from ‘Amr ibn Hurayth, who said: “I saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, on the pulpit, wearing a black turban with its two ends hanging between his shoulders.”
Muslim (1) also relates from Jābir ibn ‘Abd Allāh that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, entered Mecca wearing a black turban.
Jābir’s report does not mention a loose end, indicating that he did not always let the end of his turban hang between his shoulders. It may, however, be said that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, entered Mecca wearing his battle gear, with a helmet on his head (2), and thus wore what suited each occasion (3).
Our teacher, Abu al-‘Abbās Ibn Taymiyyah—may Allah sanctify his soul—used to give a remarkable explanation for the hanging end of the turban: the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, began this practice only on the morning after the dream he had in Medina, in which he saw the Lord of Might, blessed and exalted is He: “He said, ‘O Muhammad, what is the highest assembly disputing about?’ I replied, ‘I do not know.’ Then He placed His hand between my shoulders, and I came to know what lies between heaven