THE RULING PERTAINING TO PERFORMING SALAAH WITHOUT A HAT

Number 1: Wearing a Topi (Proper Islamic hat) is proven from the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Therefore Hafiz al-Haythami states:

Translation: Hazrat Ibn Umar Radi Allahu Anh narrates that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمused to wear a white hat. This Hadith has been narrated by Tabarani. (Majma-uz-Zawa’id, Volume 5 Page 121, Published Darul Kitaabil Arabi, Beirut) Allama Abdur-Rauf Manaawi narrates with reference to Ibn e Asaakir:

Translation: Hazrat Aishah Radi Allahu Anha narrates that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to wear a white hat that would rest (perfectly) on His صلى الله عليه وسلمBlessed Head. (Faizul-Qadeer Sharh ul Jaamius-Sagheer Volume 5 Page 299/Darul Kutbul Ilmiyyah, Beirut)

Allama Manaawi further writes that:

Translation: Hafiz Iraqi has written in the Annotation of Tirmidhi, that the Hadith with the best Sanad (chain of transmission) regarding hats is this: Hazrat Aishah Radi Allahu Anha narrates that while on a journey (expedition), the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمused to wear a hat that covered the ears, and normally when He صلى الله عليه وسلمwas resident (in the Holy City) He صلى الله عليه وسلمused to wear a Syrian hat. (Faizul-Qadeer Sharh ul Jaamius-Sagheer, Volume 5 Page 299, Darul Kutbul Ilmiyyah, Beirut) Hazrat Imam Abdul Wahab Sha'rani Radi Allahu Anh writes in Kashful Ghummah:

Translation: The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمused to command that the head be covered, with a turban or a hat in Salaah, and He صلى الله عليه وسلمused to forbid performing Salaah bareheaded (i.e. without covering the head). (Kashful Ghummah, Volume 1 Page, 87)

The Summary: it is proven from the Sacred Hadith Narrations, the Athaar e Sahaabah wa Tabeyeen (i.e. their words and statements) and from the maxims of Islamic Scholars and Jurists that, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمused to wear a hat.

Answer 2: Now the question which remains is about the legality in the light of the Shari’ah, regarding the performance of Salaah bareheaded (i.e. without a proper Islamic hat). The answer to this is that the Noble Jurists have described three cases pertaining to performing Salaah without covering the head.

1. If it is done with the intention of showing humility and modesty, then it is permissible. 2. If it is done due to sheer laziness and carelessness, then it is Makrooh e Tanzeehi. 3. And if one does so while considering Salaah to be insignificant or he does so taking it lightly, such as if he feels that Salaah is not such a worthy and noble act (of worship) for which a hat should be worn, then to perform Salaah bareheaded (without covering the head) with this intention, is Kufr. This is just as it has been mentioned in, Durr e Mukhtaar with Raddul Muhtaar:

Translation: And it is Makrooh for him to perform Salaah bareheaded due to his laziness. However, if he does so out of humility and inability, then there is no harm in doing so. As for doing this with the intention of insulting (belittling) the Salaah, then this is Kufr.

Translation: In other words, (if he does so because of laziness), and this is in the sense that he considers covering the head to be a burden, and he does not consider it (i.e. wearing the hat) to be an important matter in Salaah, and thus he abandons the covering of the head for this reason. This is the meaning of his statement ()تهاونا بالصلاة. This does not mean that Salaah should be regarded as being insignificant and trivial, because to do so is Kufr (Sharhul Muniyah).

It is stated in "Al-Hilyah" that the original meaning of ‘Kasl’ is to abandon (omit) an action without intention. If one abandons an action due to the lack of the ability to do so, then it is called an inability. (Durr e Mukhtaar with Raddul Muhtaar Chapter of Salaah Volume 2 Page 407/Darul Kutbul Ilmiyyah, Beirut) It is in Fataawa Qazi Khan:

Translation: If a person performs Salaah bareheaded, even though he has a turban or a hat (available to him), and if it is out of humility, then there is nothing wrong with this; and if it is because of laziness then it is Makrooh. (Fataawa Qazi Khan Volume 1 Page 309/Maktabah Ala Hazrat, Lahore) It is in Fataawa Bazzaaziyah:

Translation: If a person performed Salaah bareheaded due to laziness, then to do so is Makrooh, and if it he did so out of humility, it is not Makrooh. (Fataawa Bazzaaziyah Volume 1 Page 27/Darul Kutbul Ilmiyyah, Beirut) It is in Noorul Izaah with Maraaqiul Falaah:

Translation: Performing Salaah bareheaded out of laziness is Makrooh, because it involves abandoning dignity and honour, and performing Salaah bareheaded out of humility, is not Makrooh. (Noorul Izaah with Maraaqiul Falaah Page 272/Darul Kutbul Ilmiyyah, Beirut)

It is in Fataawa Razviyyah Shareef: The Noble Sunnah of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمis to perform Salaah with a hat and a turban, and the Noble Jurists have categorised performing Salaah bareheaded into three categories. If it is with the intention of humility then it is permissible, if it is out of sheer laziness then it is Makrooh, and (Allah Forbid), if the Salaah is regarded as being insignificant and is taken lightly, then it is Kufr, and according to the Shari'ah, to adopt such a manner upon which fingers are raised (i.e. objections are made), is Makrooh. It is in Majma ul Bihaar:

Translation: Ignoring the routine (manner) of the people of a city is (to desire) recognition and this is Makrooh. (Fataawa Razviyyah Shareef Volume 7 Page 389/Raza Foundation, Lahore) It is in Bahaar e Shariat: To perform Salaah without a Topi (proper Islamic hat) out of sheer laziness; in other words, if wearing the Topi is regarded a burden, or if one says he feels hot (due to wearing it), then it is Makrooh e Tanzeehi; and if one does this in a demeaning manner, for example; one does not regard Salaah as something which is of such excellence and status that one needs to wear a Topi or Imaama (turban), then this is regarded as Kufr. If one performs Salaah without a hat out of humility, then this is desirable. (Bahaar e Shariat Part 3 Page 156, Qadri Kitaab Ghar, Bareilly Shareef)

The Summary: Salaah is the Best form of Worship. It should be performed in an appropriate and dignified manner. The Blessed Way of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and His صلى الله عليه وسلمCompanions Radi Allahu Anhum was to perform Salaah with their heads covered. So, the Muslim men should perform Salaah by wearing a hat or a turban. It is Makrooh to perform Salaah bareheaded, due to laziness and without a valid reason.