The ruling on praying and walking with the head uncovered.
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The questioner : There is no prayer for one who does not place something on his shoulder. This is a specific person.
The Shaykh : I answered you at that time. We adopt this view. Our discussion was that I gave you an example of Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah, who used to pray with his garment hanging, but we do not adopt that because we have hadiths to the contrary. However, our discussion was about covering the shoulder. I am not fanatical about anything; fanaticism is not appropriate. But regarding what requires firmness, I am the most firm of people. My cap is always placed in a spot on the table. When the adhan and iqamah are called and I am not wearing it, I put it on my head, but not always, because I want to distinguish between what we must do and what we do not have to do. Sometimes I do it and sometimes I don't, and this is very important. It is also from the Sunnah, because you know that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would leave off a thing, and acting upon it was more beloved to him. Is that correct? That is it.
The questioner : Did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) do it?
The Shaykh : What is it?
The questioner : He prayed without it.
The Shaykh : You left the topic, and this is it now.
The questioner : We are still on the topic.
The Shaykh : Excuse me, I am not saying no to your question, but let us complete the topic. The Prophet would leave off a thing, and acting upon it was more beloved to him. For what reason? For what you did just now. Now you are asking back: Did the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) do it? I say I do not know. What do you gain from this?
The questioner : The Salaf? So that we can walk.
The Shaykh : My brother, whether the Salaf did it or not, what is the ruling in the end? If the Salaf did it or did not do it, what is the ruling in the end?
The questioner : We look at the permissibility.
The Shaykh : The ruling in the end is: is it permissible or not permissible? Is it obligatory or not obligatory? It seems you want to say that it is obligatory.
The questioner : I do not know. Is it obligatory or a Sunnah? Is it permissible? For example, it might be a Sunnah or obligatory. If it is a Sunnah, why do we not preserve the Sunnah?
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah. If it is a Sunnah, it is not permissible to leave the Sunnah.
The questioner : And why do we leave it?
The Shaykh : He is not answering.
The questioner : But it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as evidence that it is a Sunnah.
The Shaykh : We have not yet discussed whether it is a Sunnah or not. To shorten the topic, suppose it is a Sunnah. Is it not permissible to leave the Sunnah?
The questioner : It is permissible.
The Shaykh : If so, why...
The questioner : We need to know that it is a Sunnah.
The Shaykh : I do not know. I know that the Salaf used to pray sometimes with their heads uncovered and sometimes covered. That is what I know, and that is what I testify to Allah: covering the head is not like covering the body. Covering the body is obligatory, indeed it is a pillar of the prayer according to the authentic hadith. As for covering the head, it is not. Do you know that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to walk with his head uncovered, for example?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Okay, what is the ruling on walking with the head uncovered?
The questioner : It is contrary to the Sunnah. One should place something on his head, except for the one in ihram; the one in ihram does not cover his head.
The Shaykh : We have moved on.
The questioner : It means the one not in ihram covers his head.
The Shaykh : What is the ruling for a person who walks with his head uncovered?
The questioner : What is the ruling?
The Shaykh : Questioner and respondent.
The questioner : You are asking me, and I am returning the question to you. I do not know.
The Shaykh : I told you regarding the prayer, so why did you not tell me? Just as you say, "We are asking you now," here you are going back and saying... sometimes and sometimes.
The questioner : Be kind to us sometimes. Arguing in the best manner—sometimes I see in it a hint of mockery, and you are like this and you are like that. This is not done by scholars; it is done by the ignorant, meaning.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. It means the manner is wrong.
The questioner : It means it is not done by scholars.
The Shaykh : And students of knowledge admit to mistakes. Your manner is contradictory. If I say your manner is contradictory, that would be a hint of mockery and jest.
The questioner : I said it is not done by scholars, even though he did it, and he is more knowledgeable than me.
The Shaykh : What did they do?
The questioner : This is what...
The Shaykh : You are the one who said the scholars did it.
The questioner : No, a moment ago you said.
The Shaykh : What did I say a moment ago?
The questioner : This is something scholars do not do.
The Shaykh : What is it that you said scholars do not do?
The questioner : It is recorded.
The Shaykh : Okay, we heard the tape. Whoever is wrong among us will retract it. There is something in it.
The questioner : He said this. You did not hear it.
