Mohammad bin Al Munkadir said I went to Jabir bin Abdullah رضیﷲ عنه and he was praying wrapped in a garment and his Rida was Lying beside him. When he finished the prayers, I said "O `Abdullah! You pray (in a single garment) while your Rida' is lying beside you (not covering your head with it).
He replied: نَعَمْ، أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ يَرَانِي الْجُهَّالُ مِثْلُكُمْ، رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي هَكَذَا.
Yes, I did it intentionally so that the ignorant ones like you might see me. I saw the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم praying like this.
[Sahih al Bukhari #370]
Prophet Mohammed صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: لَا يَقْبَلُ اللَّهُ صَلَاةَ حَائِضٍ إِلَّا بِخِمَارٍ
The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلمsaid: Allah does not accept the prayer of a woman who has reached puberty unless she wears a veil.
[Sunan Abi Dawood #641, Mishkat al Masabih #762, sanad sahih]
If it was important to cover the head for a man in prayer then the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم would have said the same for a man or commanded to do the same.
-BARELVI SCHOOL OF THOUGHT
Ahmad Raza Barelvi was asked: What is the ruling of Ahle Shariyah that some people perform the prayer without covering their heads and say we do this out of humility? is it valid or is it disliked in prayer?
Then Ahmad Raza Barelvi gives the fatwa and answer: If the person do this out of humility then there's no issues (i.e. a man can pray without covering his head).
[Ahkam Shariyat Mukammal pg.144]
-DEOBAND SCHOOL OF THOUGHT
Question: It is written in a book that a person who stand before Allah and pray without covering his head to show humility then there's no issue?
Mawlana Mufti Azizur Rahman Usmani replies: This is also mentioned in our books of jurisprudence as mentioned above that if it is out of humility then there's no issue and it not disliked it is written in book of fiqah Durr al Mukhtari لا باس به للتزلل there's no problem doing that.
[Fatawa Darul uloom Deoband Vol 4 pg.87-88]
It is better to cover the head in salah but if a man doesn't find something to cover his head then there's no issue his prayer will be valid as it is valid when his head is covered.
