The turban (amama): its forms, wiping over it, and its rules in prayer and ihram

العِمَامَة

In the lexicon, 'amama is a cloth wound round the head, and its plural is 'amai'im; it is related to the tail, the headband, the bandage, the veil and the cap ¹. Its styles include wrapping the head with the end let fall on the back, and i'tijar, wrapping without tucking the end under the chin, and the end let fall from both sides of the head ². The turbans of the Prophet ﷺ are described as black, with the end let fall between the shoulders, and he is reported to have worn a Qatari cloth ³. Protected non-Muslims were distinguished by colours and by wearing the turban without tucking it under the chin ⁴. Prostration on the fold of the turban is disliked by most jurists unless there is an excuse, and the Shafi'is require the forehead to be bare ^{5 6}. Wiping over the turban in ablution is refused by the Hanafis, allowed by the Malikis where removal would harm, and allowed by the Shafi'is and Hanbalis ^{6 7}. A shirt and a turban in a shroud are recommended by Abu Hanifa and Malik and not by al-Shafi'i and Ahmad ⁷. A turban is forbidden to one in the state of ihram, and a restraint may be imposed by removing the turban as a discretionary penalty ^{7 8}.