Kufis and Prayer Hats

Wearing a kufi, or koofi for men, is the second most recognizable feature of being Muslim, the first, of course, is the beard. With the Kufi being such an identifying piece of Muslim apparel, it is helpful for Muslim men to have many kufis so that he may wear a new one each day. Here at Muslim American we have dozens of styles for you to choose from with many variations of knit and embroidered Kufi hats. Many Muslim Americans wear them in order to follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), others wear the kufi in order to stand out in society and be recognized as a Muslim. No matter what your reason, we have the styles for every occasion.

What is a Kufi?

Kufis are the traditional and religious skull caps for Muslim men. It was the practice of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to cover his head during regular times and while in salah (prayer). There are many hadith from various narrators expressing how diligiantly Muhammad (peace be upon him) was in covering the head, especially for prayer. He wore a kufi cap and a turban most of the time and it was said frequently that the companions never saw him without something covering his head.

Allah reminds us in the Qur’an “There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.” (33:21) Many of the great scholars have looked to this verse as justification for imitating the actions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in addition to practicing his teachings. In imitating the actions of the Prophet, we can hope to draw closer to his method of living and purify our lifestyle. An act of imitation is an act of love and those who love the Prophet are blessed by Allah. Scholars differ in their opinion whether covering the head is Sunnah or if it is simply cultural. Some scholars classify the practices of our beloved Prophet as Sunnah Ibada (practice that has religious significance) and Sunnat al-'ada (practice based on culture). Scholars say that if we follow the practice we will be rewarded, regardless of it being Sunnat Ibada or Sunnat A'da.

How Many Different Kinds of Kufi are there?

Kufis vary based on culture and fashion trend. Basically any head covering that fits tightly to the head and does not have a brim which extends out to shield the sun can qualify as a kufi. There are some cultures that refer to it as a topi or a kopi and a few still that call it a taqiyah or a tupi. No matter what you call it, the general form is the same, though topi caps are more likely to have embellishments and detailed embroidery work on them.

What is the best color for Kufi?

While many people choose black kufi skull cap, some go for white Kufis. It is said that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) preferred white over anything else. There is no restrictions on the color as long as it is decent. You will see the Kufi Caps in all possible colors.

Why do Muslims wear Kufi?

Muslim's wear Kufi primarily because they look up to the last and final messenger of God - Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his deeds. In most Asian countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Malaysia and many others, it is considered a sign of piety and religiosity to cover the head. The shapes of the Muslim Headwear and its color and style vary country to country. The same Kufi is called using different names. In Indonesia they call it Peci. In Indo-Pak areas where Urdu is the main Muslim language, they call is Topi.

We hope you enjoy the selection here at Muslim American. If there is a style you’re looking for, please let us know.