The Shaykh : Now you are listening to the tape. Do not testify.
The questioner : Up to here.
The Shaykh : You are the one who said I attributed mockery and jest to you, and you said that this is not the practice of scholars.
The questioner : You said scholars do not do it. I meant your expression that scholars do not do it. I said there is a bit of jest in it.
The Shaykh : I did not say scholars do not do it. And I am referring back to you if you are.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. This is our agreement with you.
The Shaykh : Retract your mistake. You, your mistake is very clear. It is that sometimes when you ask and we answer you, you sit and discuss and argue, and so on. Sometimes we ask you, and you go back and say, "I am asking you."
The questioner : I do not know the ruling on covering the head. I am asking you.
The Shaykh : Okay, but when I know something and answer you, you do not stop there.
The questioner : I want the evidence. Did the righteous Salaf walk with their heads uncovered, whether in prayer or outside of prayer?
The Shaykh : I answered you about this.
The questioner : What is it?
The Shaykh : What is the benefit of this? I answered you that the Salaf were... what is it called... regarding Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah, may Allah guide you, he prayed with his head uncovered. I answered you.
The questioner : You told me you do not adopt it.
The Shaykh : Okay, now do you know whether the Salaf prayed with their heads uncovered or not?
The questioner : This person is Jabir. He prayed with his head uncovered. You are saying his garment.
The Shaykh : Allah is the Greatest. He prayed with his entire upper body uncovered. All of it, there was nothing. His body was not covered; it was exposed. The second half was covered, and the upper head was covered? No, he prayed with only the izar (lower garment).
The questioner : So it is not permissible for us to do it.
The Shaykh : That is not our topic.
The questioner : How do we adopt the head if we do not adopt this? Why do we not adopt the head? Do we distinguish between this and that?
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it. He said: You know this without doubt.
The questioner : This is what I mentioned.
The Shaykh : You know this, but you do not know... the head.
The questioner : Do we adopt the action of this person who prayed with his head uncovered, so that we pray?
The Shaykh : Why do you not walk with me? I told you, you know that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade this, but you do not know that he forbade this. Why do you not stop at this point?
The questioner : Okay, he did not forbid this, but do we adopt the statement of this person?
The Shaykh : What does it mean that you do not stop at this? It means that this is not like that. If that is the case, if this is not like that, what is the fruit of the disagreement? Is it permissible like this or not permissible?
The questioner : It is permissible. It is not contrary to the Sunnah.
The Shaykh : There is no power nor strength except by Allah.
The questioner : ... He leaves the Sunnah for fear that people will think it is obligatory.
The Shaykh : Now we mentioned the hadith: Brothers.
The questioner : It means we do not blame some of the young men who pray.
The Shaykh : We blame the young men if they make it a habit. Why did I like to ask you? So that we reach this point. Do you know that the Salaf used to walk with their heads uncovered? Do you know that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to walk with his head uncovered? I told you no.
The questioner : I do not know.
The Shaykh : Now you say I do not know. At that time, I understood that no, he did not walk with his head uncovered. Is there a difference for you between the two matters or not? There is no god but Allah.
The questioner : I do not know the evidence. Give us the evidence from your side.
The Shaykh : ... There is a hadith in "Sahih Muslim" that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) came out of his house with his head uncovered, hurrying, and with him some of his Companions. This is the only hadith we have found that he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to walk with his head uncovered. We believe that the habit of the young men today is contrary to the path of the believers, and it is imitating the disbelievers. Therefore, it is not permissible to make walking in the streets and entering the mosques with the head uncovered a habit. But a person in his home takes his freedom, and his freedom is limited. He does not pray as he is in the Hijaz, for example, in severe heat, where they pray in the izar only. No, And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And there is a hadith in "Sahih Muslim": Legal rulings are not presented in a single manner, but with a precise and very precise scientific scale. So this is my opinion regarding the habit of uncovering the head. I am one of the most severe people in disapproving of it. But this strictness, I tolerate it when one of us wants to stand for prayer with his head uncovered. Either it is from the category of enjoying what is permissible, or it is from the category of acting upon a thing being more beloved to him than leaving it, yet he would leave it. And this is from the category of clarification for people, and the conclusion.
