While it is not compulsory to use a prayer mat, as Prophet Mohammed (SAWS) said: “The entire earth has been made a place of prayer, except for graveyards and washrooms” (Al-Tirmidhi), they have become increasingly popular over the years for a number of reasons. The main reason is that they ensure that the place for prayer is clean, as this is an essential requirement for the prayer to be accepted. For this reason, Muslim travelers from the time of Prophet Mohammed and throughout the centuries would carry a prayer mat, starting with the simple design of the khumrah. In addition, the use and design of prayer mats has developed over the centuries as a way of consolidating Muslims’ identity and for practical and aesthetic purposes, as described below. It is also important to note that the five daily prayers are a form of worship and that Muslims can pray and call on God (Allah) any time they wish, which is known as making dua.
Carpet weaving is an ancient tradition, and Islamic culture transformed it into an art form. For example, it is common for tourists to want purchase carpets when visiting Muslim countries such as Turkey, Morocco or northern India. The Muslim prayer mat is known as sajjadat aṣ-ṣalat in Arabic, namazlik in Turkish, and janamaz in Urdu and Persian. During the Ottoman and Mughal dynasties, carpets were traded and were sometimes so intricate that they were used as wall decorations rather than mats. Turkish rugs became a sign of wealth and the most valuable designs would be seen as collectible items and given as gifts to visiting nobles. Prayer mats have traditionally been made from wool or cotton and silk, and their cost varies greatly, but antique Turkish rugs continue to hold a great deal of value.
Prayer mats are often mass produced nowadays, but in the past the patterns and materials used would vary according to the traditions of the region and the weavers that made them. Some examples of the patterns used are the Kaba in Makkah, which is a reminder for of the direction in which they are praying, which is always towards the Kaba, known as the direction of the qibla (the prayer mat is typically set down in the direction of the qibla and rolled up and put away once the prayer has been performed). Calligraphy has a rich Islamic tradition, based on various ways of writing the Arabic letters of the Quran. While it is not permitted to write Quran on prayer mats made to go on the floor, calligraphy patterns and geometric designs are popular choices. A typical Islamic prayer mat ranges from 0.75 to 1.2 meters wide and 1.2 to 1.8 meters long. 
