Why does the head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat wear a turban?

Out of love and respect for those who came before him. Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), the Promised Messiah, and his successors wore the turban, and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) is also reported to have worn one.

Children often ask quite openly why the head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat wears a turban on his head. The answer is simple and very human. He saw his predecessors wearing the turban, and Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), the Promised Messiah, wore it as well.

If there were no other reason, love for them alone would be reason enough. Many people know this from their own lives. We keep a habit of our parents or grandparents, not because a law demands it, but because we remember them and want to honour them. In the same way, the turban is a sign of attachment to those who went before.

This tradition goes back a long way. The hadith above reports that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) also wore a turban when he spoke to the people. Whoever wishes to follow him and his faithful successors in love gladly takes on something of their outward manner too.

The verse above also reminds us that a person should come to worship in dignified dress. What matters most is not the cloth on the head but the attitude of the heart. The turban expresses dignity, respect and gratitude for a spiritual heritage.