Today is Eid al-Adha, a day of great importance to the Islamic faith. It is a time to commemorate the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and his the trials and triumphs. To mark this special day, Mondart would like to turn your focus to traditional Persian rugs designated for religious use.
Prayer is an integral part of the islamic faith. Everyday, devout followers prostrate themselves in prayer 5 times a day. This is done only after they’ve washed their face, hands and feet, and to maintain their cleansed state, they pray only on a clean surface – a prayer rug.
Prayer rugs are floor coverings that are used by Muslims any time they pray. They can have a pile, or in the case of kilims, not.
Prayer Kilims
The prayer kilim is flatwoven and usually about 3′ x 5′ for individual use. Larger rugs can measure up to 14′ in length and may be used by several people or be placed in a mosque for decorative purposes. They come in varying shapes and typically feature a mosque archway design at the top, also known as mihrab. The mihrab design is much like an arrow that, when in use, must be pointed towards Mecca (this resembles the arch that points toward Mecca in any mosque).
Please note that not all prayer kilims or rugs have a mihrab, and not all followers use a prayer rug. Any clean surface may be used to pray upon, however the prayer kilim is more closely linked to tradition, particularly in the Islamic societies of Anatolia (mainly modern day Turkey), Kurdistan (mainly eastern Turkey, northern Iraq, northwestern Iran and northern Syria), Khorasan (sections of modern day Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Uzbekistan,Turkmenistan and northwestern Pakistan), and western Afghanistan.
We’d like to wish all those celebrating, a Happy Eid al-Adha!
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