QUESTION:

As Salaamu Alaikum,

I would like to know if tying the imaamah beneath the chin is a sunnah, I heard that NabÄ« (ï·º) tied it under the chin due to him wearing a helmet, but I want to know if he did it without a helmet. Also I’d like the HanafÄ« view on it.

ANSWER:

Wa Alaikum As Salaam,

A number of Ahadith have described the Imamah (turban) of the Prophet (S.A.W) and the manner he wore it, but none of these have mentioned that he actually tied it beneath his chin.

In the narration recorded by Imam Tirmidhi, Abdullah bin Umar (R.A) is reported to have said, ‘When the Messenger of Allah tied the Imamah (turban), he used to put the shamlah (the end or tail of the turban) between his two shoulders (on the back). Nafi (the narrator from Abdullah bin Umar) says, ‘Abdullah bin Umar (R.A) used to tie his turban in the same manner’.

Ubaidullah (a student of Ibn Umar) says, ‘I saw Qasim bin Muhammad (the grandson of Abu Bakr Siddeeq (R.A) and Salim (the grandson of Umar (R.A) tying the turban in the same manner.

(Shamaa’il At Tirmidhi Hadith No. 110-Chapter on the Description of the Turban of the Prophet (S.A.W))

In a tradition recorded by Muslim, Abu Dawood and Ibn Hibban,  the companion , Amr bin Huraith narrates that he saw the Prophet (S.A.W) reciting the khutba on the mimbar. On that occasion, he wore a black turban and its shamlah (the end or tail of the turban) was hanging between his both shoulders on the back.

It is also narrated from Jabir (R.A) that when the Prophet (S.A.W) entered Makkah upon the conquest, he wore a black turban (Muslim, Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah, An Nasaa’i). Imam Nasaa’i has also narrated the tradition of Amr bin Ummaya who said, ‘That scene is still before my eyes, when the Prophet (S.A.W) was on the mimbar with a black turban tied on his head. The shamlah (end/tail of the turban) was hanging between his shoulders on the back.

(Subul Al Huda Wa Ar Rashad Fi Sirah Khair Al Ibad 7/268 Maktba Rahmaniya Lahore)

All the above narrations show that the Prophet (S.A.W) would normally place the end/tail of the turban on the back between both shoulders. However, it is evident in other traditions that he would sometimes let the end/tail hang in front or at the side close to his ear.

Regarding this, Imam At Tabarani has narrated the tradition of Thawban (R.A) who said, ‘Whenever the Prophet (S.A.W) tied his turban, he will place the shamlah (end/tail of the turban) in front or at the back. Abu Nu’aim has narrated that Abdullah bin Umar said that when the Prophet (S.A.W) tied the turban then most of the time he will place the shamlah (end/tail) on the back. Imam At Tabarani has also narrated that Abdullah bin Umar (R.A) stated, ‘Once the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) said, ‘Wear the turban, for it is the sign of the angels, and place the end/tail of it behind. At Tabarani has mentioned with a weak sanad from Abu Umamah (R.A) who said,’Whenever the Prophet (S.A.W) sent someone as an ‘Amil’ (Governor/Ameer), he will tie the turban on him and hang the end/tail of it at the right side, close to the ear’.

(Subul Al Huda War Rashad 7/268)

With respect to the wearing of the helmet and tying the Imamah beneath the chin due to the helmet, this is not evident in the traditions. In fact, it is evident in the tradition of Anas bin Malik (R.A) that on the day when Makkah was conquered, the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) wore a helmet when he entered the city and then removed it’.

(Shamaa’il At Tirmidhi Hadith No.106 Chapter on the Helmet of the Prophet (S.A.W))

The tradition is also recorded by Imam Tirmidhi in his Shamaa’il from Jaabir (R.A) who said that when Makkah was conquered, the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) entered the city wearing a black turban.

(Shamaa’il Hadith No. 107)

Both the above traditions show two states of the Prophet (S.A.W) when he conquered Makkah. One state is that he entered with a helmet, and the other is that he entered with a turban.

While commenting on this, the great scholar Imam Muhammad bin Yusuf As Saalihi Ash Shami (Died 942 AH) writes, ‘There is no difference between the both narrations. It is possible that when he entered Makkah he wore a helmet, then he took it off and wore a turban. Each companion narrated what he saw. Some scholars have also mentioned that he may have worn the black turban over the helmet or beneath the helmet so that the head can be protected from the steel of the helmet’.

(Subul Al Huda War Rashad 7/276)     

So, based on the above explanation, it is understood that he did not tie the Imamah under the chin due to him wearing a helmet.