The Shaykh : I answered you at that time. We adopt this view. Our discussion was that I gave you an example of Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah, who used to pray with his garment hanging, but we do not adopt that because we have hadiths to the contrary. However, our discussion was about covering the shoulder. I am not fanatical about anything; fanaticism is not appropriate. But regarding what requires firmness, I am the most firm of people. My cap is always placed in a spot on the table. When the adhan and iqamah are called and I am not wearing it, I put it on my head, but not always, because I want to distinguish between what we must do and what we do not have to do. Sometimes I do it and sometimes I don't, and this is very important. It is also from the Sunnah, because you know that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would leave off a thing, and acting upon it was more beloved to him. Is that correct? That is it.
The questioner : Did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) do it?
The Shaykh : What is it?
The questioner : He prayed without it.
The Shaykh : You left the topic, and this is it now.
The questioner : We are still on the topic.
The Shaykh : Excuse me, I am not saying no to your question, but let us complete the topic. The Prophet would leave off a thing, and acting upon it was more beloved to him. For what reason? For what you did just now. Now you are asking back: Did the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) do it? I say I do not know. What do you gain from this?
The questioner : The Salaf? So that we can walk.
The Shaykh : My brother, whether the Salaf did it or not, what is the ruling in the end? If the Salaf did it or did not do it, what is the ruling in the end?
The questioner : We look at the permissibility.
The Shaykh : The ruling in the end is: is it permissible or not permissible? Is it obligatory or not obligatory? It seems you want to say that it is obligatory.
The questioner : I do not know. Is it obligatory or a Sunnah? Is it permissible? For example, it might be a Sunnah or obligatory. If it is a Sunnah, why do we not preserve the Sunnah?
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah. If it is a Sunnah, it is not permissible to leave the Sunnah.
The questioner : And why do we leave it?
The Shaykh : He is not answering.
The questioner : But it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as evidence that it is a Sunnah.
The Shaykh : We have not yet discussed whether it is a Sunnah or not. To shorten the topic, suppose it is a Sunnah. Is it not permissible to leave the Sunnah?
The questioner : It is permissible.
The Shaykh : If so, why...
The questioner : We need to know that it is a Sunnah.
The Shaykh : I do not know. I know that the Salaf used to pray sometimes with their heads uncovered and sometimes covered. That is what I know, and that is what I testify to Allah: covering the head is not like covering the body. Covering the body is obligatory, indeed it is a pillar of the prayer according to the authentic hadith. As for covering the head, it is not. Do you know that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to walk with his head uncovered, for example?
The questioner : No.
The Shaykh : Okay, what is the ruling on walking with the head uncovered?
The questioner : It is contrary to the Sunnah. One should place something on his head, except for the one in ihram; the one in ihram does not cover his head.
The Shaykh : We have moved on.
The questioner : It means the one not in ihram covers his head.
The Shaykh : What is the ruling for a person who walks with his head uncovered?
The questioner : What is the ruling?
The Shaykh : Questioner and respondent.
The questioner : You are asking me, and I am returning the question to you. I do not know.
The Shaykh : I told you regarding the prayer, so why did you not tell me? Just as you say, "We are asking you now," here you are going back and saying... sometimes and sometimes.
The questioner : Be kind to us sometimes. Arguing in the best manner—sometimes I see in it a hint of mockery, and you are like this and you are like that. This is not done by scholars; it is done by the ignorant, meaning.
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. It means the manner is wrong.
The questioner : It means it is not done by scholars.
The Shaykh : And students of knowledge admit to mistakes. Your manner is contradictory. If I say your manner is contradictory, that would be a hint of mockery and jest.
The questioner : I said it is not done by scholars, even though he did it, and he is more knowledgeable than me.
The Shaykh : What did they do?
The questioner : This is what...
The Shaykh : You are the one who said the scholars did it.
The questioner : No, a moment ago you said.
The Shaykh : What did I say a moment ago?
The questioner : This is something scholars do not do.
The Shaykh : What is it that you said scholars do not do?
The questioner : It is recorded.
The Shaykh : Okay, we heard the tape. Whoever is wrong among us will retract it. There is something in it.
The questioner : He said this. You did not hear it.
The Shaykh : Now you are listening to the tape. Do not testify.
The questioner : Up to here.
The Shaykh : You are the one who said I attributed mockery and jest to you, and you said that this is not the practice of scholars.
