A non-‘âlim asked Hazrat Thânwî rahimahullâh: “Why don’t you tie a turban?” If this person was an ‘âlim he would not have asked such a question. There are some famous statements with regard to the turban. Some say that if a person performs salâh with a turban, the reward is multiplied twenty five times. Others say that if a person performs the Jumu‘ah salâh with a turban, the reward is multiplied seventy times. However, the great Hadîth scholar, Mullâ ‘Alî Qârî rahimahullâh writes in his book, Maudû‘ât Kabîr: ??? ??? ???? ?????– these are all baseless and fabricated statements. Therefore, those who become confused with a little knowledge should not delve into such matters. Rather, they should refer to the source books and senior ‘ulamâ’. Such people may have the intelligence, but there is some heat in their intelligence. If in any era, people start considering a non-obligatory act to be obligatory, then it becomes obligatory to give up that act. I personally heard senior ‘ulamâ’ and elders saying that there is a Hadîth in Bukhârî Sharîf which states that the Sahabah (Radhiallaho anhum) also performed salâh with a head covering (topî), and that if a turban is also worn, it will be good. However, it is not permissible to consider it obligatory.

Once I went to Dhaka and saw a turban placed on the pulpit in the musjid. Numerous flies were sitting on this turban and it had many dirt marks on it. Just then the imam came forward to perform the salâh. He tied that turban and performed the salâh. Upon completing the salâh, he replaced the turban on the pulpit and went away. He wore the turban and performed the salâh solely out of fear for the musallîs (those offering salâh behind the imam). In some musjids you see the musallîs in control – it is “ignorance” that is in control. They constantly vex the poor imam. But if a person aligns himself to an imam who is a proper ‘âlim, he will learn the correct ruling. Nevertheless, this system came to an end in this musjid through one talk of mine – this is solely through the will of Allah Ta'ala . I said to them, wear the turban sometimes and do not wear it at other times so that people do not consider it to be obligatory.

So Hakeem-ul-Ummah rahimahullâh said to the person: “I am writing Tafsîr Bayân al-Qur’ân at present and have to engage in a lot of research for it. This causes a great burden on my mind. I am therefore unable to wear the turban.” He then asked the person one question: “You are asking me about wearing a turban with such emphasis, why are you not wearing a lungî (a loin cloth) bearing in mind that wearing a lungî is also a Sunnah?” He replied: “The lungî gets open and my body becomes exposed.”