Commentary: What Are Muslim Prayer Rugs?

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
By Rose S. Aslan

(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) Muslims can pray anywhere in the world using the prayer carpet.

Ritual purity is important for Muslim prayer practices. As Islamic studies scholar Marion Katz explains, prayer carpets provide a protective layer between the worshipper and the ground, protecting the clothing from anything on ground that is polluting. Muslim carpets have been traditionally produced for centuries in Muslim majority regions, sometimes known as “the rug belt,” spanning from Morocco to Central Asia and northern India. There is a wide variety of designs and materials. Islamic art historian Walter B. Denny, in “How to Read Islamic Carpets,” explains the different materials and symbolism in weaves used in these carpets. It is highly unlikely for Muslims to leave behind their prayer rugs or to even carry one on a perilous journey through the harsh desert. [More]