Can a Muslim Woman Wear a Turban?
C.J Ahmed-10.06.2023
For something to be forbidden, there needs to be clear textual evidence either from the Quran or the authentic hadiths prohibiting it. The argument against women wearing turbans is based on the view that wearing turbans is only for men and turbans are haram for women because it is imitating men. This is not at all true because there are female turbans as well and in countries such as Nigeria for an examples, girls and women wear turbans.
Even during the time of the prophet (sal), hats were worn.
Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported:
When Allah's Apostle (sa) contracted marriage with Zainab (Allah be pleased with bet), Umm Sulaim sent him hats in a vessel of stone as a gift. Anas stated that Allah's Messenger (sal) said to him: Go and invite on my behalf all the Muslims whom you meet. So I invited on his behalf everyone whom I met. They entered (his house) and they ate and went out. And Allah's Messenger (sal) had kept his hand on the food, and he invoked blessing on that, and said whatever Allah wished him to say, and none whom I met was left uninvited. They ate to their fill and went out, but a group among them remained there and was engaged in lengthy discussion. Allah's Apostle (sal) felt shy of saying them anything. So he went out and left them in his house and Allah the Great and Majestic revealed this verse:" 0 you who believe, enter not the houses of the Prophet unless permission is given to you for a meal, not waiting for its cooking being finished." Qatada (instead of using the word Ghaira Nazirina) used the word Ghaira Mutahayyinina (i. e. not waiting for the time of the food). But when you are invited, enter..." up to this verse. This is purer for your hearts and their hearts. (Bukhari)
The argument that wearing a turban is imitating the non-Muslims is an age old argument that has been refuted many times. It is the intention that matters.
Actions are According to Intentions
There are some who view everything with a “haram” lens will find fault with adult men wearing necklaces but as long it is with good intention and not to imitate women, it is not haram.
Umar bin al-Khattab (rali) narrated that the prophet (sal) said,
"Actions are according to intentions, and everyone will get what was intended. Whoever migrates with an intention for Allah and His messenger, the migration will be for the sake of Allah and his Messenger. And whoever migrates for worldly gain or to marry a woman, then his migration will be for the sake of whatever he migrated for." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Cannot Rush to Judge People Based What They Wear
We cannot tear open a man’s chest and see his intentions.
Usamah ibn Zayd reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sent us on an expedition. In the morning we attacked Al-Huraqat of Juhaynah. I caught hold of a man and he said, “There is no God but Allah!” I stabbed him anyway. Then, it occurred to me that I should mention that to the Prophet. The Prophet said, “Did he say ‘there is no God but Allah’ but you killed him?” I said, “O Messenger of Allah, he only said it because he feared the weapon!” The Prophet said, “Did you tear open his heart to know if he meant it or not?” The Prophet continued repeating it to me until I had wished I had not embraced Islam until that day. (Sahih Muslim)
Nowadays men and women wear the same dress in parts of the world. Take for an example in Cambodia and Indonesia, men and women both wear the traditional sarong and when it comes to wearing jewellery, both men and women wear rings and even watches The word “imitating” is subjective and trying to put one’s own opinion is dangerous when there is clear evidence from the Sunnah to prove that it is halal. There is no doubt that wearing makeup is not haram for men and not all men put on makeup to resemble women and trying to prohibit something based on a scholar’s personal opinion cannot be accepted..
There is nothing haram in a woman wearing a turban.
For something to be forbidden, there needs to be clear textual evidence either from the Quran or the authentic hadiths prohibiting it. The argument against women wearing turbans is based on the view that wearing turbans is only for men and turbans are haram for women because it is imitating men. This is not at all true because there are female turbans as well and in countries such as Nigeria for an examples, girls and women wear turbans.
Even during the time of the prophet (sal), hats were worn.
Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported:
When Allah's Apostle (sa) contracted marriage with Zainab (Allah be pleased with bet), Umm Sulaim sent him hats in a vessel of stone as a gift. Anas stated that Allah's Messenger (sal) said to him: Go and invite on my behalf all the Muslims whom you meet. So I invited on his behalf everyone whom I met. They entered (his house) and they ate and went out. And Allah's Messenger (sal) had kept his hand on the food, and he invoked blessing on that, and said whatever Allah wished him to say, and none whom I met was left uninvited. They ate to their fill and went out, but a group among them remained there and was engaged in lengthy discussion. Allah's Apostle (sal) felt shy of saying them anything. So he went out and left them in his house and Allah the Great and Majestic revealed this verse:" 0 you who believe, enter not the houses of the Prophet unless permission is given to you for a meal, not waiting for its cooking being finished." Qatada (instead of using the word Ghaira Nazirina) used the word Ghaira Mutahayyinina (i. e. not waiting for the time of the food). But when you are invited, enter..." up to this verse. This is purer for your hearts and their hearts. (Bukhari)
The argument that wearing a turban is imitating the non-Muslims is an age old argument that has been refuted many times. It is the intention that matters.
Actions are According to Intentions
There are some who view everything with a “haram” lens will find fault with adult men wearing necklaces but as long it is with good intention and not to imitate women, it is not haram.
Umar bin al-Khattab (rali) narrated that the prophet (sal) said,
"Actions are according to intentions, and everyone will get what was intended. Whoever migrates with an intention for Allah and His messenger, the migration will be for the sake of Allah and his Messenger. And whoever migrates for worldly gain or to marry a woman, then his migration will be for the sake of whatever he migrated for." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Cannot Rush to Judge People Based What They Wear
We cannot tear open a man’s chest and see his intentions.
Usamah ibn Zayd reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sent us on an expedition. In the morning we attacked Al-Huraqat of Juhaynah. I caught hold of a man and he said, “There is no God but Allah!” I stabbed him anyway. Then, it occurred to me that I should mention that to the Prophet. The Prophet said, “Did he say ‘there is no God but Allah’ but you killed him?” I said, “O Messenger of Allah, he only said it because he feared the weapon!” The Prophet said, “Did you tear open his heart to know if he meant it or not?” The Prophet continued repeating it to me until I had wished I had not embraced Islam until that day. (Sahih Muslim)
Nowadays men and women wear the same dress in parts of the world. Take for an example in Cambodia and Indonesia, men and women both wear the traditional sarong and when it comes to wearing jewellery, both men and women wear rings and even watches The word “imitating” is subjective and trying to put one’s own opinion is dangerous when there is clear evidence from the Sunnah to prove that it is halal. There is no doubt that wearing makeup is not haram for men and not all men put on makeup to resemble women and trying to prohibit something based on a scholar’s personal opinion cannot be accepted..
There is nothing haram in a woman wearing a turban.