Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
What is the ruling on performing prayer on a prayer mat that has designs, colors, or patterns?
It is permissible to pray on a colored or patterned carpet or prayer mat.
However, if the designs become a distraction and affect one’s focus (khushūʿ) during prayer, then it is better to avoid such a mat.
1. Sayyidah Maymūnah رضي الله عنها narrated:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصلي على الخمرة، وفيها تصاوير.
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray on a mat made of palm leaves, and it had patterns (of inanimate objects) on it.”
(Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ by al-Dhahabī, 9/407 – chain authentic)
This indicates that merely having designs or patterns on the mat does not invalidate the prayer.
2. In Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (ḥadīth no. 556), Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها narrated:
“The Prophet ﷺ had a patterned cloth (a gift from Abū Juhm ibn Ḥudhayfah) which distracted him during prayer.”
كان يتشاغل بها فى الصلاة.
“He would become preoccupied with it during prayer.”
The Prophet ﷺ then returned the patterned cloth to Abū Juhm رضي الله عنه and took a plain woolen one instead.
3. In another narration of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (no. 373) and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (no. 556), the Prophet ﷺ said:
إنها ألهتني عن صلاتي.
“It (the patterned cloth) distracted me from my prayer.”
4. Imām Mālik narrated:
إني نظرت إلى علمها فى الصلاة، فكاد يفتنني.
“I looked at its stripes during the prayer, and it almost caused me to fall into distraction.”
(al-Muwaṭṭaʾ of Imām Mālik, 1/97 – chain ḥasan)
From these narrations, it is clear that:
❖ Question:
What is the ruling on performing prayer on a prayer mat that has designs, colors, or patterns?
✿ Answer:
It is permissible to pray on a colored or patterned carpet or prayer mat.
However, if the designs become a distraction and affect one’s focus (khushūʿ) during prayer, then it is better to avoid such a mat.
❀ Evidence from the Sunnah:
1. Sayyidah Maymūnah رضي الله عنها narrated:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصلي على الخمرة، وفيها تصاوير.
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray on a mat made of palm leaves, and it had patterns (of inanimate objects) on it.”
(Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ by al-Dhahabī, 9/407 – chain authentic)
This indicates that merely having designs or patterns on the mat does not invalidate the prayer.
2. In Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (ḥadīth no. 556), Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها narrated:
“The Prophet ﷺ had a patterned cloth (a gift from Abū Juhm ibn Ḥudhayfah) which distracted him during prayer.”
كان يتشاغل بها فى الصلاة.
“He would become preoccupied with it during prayer.”
The Prophet ﷺ then returned the patterned cloth to Abū Juhm رضي الله عنه and took a plain woolen one instead.
3. In another narration of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (no. 373) and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (no. 556), the Prophet ﷺ said:
إنها ألهتني عن صلاتي.
“It (the patterned cloth) distracted me from my prayer.”
4. Imām Mālik narrated:
إني نظرت إلى علمها فى الصلاة، فكاد يفتنني.
“I looked at its stripes during the prayer, and it almost caused me to fall into distraction.”
(al-Muwaṭṭaʾ of Imām Mālik, 1/97 – chain ḥasan)
❀ Explanation:
From these narrations, it is clear that:
- Patterns and colors on the surface where one prays do not invalidate the prayer.
- However, if they distract a person from concentration and humility (khushūʿ), it is recommended to avoid such mats.
- The Prophet ﷺ himself avoided a patterned cloth once he found it distracting, choosing simplicity to maintain focus in worship.
Summary:
- Praying on a colored, designed, or floral mat or carpet is permissible.
- If the designs cause distraction, prayer is still valid, but it is better to use a plain surface to ensure humility and focus.
- The Prophet ﷺ’s action shows that the criterion is not the design itself, but whether it affects concentration in prayer.
