Is Wearing a Turban an Established Sunnah

Question: Is wearing a turban an established Sunnah from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)?

Shaykh al-‘Uthaymeen replied: No, wearing a turban is not Sunnah, rather it is a customary practice. The Sunnah is that everyone should wear what people are wearing so long as it is not unlawful in itself. We have stated this because if a person wears something contrary to what people habitually wear, such would be considered clothing of fame (libaas ash-shuhrah), and the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade putting on clothing of fame. So if we are in a country where people wear turban, we should wear it, but if we are in a country where they do not wear it, we should not wear it.

I think Muslim countries differ today. In some countries, most people wear turban while the opposite is the case in other countries. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) wore turban because it was commonplace in his era. For this reason, he did not enjoin it. Rather he forbade clothing of fame. This indicates that the Sunnah regarding clothing is that a person should follow what the people [of his town] are accustomed to except if it is unlawful.

Supposing men habitually wear silk clothing, we would say this is unlawful and we should not follow them. And if men are accustomed to wearing clothing that falls below the ankles in a country, we would say it is unlawful and we should not follow them.

Source: Liqaa al-Baab al-Maftooh 23/160

Below are some narrations concerning the merits of wearing a turban

1.  “A prayer performed while wearing a turban is equal to twenty five prayers performed without wearing a turban. Friday prayer performed while wearing a turban is equal to seventy Friday prayers performed without wearing a turban. Verily the Angels attend Friday prayer wearing turbans, and they go on praying for people with turbans until the sun sets.” This narration is fabricated. See ad-Da’eefah no. 127

2. “Two rak’ah of prayer performed while wearing a turban is better than seventy rak’ahs performed without wearing a turban.” This hadeeth was classified as a lie by al-Albaanee in ad-Da’eefah no. 128

3.   Allaah the Mighty and Majestic, has honoured this Ummah with turbans and flags.”  This narration was graded weak. See ad-Da’eefah no. 5503

4.  “My Ummah will remain upon the fitrah so long as they wear turbans over their caps.” A fabricated narration. See ad-Da’eefah no. 6072

5.  “Verily, Allaah the Mighty and Majestic, and His Angels praise those who wear turbans on Friday.” This narration is fabricated. See ad-Da’eefah no. 159