Do you wear Islamic or Muslim caps? Do you know what are the different types of these caps in different areas of the world? You must know that these caps come in different sizes and styles. And, there are associations of different colours with these caps for different regions. A Muslim living in Africa and a Muslim living in Malaysia has similar beliefs. They pray facing the Kabah, just like any other Muslim in the whole world, but the traditions are sweetly different. Traditions of the regions, colour, and ethnicities differ and this is one of the beauties of Islam. This denotes that Islam does not simply reject the traditions of different regions of the world. As the Prophet (S.A.W.W) once said that variations in my Ummah are a source of blessings for them. Therefore, you can explore the different traditions among Ummah regarding Islamic caps. In this article, you can get detail for Muslim caps of different regions.
1: What Influences Muslim Caps of Different Regions:
Traditions come from different factors in regions, areas, and languages. These factors mould and make the norms of cultures with traditions as the building blocks. In different regions of the world, factors like climate, culture, and norms influence these caps.
2: South Asian Cultures:
Countries like Pakistan, India and Bangladesh do have similar kinds of climates and similar cultures. Especially, Muslims living in this area have similar cultures that bring them closer in this headgear. The caps that Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Indian Muslims wear normally are skull caps. Although Muslims from some other countries also wear these caps but the skull caps are used more in this region. The colours of these areas are normally less funky and decent in looks. Most colours in Pakistan are more decent in comparison to other South Asian countries. This is a striking difference between Pakistani men and Indian men. The colours Pakistani men normally wear are:
- White
- Black
- Dark Brown
Whereas Indian men also wear brighter colours as well, like:
- Orange
- Pink
- Light red
There is a similarity in the colour choice of Bangladeshi men and Indian Muslim men. They wear similar colours to Indian men. The caps Muslims in this area are skull caps. There are other types of caps in this area as well, like:
- Jinnah Cap
- Mazari cap in Pakistan
3: Far East Asian Countries:
In the journey to about the Islamic hat in Malaysia, you must know about the East Asian Muslim countries. The biggest Muslim country in the world, Indonesia, belongs to the region. They have a traditional Islamic cap that is also the traditional cap they love to wear. Malaysian people use the same cap and the name of this cap is Songkok or peci. This cap is one of the frequently used Muslim caps of different regions as there is a large fraction of Muslims. These caps are mostly of dull colours that look more decent and need less washing. The most common colours for a Songkok are black and blue.
4: In West Africa:
The different regions within the African continent have a versatile range of Muslim caps. There is a cap in West Africa is a kufi hat that is similar to the sub-continental cap. This cap for African men is a symbol of religious association and being reputed or older. In many regions of African Muslim countries, these caps are relatively more colourful. As for many African countries, there are traditions of wearing more colourful attire for men.
5: In East Africa:
In East Africa, Muslim caps are taqiyah. Just like other Muslim caps, this cap has religious use of showing reverence to the Prophet (S.A.W.W). As there are traditions about the Prophet (S.A.W.W) that he used head wears, this tradition is for Islamic reasons. The name of the cap is different, but it is the same accessory Muslims wear in West Africa. These are the same Kufi hats with almost the same styles and designs.
6: In Turkey:
Turkey is one of the bigger Muslim countries in the world that has a rich history with Islamic traditions. There too, men wear caps to cover their heads, and there these caps are Fez. Fez is a type of Muslim Turkish cap that is quite similar to kufi hats but has a ribbon on the top. It is normally of red colour that represents the colour of the Turkish flag. So, there is a bit of patriotic touch to the tradition as well, making it a perfect wear for Turkish men. Men with the love of the motherland still wear it even after Mustafa Kamal Ataturk. You might know that Attaturk was the man who banned Fez in Turkey during his tenure after the first world war.
The Nawabi Cap:
The Nawabi cap, another type of Muslim hat with a touch of Sufism, has to offer a traditional look. It is a special cap that offers a perfect look to the whirling dervishes of Maulana Rumi (R.A). Maulana, the most read writer in the whole world, was the person to gift this cap the traditionality. It’s a part of the complete Muslim attire of dervishes in Turkey that they wear when doing the whirling dance. It’s a type of beautiful traditional Sufi dance with a great touch of Sufism that makes it so much more beautiful. This cap is one of the caps we know best among the Muslim caps of different regions with Sufi tradition.
Conclusion:
All of these caps have their own specialities and no matter where you use them. All you need is the love for Islam, so you may use it for your special occasions. You can gift all of these types of caps to someone as Islamic wedding gifts. And when doing that, you must consider their nationality and love for the type of cap they need. All of these Muslim caps of different regions give their own type of touches, from Sufism to Traditional ones.
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