanted ignorant people like you to witness it.” Then he added:
رأيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يصلي هكذا
“I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ praying in this very manner.”
— [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of Ṣalāh, Chapter: Praying without a cloak, 370]
In another narration from Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī:
رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصلي في ثوب واحد مشتملا به في بيت أم سلمة، واضعا طرفيه على عاتقيه
“I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wrapped in a single garment, praying in the house of Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها), with both ends of the garment placed over his shoulders.”
— [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of Ṣalāh, Chapter: Praying in one garment wrapped around the body]
❖ Ruling for Women:
However, a woman’s prayer is not valid without a head covering, as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
لا يقبل الله صلاة حائض إلا بخمار
“Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a head covering (khimār).”
— [Abū Dāwūd, Book of Ṣalāh, Chapter: A woman praying without a khimār, 641]
Shaykh al-Albānī (رحمه الله) authenticated this narration.
This ḥadīth clearly proves that a man's prayer is valid without covering the head, as there is no such requirement for men mentioned in any narration. If it were mandatory for men, the Prophet ﷺ would have clearly stated that neither men nor women may perform prayer bareheaded, but no such statement is found in any authentic ḥadīth.
❖ Addressing a Common Misunderstanding:
One might assume from these evidences that prayer in a single garment was only permissible during times when Muslims had fewer clothes, and later, with increased prosperity, covering the head became obligatory.
To examine this claim, we refer to Amīr al-Muʾminīn Sayyidunā ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه)—undoubtedly more knowledgeable than us in understanding the Sharīʿah.
In similar circumstances, someone asked him about praying in a single garment. ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) listed several types of garments—yet made no mention of any head covering:
— [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Book of Ṣalāh, Chapter: Praying in a shirt and trousers, 365]
Even in a time of ease and abundance, ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) held the view that covering the head is not obligatory in prayer.
