Question:
What is the fatwa regarding wearing an imamah (turban) with a tail and without a tail? Is there any jawaz (permissibility) or not?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-Salāmu ‘Alaykum Wa-Rahmatullāhi Wa-Barakātuh.
Wearing an imamah with a tail (whether with one tail or two) or without a tail, all are proven from Nabi ﷺ. Therefore, wearing the turban in any of these styles is permissible and considered sunnah.
When wearing an imamah with a tail, four methods are mentioned in the narrations:
- Letting the tail hang down the back, between both shoulders.
- Letting it hang over the right shoulder only.
- Letting it hang over the left shoulder only.
- Letting two tails hang — one in the front and one in the back.
However, the most commonly reported practice of Nabi ﷺ was to let the tail of the imamah hang down the back, between the shoulders.[1]
And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best.
Abdour-Rahmaan Lim Voon Heek
Student Darul Iftaa
Port-louis, Mauritius
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Muhammad Zakariyya Desai.
