The prayer cap and the Islamic fashion industry

Tiruchi resident Nazimul Asif Jeelani has built up a collection of over a 100 prayer caps, that he uses according to occasion. “Getting a new cap was one of the important rites of Ramzan when I was growing up. Wearing one to family and religious functions was expected of all Muslim men in those days,” says Jeelani, an entrepreneur in his 50s. “But nowadays, it doesn’t seem to be very popular, especially among youngsters.”

Jeelani looks up cap sellers on his journeys abroad. “Islamic headgear shops have nearly vanished in India, but in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, where the cap is a part of the official male dress code, you get some very fine products,” he says.

The most cherished part of his collection is a Turkish topi (also known as fez after its Moroccan city of origin) bought by his grandfather when he went on the Haj in 1936. “Though the lining has started to give way, this headgear still has a majestic look to it,” says Jeelani. The vintage item is preserved on its original wooden stand, with a small brush to keep it free of lint.

“A cap really adds panache and dignity to Islamic attire, just like the hat in Western dress,” says Jeelani, adding with a laugh, “It also helps men like me hide their baldness.”

Thomson-Reuters’ State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2016-17 estimates Muslim spending on what is marketed as ‘modest clothing’ to reach $368 billion by 2021. But as the global apparel industry continues to mine the rich seam of Islamic fashion, the focus seems to be restricted to women’s clothing.

While there has been a revived interest in hijabs, headscarves and outer garments like abayas and looser-fit clothes, the market seems to be silent on an older piece of Islamic wear - the male prayer cap.

Muslim men are encouraged to use caps to emulate Prophet Muhammad’s practice of covering his hair. At times, the cap is secured with a turban or scarf. In fact, the headdress can also be a good indicator of the wearer’s nationality, because it is invariably adapted to the culture and climate of the place. Often called taaqiya in Arabic, it is also known as topi in South Asian countries.

“Fashion choices, both modest and otherwise, are inevitably more generous to women than to men. They have many options in design, fabric and style, with newer additions every other day. But the choices for Muslim men are limited when it comes to modest wear. The headdress or prayer cap remains, not an old, but a timeless tradition,” says Maaz Mohamed, founder and CEO of Islamicshop.in, an online retailer of Islamic garments and halal (as permitted by Islam) products based out of Chennai.

The cylindrical and tasseled Turkey topi, popularised by the Ottoman Empire’s Sultan Mahmud II, was considered the exclusive mark of the well-dressed Muslim male in pre-Independence India. But a more globally on-trend population is willing to try newer styles now.

Islamicshop.in for example, stocks a wide range of designs like the Kufi, Kashmiri, Turkish, Malaysian, Omani, Karakul and hand woven prayer caps.

On the brink

Bangladesh is the biggest manufacturer of prayer caps in the world, followed by China. Mechanised production has enabled these countries to flood the global markets with their affordable designs, invariably at the cost of handmade caps. Abdul Raheem is reported to be the last cap maker in Thalangara, in Kerala’s Kasargod district, home to the once-famed Thalangara thoppi: a distinctive pure cotton cap with stiff sides, that was a much-sought after item of headgear in the Gulf states.

“One Thalangara thoppi takes 20 days to finish,” says Raheem, whose family has been in the business for over a century.

“From start to finish, at least six people are needed to work on the different stages that involve hand embroidery and machine stitching. I am only making these caps because my late father Abubacker Musalliyar asked me to keep our family tradition going for as long as possible.”

Abdul Raheem has limited his Ramzan orders this year, because of his father’s demise six months ago. In its heyday, the family used to produce 500 Thalangara thoppis per month, mostly for export. Now it’s down to 100. The decline in demand has largely been due to the wider availability of cheap Chinese and Bangladeshi caps.

“When you can get polyester caps for ₹40, who would want to pay ₹150 to ₹250 for a Thalangara thoppi?” asks Raheem. “Over all the labour costs, we get to earn a profit of just ₹10,” he adds. The absence of Government support for this heritage craft has also led to its slow death, says Raheem, adding that he has diversified into other business interests to supplement his income.

Cap sales typically pick up during the month of Ramzan, as Muslim families buy new clothes to celebrate Eid al-Fitr festival. “Ramzan, Eid al-Adha (also known as Bakrid Eid) and Milaad-un-Nabi (the Prophet’s birthday) are generally busy periods for us,” says Sheikh Dawood, proprietor of Surat Caps in Angappa Naicken Street, Chennai. “People don’t just buy caps for themselves, but also to gift friends and employees, along with other items of clothing,” he adds. In the business since 1984, Dawood’s shop also manufactures cloth prayer caps. “Older men, especially those who have returned from Haj or Umrah pilgrimages, tend to wear prayer caps through the day. Youngsters and professionals prefer to put them on only when they head to the mosque or a religious ceremony. The demand in this industry depends on the wearer’s age.”