The questioner : You said scholars do not do it. I meant your expression that scholars do not do it. I said there is a bit of jest in it.
The Shaykh : I did not say scholars do not do it. And I am referring back to you if you are.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. This is our agreement with you.
The Shaykh : Retract your mistake. You, your mistake is very clear. It is that sometimes when you ask and we answer you, you sit and discuss and argue, and so on. Sometimes we ask you, and you go back and say, "I am asking you."
The questioner : I do not know the ruling on covering the head. I am asking you.
The Shaykh : Okay, but when I know something and answer you, you do not stop there.
The questioner : I want the evidence. Did the righteous Salaf walk with their heads uncovered, whether in prayer or outside of prayer?
The Shaykh : I answered you about this.
The questioner : What is it?
The Shaykh : What is the benefit of this? I answered you that the Salaf were... what is it called... regarding Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah, may Allah guide you, he prayed with his head uncovered. I answered you.
The questioner : You told me you do not adopt it.
The Shaykh : Okay, now do you know whether the Salaf prayed with their heads uncovered or not?
The questioner : This person is Jabir. He prayed with his head uncovered. You are saying his garment.
The Shaykh : Allah is the Greatest. He prayed with his entire upper body uncovered. All of it, there was nothing. His body was not covered; it was exposed. The second half was covered, and the upper head was covered? No, he prayed with only the izar (lower garment).
The questioner : So it is not permissible for us to do it.
The Shaykh : That is not our topic.
The questioner : How do we adopt the head if we do not adopt this? Why do we not adopt the head? Do we distinguish between this and that?
The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it. He said:
None of you should pray while there is nothing on his shoulders of his garment.
لا يصلين أحدكم وليس على عاتقيه من ثوبه شيءThe questioner : This is what I mentioned.
The Shaykh : You know this, but you do not know... the head.
The questioner : Do we adopt the action of this person who prayed with his head uncovered, so that we pray?
The Shaykh : Why do you not walk with me? I told you, you know that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade this, but you do not know that he forbade this. Why do you not stop at this point?
The questioner : Okay, he did not forbid this, but do we adopt the statement of this person?
The Shaykh : What does it mean that you do not stop at this? It means that this is not like that. If that is the case, if this is not like that, what is the fruit of the disagreement? Is it permissible like this or not permissible?
The questioner : It is permissible. It is not contrary to the Sunnah.
The Shaykh : There is no power nor strength except by Allah.
The questioner : ... He leaves the Sunnah for fear that people will think it is obligatory.
The Shaykh : Now we mentioned the hadith:
He would leave off a thing, and acting upon it was more beloved to him
كان يترك الشيء والعمل به أحب إليهThe questioner : It means we do not blame some of the young men who pray.
The Shaykh : We blame the young men if they make it a habit. Why did I like to ask you? So that we reach this point. Do you know that the Salaf used to walk with their heads uncovered? Do you know that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to walk with his head uncovered? I told you no.
The questioner : I do not know.
The Shaykh : Now you say I do not know. At that time, I understood that no, he did not walk with his head uncovered. Is there a difference for you between the two matters or not? There is no god but Allah.
The questioner : I do not know the evidence. Give us the evidence from your side.
The Shaykh : ... There is a hadith in "Sahih Muslim" that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) came out of his house with his head uncovered, hurrying, and with him some of his Companions. This is the only hadith we have found that he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to walk with his head uncovered. We believe that the habit of the young men today is contrary to the path of the believers, and it is imitating the disbelievers. Therefore, it is not permissible to make walking in the streets and entering the mosques with the head uncovered a habit. But a person in his home takes his freedom, and his freedom is limited. He does not pray as he is in the Hijaz, for example, in severe heat, where they pray in the izar only. No,
Let none of you pray while there is nothing on his shoulder of his garment
لا يصلين أحدكم وليس على عاتقه من ثوبه شيءWhoever has an izar and a rida', let him wear the izar and the rida', for Allah is more deserving that he adorn himself for Him.
من كان له إزار ورداء فليتزر وليرتد فإن الله أحق أن يتزين لهAnd whoever has only one garment, if it is wide, let him wrap it around his shoulders, and if it is narrow, let him wear it as a waist wrapper.
ومن لم يكن له إلا ثوب واحد فإن كان واسعا فليلتحف به وإن كان ضيقا فليتزر به
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.