Making Salah bearheaded

No kufi in Salah (Praying without covering the head )

Sahih Hadith on Kufis and Turbans being Sunnah

Praying without covering the head

Shaikh Albani
(Al-Din al-khalis (3:214) and al-Ajwiba al-nafi`a `an al-masa'il al-waqi`a (p. 110)

"As for what I see, it is makrooh to pray with the head bare and this is indisputable. All acknowledge that it is desirable for the Muslim to enter prayer in the most perfect Islamic appearance, due to the hadith: "Allah is worthier of your self-adornment" [Hasan hadith transmitted by At-Tahawi, At-tabraani, Al-Baihaqi. See Silsiltus-Saheehah]. And it is not part of excellent attire in the custom of the Salaf to habitually bare one's head, and walk in that guise on the road and when entering places of worship. Rather, it is a foreign custom which infiltrated many Islamic countries at the time the disbelievers invaded them and brought their habits with them. The Muslims began to imitate them in this, and they lost thereby their Islamic personality as well as through other similar acts... Nor is it established that the Prophet ever prayed bareheaded and without a turban other than in the state of ihram, although there were plenty of occasions to report it if he did. Therefore, whoever claims that he did, let him produce the proof, for truth is more deserving to be followed."

Shaikh Albani goes on to explain the mistake of some brothers in Egypt who brought the proof of the permissibility to pray without covering the head by analogizing with how the head is uncovered for someone in ihraam during the pilgrimage. This is wrong since not covering the head during the pilgrimage is from the law (Sharee'ah) of Allah. If their analogy was right them they should make it compulsory to pray without any head covering at all since it is obligatory to do so during the pilgrimage and to follow all the other restirctions of Ihraam in regular life! [Tamaam-ul-Minnah fee ta'leeq 'alaa fiqh-us- Sunnah by 'Allaamah Albaani] 

Fatwaa Thunaaiyya Vol #1 pg #523
"to intentionally remove the headgear (kufi or Imaama) and performing Salah bare-headed is contrary to the sunna."

Shaikh `Abd al-Qadir Jilani (Allah's mercy be on him)
(From Ghunyat al-talibin 1:14)
"It is the method or habit of orthodox or civilized virtuous men to keep the head covered."

Hanafi Fiqh
(Quoted by Al-Shurunbali in Muhammad Abul Quasem p #91)
It is mustahab or praiseworthy to pray using "three of one's best clothes, a Thawb, Silwar (Sunnah pants), and turban or kufi"

Shafi`i Fiqh
(Quoted by Al-Misri in Reliance of the Traveller p # 122)
"It is mustahab to pray using an ankle-length Thawb and a turban"

Hanbali Fiqh
(Quoted By Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni (1994 ed.) 1:404-405)
"It is mustahab to pray using a Thawb, Silwar (Sunnah pants) or a Izar (loincloth) and a turban"

Maliki Fiqh
(Quoted by Ibn Abi Zayd, al-Jami` fi al-sunan (1982 ed.) p. 228)
Imaam Malik said "The turban was worn from the beginning of Islam and it did not cease being worn until our time. I did not see anyone among the People of Excellence except they wore the turban, such as Yahya ibn Sa`id, Rabi`a, and Ibn Hurmuz. I would see in Rabi`a's circle more than thirty men wearing turbans and I was one of them, and Rabi`a did not put it down until the Pleiades rose (i.e. until he slept) and he used to say: "I swear that I find it increases intelligence."

Allamah Jauzi (Allah's mercy be on him)
(From Fatawa Rahimiyya 3:202 #308.)
"To keep the head bare before the people is an act which is looked down upon (Markooh) and is against gentleness, humanness, etiquette, and gentlemanly decorum."
 

According to the Hanafi school of juristiction
(Al-Jazayri, al-Fiqh `ala al-madhahib al-arba`a, Kitab al- Salat p. 280-28)
[among] the disliked acts (al-makruhat) in prayer are:... i`tijar, which is to tie a scarf around the head and leave the center bare;... [or] praying bareheaded out of laziness. As for praying bareheaded out of humility and submission, it is permitted (ja'iz) and not disliked.

Shaikh Albani
(Fromn Al-Qawl Al-mubin fi akhta' Al-musallin by Mashhur Hussain on page # 58 of the 2nd edition)
 "Praying bareheaded is makruh (disliked)."
It is not established at all that the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) ever prayed outside the pilgrimage with bare head, without a turban/cap. Whoever thinks he did so then he should bring the proof. If he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) had done so, it would have been recorded. 

The narration attributed to Ibn 'Abbaas that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would sometimes remove his cap and place it as a sutrah in front of him is weak (da'eef). 

Just a few Sahih Hadith on covering the head with a kufi (cap) or Imaama (Turban) being Sunnah.

Abu Dawood and Tirmidhi
Roknah (Radhiallaahu Án) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) said "The distinction between us and the polytheists is the turbans over our caps. "Note : Also quoted by Al-Tabrizi in his Mishkat Al-Masabih and this clears up the false notion that this was just the way of the arabs and not a particular practice of Rasulullah (SAW) and this shows us that we should wear caps under our Imaamas to differentiate from the sieks and other Kufar who wear turbans but without caps under them.

At-Tabrani And Imaam Suyuti

(Sirajul Muneer vol #4 pg#112)
Ibn Umar (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) used to wear a white cap (kufi).Tabrani has reported this hadith to be Hasan (reliable) and Suyuti has classified this hadith as highly authentic(Sahih) in the book Sirajul Muneer vol #4 pg#112)

Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume #1 pg#536
Ibn Abbas (Radhiallaahu Án) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) addresses the Shaba while wearing a black turban.

Understanding of Sahabah (RAA) in following Rasulullah (SAW) in wearing Turbans and kufis

Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 2 pg #863
It is mentioned that Anas Bin Malik (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) used to wear a kufi (cap).

Sanun Abu Dawood Book 3, Hadith # 0948:
Narrated Umm Qays bint Mihsan: Hilal ibn Yasaf said: I came to ar-Raqqah (a place in Syria). One of my companions said to me: Do you want to see any of the Companions of the Prophet (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam)? I said: A good opportunity. So we went to Wabisah.  I said to my friend: Let us first see his mode of living. He had a cap (kufi).

For more information on Sunnah clothes please refer to my page "Sunnah clothes in the Light of the Quran and Sahih Hadith"