Source: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, vol. 1, p. 307
In the mosque miḥrāb, there are glass designs and decorations, and reflections are visible in them. Is it permissible to pray there? If permissible, should these glasses be removed, or should they remain as they are?
(Saʾil: Muḥammad Shāh Nawāz, Kāhnah No, Kāchā Road, Maḥallah Dhap Saṛī, Fārūqābād, Lahore)
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
Decorating mosque walls or miḥrāb with glasswork, floral painting, colorful spraying, or hanging embroidered cloths is not permissible. The reason is that such things disturb the worshiper’s humility and concentration in prayer.
Although the prayer performed in such a place will be valid, the essence of its spirituality will be harmed. The mosque walls and miḥrāb should remain plain and simple.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had a curtain with pictures removed from the wall and said it distracted him in prayer.
Ḥadīth of ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها):
She narrated that the Prophet ﷺ prayed in a garment with designs. He looked at its designs once during the prayer. When he finished, he said:
“Take this garment back to Abū Jahl and bring me his plain cloak, for its designs distracted me from my prayer. I was looking at its markings during prayer, and I feared they might put me in fitnah.”
(Saḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, vol. 1, p. 54)
Ḥadīth of Anas (رضي الله عنه):
He narrated that ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) had a curtain with pictures which she hung on the wall of her house. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Remove this curtain from us, for its pictures kept appearing before me in my prayer.”
(Saḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, vol. 1, p. 54)
◈ From these authentic aḥādīth, it is clear that:
are not permissible, because they distract the worshiper and weaken his khushūʿ.
However, the prayer itself remains valid, since the Prophet ﷺ did not repeat such prayers nor command them to be repeated.
◈ The prayer is valid but the worshiper’s focus is disturbed.
◈ Piety and precaution demand that:
Likewise, one should avoid praying on prayer rugs that have pictures of the Kaʿbah or the Prophet’s ﷺ Rawḍah, because:
◈ They also distract in prayer.
◈ They carry the risk of disrespecting sacred images.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
(This is what I hold; and Allah knows best what is correct.)
Question
In the mosque miḥrāb, there are glass designs and decorations, and reflections are visible in them. Is it permissible to pray there? If permissible, should these glasses be removed, or should they remain as they are?
(Saʾil: Muḥammad Shāh Nawāz, Kāhnah No, Kāchā Road, Maḥallah Dhap Saṛī, Fārūqābād, Lahore)
Answer
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
Decorating mosque walls or miḥrāb with glasswork, floral painting, colorful spraying, or hanging embroidered cloths is not permissible. The reason is that such things disturb the worshiper’s humility and concentration in prayer.
Although the prayer performed in such a place will be valid, the essence of its spirituality will be harmed. The mosque walls and miḥrāb should remain plain and simple.
Evidence from the Sunnah
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had a curtain with pictures removed from the wall and said it distracted him in prayer.
Ḥadīth of ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها):
She narrated that the Prophet ﷺ prayed in a garment with designs. He looked at its designs once during the prayer. When he finished, he said:
“Take this garment back to Abū Jahl and bring me his plain cloak, for its designs distracted me from my prayer. I was looking at its markings during prayer, and I feared they might put me in fitnah.”
(Saḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, vol. 1, p. 54)
Ḥadīth of Anas (رضي الله عنه):
He narrated that ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) had a curtain with pictures which she hung on the wall of her house. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Remove this curtain from us, for its pictures kept appearing before me in my prayer.”
(Saḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, vol. 1, p. 54)
Sharʿī Ruling
◈ From these authentic aḥādīth, it is clear that:
- Wearing garments with designs,
- Hanging them on walls at home or in mosques,
- Decorating mosque walls with glasswork or painted designs,
are not permissible, because they distract the worshiper and weaken his khushūʿ.
However, the prayer itself remains valid, since the Prophet ﷺ did not repeat such prayers nor command them to be repeated.
Conclusion
◈ The prayer is valid but the worshiper’s focus is disturbed.
◈ Piety and precaution demand that:
- Glasswork and decorations on mosque walls should be removed.
- If removal is not possible, they should at least be covered, so that the essence of prayer remains safe.
◈ Otherwise, the worshiper’s concentration will be disrupted, and the sin of distraction will continue.
Likewise, one should avoid praying on prayer rugs that have pictures of the Kaʿbah or the Prophet’s ﷺ Rawḍah, because:
◈ They also distract in prayer.
◈ They carry the risk of disrespecting sacred images.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
(This is what I hold; and Allah knows best what is correct.)
