1) Salaah on Prayer Mats with Images on Them

Fatwa of Mufti Nizaamuddeen (Deoband): To stand or prostrate on prayer mats with pictures of the ka'bah or green dome etc on them is not permisible. The ka'bah and the green dome are salient features of islaam and to honour and respect all salient features of islaam is waajib.

The impermissibilty of trampling on an honoured and respected item is clear since it is regarded as defamation. Even though both these images are not the actual ka'bah and the green dome but since they are a reflection of the original, any form of disrespect or defamation shown to them will be tantamount to defamation and disrespect to the original.

Since it is not permissible to make sajdah on the physical ka'bah itself for the fact that it is not established for making sajdah upon but rather only for sajdah to be made in its direction. This is also done since it is prescribed so otherwise it cannot be comprehended logically since the sajdah is not even done to the ka'bah but rather to Allah. For this reason it will be regarded as shirk for one to prostrate to the ka'bah. So to prostrate to or on the green dome will all the more be regarded as shirk and impermissible. (durrul mukhtaar)

Since these images are a reflection of the original of both these salient features thus it will be prohibited to make sajdah on these images. If the action of prostrating on these images is not shirk then it will definitely create a suspicion of shirk and this suspicion is also prohibited.

The only instance in which it would be permissible to make sajdah on such mats is when the images are not very clear. Under the condition that one does get ingrossed in the images.

» Posted by Seifeddine-M on 30th October 2011

0 Comments