Prayer rug

Common card · No. 479603

A prayer rug or prayer mat, also called Sajadah, is a piece of fabric, sometimes a pile carpet, used by Muslims during prayer. It is also used by some Christians, especially in Orthodox Christianity, and to a lesser extent by some denominations of Jews. In Islam, a prayer rug is placed between the ground and the worshipper for cleanliness during the various positions of Islamic prayer. These involve prostration and sitting on the ground. A Muslim must have wudu (ablution) before prayer, and must pray in a clean place. Prayer rugs are also used by some Oriental Orthodox Christians for Christian prayer involving prostrations in the name of the Trinity, as well as during the recitation of the Alleluia and Kyrie eleison. Its purpose is to maintain a cleanly space to pray to God and shoes must be removed when using the prayer rug. Among Russian Orthodox Christians, particularly Old Ritualists, a special prayer rug known as the Podruchnik is used to keep one's face and hands clean during prostrations...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Unknown, Iran, 1550-1600 (Iran), Public domain