Answered by Shaykh Gibril F Haddad
Are you aware of any sunnahs as to how to wear the turban?
The Sunna is to wear it. As to its length they vary without specific prescription. The Prophet (saws) wore it with its extremity hanging between his shoulders, as in the report from Ibn `Umar in al-Tirmidhi’s Sunan and he said it is hasan. The Shafi`is said it may also be worn without this extremity. The Salaf wound it also around the chin. This winding is a pre-condition for wiping, without which it is invalid to wipe over the turban during wudu’. Al-Munawi in Sharh al-Shama’il and al-Suyuti in al-Hawi fil-Fatawa said the length is indeterminate. The Shuyukh said the sirwal is put on sitting and the turban is put on standing. At each winding of it, repeat the Shahada and invoke blessings on the Prophet.
The most complete documentation of the rulings that pertain to this vestimentary Sunna is al-Hafiz Muhammad Ja`far al- Kattani’s al-Di`ama fi Ahkam Sunnat al-`Imama. I have also seen an excellent long discussion of it in Imam al-Saffarini’s Ghidha’ al-Albab. See also the pertinent chapter in the books of Shama’il and their Shuruh. In English: al-Kandihlawi on al-Tirmidhi’s Shama’il. In 1994-1995 I put together a synopsis of this literature which is still available from al-Sunnah Foundation of America insha Allah, titled the Turban in Islam.
Was-Salam.
Hajj Gibril
GF Haddad