Prayer rug
A prayer mat or prayer rug, (in Arabic, سجادة sajjāda (plural sajājīd) or musallah, in Persian: جانماز Janamaz), is a piece of fabric to keep the worshipper clean and comfortable during the prostrations of prayer. A Muslim must clean himself or herself before prayer and pray in a clean place. Many new prayer mats are manufactured or made by weavers in a factory. The design of a prayer mat is based on the village it came from and its weaver. When praying, a niche at the top of the mat must be pointed to the Islamic center for prayer, Mecca. All Muslims are required to know what direction Mecca is from their home or where they are.
Many Muslims believe that a prayer mat is the connection between God and a human being. [citation needed] It has a very strong symbolic meaning and traditionally taken care of in holy manner. It is disrespectful for one to place a prayer mat in a dirty location or throw it around in a disrespectful manner. The prayer mat is traditionally quilted in a rectangle design, within the rectangle one usually finds images of Islamic symbols, architecture, or quotes from the Holy Koran. Decorations are not only important but also have a deep sense of value in the design of the prayer rug.
Mosques are examples of the most common architecture used to decorate a prayer mat. Some of the most popular examples include the Mosques in Mecca, Medina, and especially Jerusalem. A prayer mat is characterized by a Mosque's niche, or Mihrab, an arch-shaped design at the front end of the carpet. The Mihrab is used as a directional point to direct the worshiper towards the direction of Mecca. Decorations not only play a role in imagery but serve the worshiper as aids to memory. Some of the examples include a comb and pitcher, which is a reminder for a Muslim to wash his or her hands and for men to comb their hair before performing prayer. Another important use for decorations is to aid newly converted Muslims by stitching decorative hands on the prayer mat where the hands should be placed when performing prayer.
References
- "prayer rug." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 23 Oct. 2008 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/474169/prayer-rug.
- Faid, Abbo Muhammed Samir. "Islam" All Experts. 16 Mar 2005. <http://www.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citmla.htm>
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