With respect to tying the Imaamah (turban) under the chin, it is evident that the Prophet (S.A.W) at times, passed the end of the turban under his chin and beard, and then placed the end/tail of it between the shoulders on his back. While describing the turban of the Prophet (S.A.W), Hafiz Ibn Al Qayyim wrote, ‘And sometimes the Prophet (S.A.W) would wrap the turban under his chin’.

(Zaad Al Ma’ad page 53 Dar Ibn Hazm Beirut 2005)

The above-mentioned manner of wrapping the turban under the chin/beard is termed by the scholars as Tahneek/Tahanuk of the Imamah or Talahhi of the Imamah, and both refer to the act of wrapping the neck, and under the chin and beard with some part of the turban’. (as explained by Mulla Ali Al Qaari).

(Jam’u Al Wasaa’il Fi sharh Ash Shamaa’il (Mulla Ali Al Qaari, page 209 Idara Taaleefaat, Multan).

A number of great scholars of the early generations have considered the above way of tying the Imamah to be Sunnah/Mustahab. This is also the opinion of Imam Malik and Ahmad. The manner of the Tahneek/Tahanuk or Talahhi (of the Imamah) is that when one ties the Imamah, he passes the Imamah under his chin and beard, and then hang the end/tail of it between the shoulders on his back, or he allows it to hang in front.

(Subul Al Huda 7/276-277).

While explaining this, Ashhab (A.R) stated that whenever Imam Malik (A.R) tied his turban, he would pass it under his chin and carry the end/tail to the back, and place it between the shoulders.

(Subul Al Huda 7/276)

Mulla Ali Al Qaari (A.R) has also stated, ‘Tahneek of the Imamah is not Sunnah according to the Shafi scholars, however, some hadith scholars have stated that it is sunnah based on the majority view, and among those who considered it recommended is Hafiz Ibn Al Qayyim. It is narrated that the Prophet (S.A.W) would place his turban under his chin on account of its benefits, since it would protect the neck from the heat and coldness, and it secured it (the turban) when riding horses and other animals. By placing it under the chin it will also avoid a person from using turban pins/hooks to secure it from becoming slack or loosed.

(Jam’u Al Wasaa’il Fi Sharh Ash Shamaa’il page 206)

In summary, while different ways of tying the turban has been described in the aforementioned explanations, the best is to tie it in a manner that one hangs the end/tail of the turban on the back between the shoulder – blades after wrapping it on the head. While indicating to this, Mulla Ali Al Qaari (A.R) states, ‘Know well that a number of Ahadith, both Saheeh (sound) and Hasan (good), have been narrated regarding (the placing) of the end of the turban. From among them, are the traditions recorded by Imam Tirmidhi in his Shamaa’il that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) wore the turban in a manner that the end portion was between his shoulders. Ibn Hibban has also narrated from Ibn Umar (R.A) that he was asked, ‘How did the Prophet (S.A.W) tie the turban?’ He replied, ‘He would wrap the turban around his head and secure it from behind, and let its end hang between the shoulders.’ This tradition does not oppose what is recorded by Ibn Abi Shaiba from Ali (R.A) in which he states that the Prophet (S.A.W) tied a turban for him and let the both ends of it fall on his both shoulders. In the Sunan of Abu Dawood, it is also narrated that the Prophet (S.A.W) tied a turban for Abdur Rahman bin Auf and let the end of it fall in front of him and also behind him. Although, the Sunnah is achieved through all these, the best way of tying the turban is to allow the end of the turban to fall between both shoulders at the back.

(Jam’u Al Wasaa’il Fi Sharh Ash Shamaa’il-page 206)

The great scholar of Hadith, Shaikh Muhammad Zakariyyah Khandhalwi (A.R) has also indicated to the same in his famous Khasaa’il Nabawi (commentary of Shamaa’il Tirmidhi). In it, he writes, ‘The practice of the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) of putting the shamlah (back-end portion of the turban) varied. He usually left a shamlah on the turban. Some scholars have gone so far to say that he never wore a turban without a shamlah. The Muhaqiqeen (researcher scholars) stated that sometimes he did not leave a shamlah. When wearing a turban, he observed different practices with the shamlah. He sometimes left it on the right front shoulder; sometimes on the back between the shoulders; sometimes the two ends of the turban were left as a shamlah. Allamah Munaawi (A.R) says, ‘Although all methods are mentioned, the best and most correct is to leave it between the shoulders on the back’.

(Khasaa’il Nabawi-page 110 Darul Ishaat Karachi 2009)

And Allah Knows best

Mufti Waseem Khan

01/10/2025