A prayer mat or prayer carpet is usually a rectangular piece of cloth, sometimes a flat stack carpet, intended for Muslim and some Christian worshipers during prayer. In Islam, there is a prayer mat placed between the floor and the believer for hygienic purposes during the many positions of Islamic prayer. It is believed that the prayer mat should be kept clean and pure in order to facilitate prayer and avoid any distraction from the one who is worshiping. It is also believed to have a calming effect on the mind. Prayer mats are usually kept in prayer rooms and mosques.
During the early days, Muslim prayer rugs were made from wool; nowadays they can be made of silk or cotton. The wool prayer mat was considered to be very luxurious and therefore very soft and comfortable. Later on cotton prayer mats became more popular. It is also believed that Muslim men are more concerned about comfort during prayer compared to women. And since the early 16th century, there have been different types of prayer rugs available for Muslim people.
Earliest Prayer Mats
The earliest prayer mat were made from sheepskin and therefore had to be kept in very clean and fresh environments. This made them very uncomfortable. Hence, in order to cope up with this problem, the mihrab was invented. A mihrab is an open-weave cloth prayer rug that is kept on a carpet or rug that is kept inside a prayer room. The concept behind the mihrab was to create a surface on which prayer could be done without causing inconvenience to the people praying. Although the concept of a mihrab is relatively the same today, the actual prayer rug has changed a lot over the years.
Today there is a wide range of prayer mats available in the market. There are traditional, designer, colorful and even trendy Islamic rugs available in the market. They are used by both men and women of the Islamic faith. Some of the most popular Islamic prayer mats that are used by people of all ages include:
Designer Rugs: This is one of the most expensive prayer mats that you can get. Designer prayer mats come in various designs. They are generally made from artificial fibers but sometimes natural fibers are used too. The material used in the making of designer rugs is very good, which is why it is quite durable and very comfortable to sit on. These rugs are often used by people in hotels and conference rooms.
Colorful Rugs: Most of the prayer mats are plain but today decorative motifs have started to appear on them too. You can find motifs like beautiful pictures of Allah, Arabic letters, beautiful calligraphic and even famous Muslim personalities on them. To add to them you can get them printed. This decorative prayer mat can be used for both inside and outside prayers. The only thing is that they make the prayer mat look really attractive. When you want to give a stunning look to your prayer mat then you should go for plain colored ones as plain ones are usually more stylish and elegant.
Turkish Prayer Mats
Turkish Prayer Rug: Another popular type of prayer mat is the Turkish prayer rug. The main difference between a prayer mat and a prayer rug is that the rug is worn on the floor while the prayer mat muslim is kept outside the house. This means that when you put your prayer mat on the ground then it would be exposed to dust particles. If you want to keep them away then you can always keep them inside your house.
In case you don’t have any of the mentioned prayer mats, then you should definitely opt for Muslim prayer mats. They are available in all the colors and designs that you would like to have. These prayer mats are easy to wash and very comfortable as well. You would love them because they are very economical and also very stylish. So if you want to give a different look to your salah mat then you should definitely go for these simple and affordable products.
