Males Forbidden to Wear Solid Red

نحمده وصلى ونسلم على رسوله الكريم

For Muslim males to cover their head is not merely a cultural custom, but a Sunna of Prophet Muhammad صلوات الله وسلامه عليه that has largely been abandoned in our time. Going bare headed only became widespread in the Muslim world during European colonialism. The Europeans, being Christians, bare their heads because of the false teaching of the deceiver Paul of Tarsus: ’’Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head...for a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God.’’ (1 Corinthians 11:4,7)

Now it is evident that those Muslims who refuse to cover their head, especially during worship, are following a Christian innovation. Did not Prophet Muhammad صلوات الله وسلامه عليه say:

لَتَتْبَعُنَّ سَنَنَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ شِبْرًا شِبْرًا وَذِرَاعًا بِذِرَاعٍ، حَتَّى لَوْ دَخَلُوا جُحْرَ ضَبٍّ تَبِعْتُمُوهُمْ

’’You will follow the ways of those who were before you, span by span, cubit by cubit, until if they entered the hole of a lizard, you would follow them.’’

When asked if the Prophet صلوات الله وسلامه عليه was referring to the Jews and Christians, he answered:

فَمَنْ

’’Who else?’’ (Sahih al-Bukhari)

So this irreligious practice of uncovering one’s head is an emulation of the Christians, who originally bared their heads because of Paul’s false, idolatrous teachings.

According to a Hadith, sayyidina Anas bin Malik narrated:

رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَتَوَضَّأُ وَعَلَيْهِ عِمَامَةٌ قِطْرِيَّةٌ

’’I saw Allah’s Apostle – sall Allahu alayhi wasallam – perform ablution, and he had a Qitri turban on him.’’ (Sunan Abi Dawud #147)

The Hadith is slightly weak due to the narrator Abi Ma’qil. Nevertheless, it is correct to act upon it, and revive the Sunna of wearing a Qitri turban. According to the Sharihin a Qitri turban is made from a fabric that comes from eastern Arabia, in the Gulf region, the land known as Bahrain and Qatar. It is a heavy material, red in color but containing designs and patterns so that it is not solid red:

According to other Hadith, the Prophet صلوات الله وسلامه عليه would wear a full suit made from this red, Qitri fabric (Sunan Abi Dawud #520; Jami al-Tirmidhi #1213)

These days, the grave worshiping sect, so-called ’’Da’wate Islami’’ led by Ilyas Qadiri, have begun wearing various colored turbans, including solid red, thinking they are following the Prophet’s Sunna. Another religious group, the Majlise Ahrar, wear solid red shirts, claiming it is their uniform. They claim that the Prophet صلوات الله وسلامه عليه wore red, citing the Hadith of al-Baraa bin Azib رضى الله عنه:

رَأَيْتُهُ فِي حُلَّةٍ حَمْرَاءَ

’’I saw him in a red hulla’’

However, as the Sharihin (commentators of Hadith) have explained, this red, Yemeni cloak was striped or had designed and patterns, as is well known from the Yemeni garment, and was certainly not solid red.

Sayyidina Ibn Abbas رضى الله عنه narrated:

نُهِيتُ عَنِ الثَّوْبِ الأَحْمَرِ

’’I was forbidden from red clothing.’’ (Sunan an-Nasa’i #5268)

Therefore, Muslim males should avoid solid red clothes. It is not befitting to wear solid red because it is a feminine characteristic and reeks of immodesty.