A prayer rug is a small, portable rug used by Muslims during the five daily prayers (salah). The rug provides a clean surface for the prayer ritual, which involves standing, kneeling, and prostrating. Prayer rugs are sometimes called namazlik (Turkish), sajadah (Arabic), or ja-namaz (Persian).
The defining design feature of a prayer rug is the mihrab — an arched niche depicted at one end of the field. During prayer, the rug is laid out so that the top of the mihrab points toward Mecca (qibla), allowing the worshipper to physically orient toward the Kaaba. The mihrab in a prayer rug echoes the architectural mihrab found in mosques.
Common prayer rug design elements include:
- The mihrab arch at one end (single or, less commonly, multiple)
- A hanging lamp (representing the lamp of the mosque) inside the niche
- Columns or pillars flanking the mihrab
- A Tree of Life rising from the base of the niche
- A vase of flowers or pomegranate trees symbolizing paradise
- Decorative borders filled with floral, geometric, or calligraphic elements
Prayer rugs are produced across the entire Islamic world and are one of the few rug categories where the design's directional orientation is meaningful and intentional. Important regional prayer rug traditions include:
- Turkish (Anatolian) — Ghiordes, Kula, Ladik, Bergama, Melas, Mudjur prayer rugs are highly collected
- Caucasian — Daghestan, Shirvan (especially Marasali boteh prayer rugs), and Kuba production
- Persian — Tabriz, Qum, Kashan, and Isfahan workshop prayer rugs, often in silk
- Central Asian — Turkmen ensi rugs, traditionally used as door coverings for tents but sharing design conventions with prayer rugs
A saf is a related but distinct format: a multi-niche rug with several mihrabs in a row, used for communal prayer in mosques.