As for the turban, there is a specific text concerning it. When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked what a person in consecration may wear, he said: “He is not to wear a shirt, trousers, burnouses, turbans, or leather socks.” (1) This mentions certain specific instances of the general wording in his statement: “Do not cover his head.”

His statement, “in direct contact with it,” excludes that which is not in direct contact with it, because whatever is not in direct contact is not considered a covering. For example, a person in consecration may hold an umbrella to shade himself from the sun or protect himself from the rain. There is nothing wrong with this, and no expiation is due for it.

What the author has adopted is the correct view: that something not in direct contact with the head is permissible and entails no expiation.

According to the later scholars of the madhhab, however, if he shades himself with an umbrella or rides beneath a canopy, this is forbidden to him and expiation becomes obligatory. On this view, a person in consecration may not shade himself with an umbrella except out of necessity; if he does so, he must offer expiation. Nor may he ride in a covered vehicle, because he is thereby shaded. If he is compelled to do so, he must offer expiation. Yet this view has long been abandoned; today, no one adheres to it except the Rafidah. They are the ones who follow it, though I think that even they have only adopted it recently; previously, we did not know of this practice among them. In any case, this is the position of the madhhab. Thus, in this issue, the author, may Allah have mercy on him, has followed the correct view, which differs from the madhhab.

It should be understood that covering the head falls into categories: