Praying on a Prayer Mat Bearing an Image of the Blessed Tomb

Question

Images of the Ka‘ba and the Blessed Tomb (al-Rawda al-Aqdas) were taken from there, and here, in the mosque, images of the Ka‘ba and the Blessed Tomb have been made on the prayer mats of the imam and the muqtadis. May the imam and the muqtadis pray on these rows of matting and these mats or not?

Answer

The image of the Ka‘ba, the Blessed Tomb or any mosque that is found on prayer mats nowadays is in reality neither a photograph nor an image proper; rather, it is a piece of craftsmanship made for adornment and for the renown of one’s factory. When praying on it, the worshipper’s attention is sometimes drawn to the image, which impairs khushu‘ (humble concentration).

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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