rugs and carpets

In the Islamic world, women created rugs and carpets by weaving them for nomadic and village encampments all over Anatolia, the Middle East, and Central Asia. These ladies make rugs and carpets for their own use and later teach their daughters the techniques and designs. In-depth discussion of Islamic art's mats and carpets will be provided in this essay. Saoud, Rabah. “Muslim Heritage.” The Muslim Carpet, vol. 2, no. 4, 12 Apr. 2004, pp. 28–37., doi:10.1016/j.powtec.2014.11.018.
Dr. Rabah Saud, the author of the article who is also a researcher at the FSTC in Manchester, makes a claim of how the Muslim carpet has been a luxury commodity to the rich collectors, textile museums and wealthy merchants globally. The author elaborates that the Seljuks were the founders and creators of the Muslim carpet that were initially found in Islamic art museums of Konya and Istanbul (Rabah 33). The modern manufacturing of the fabric was made to be cheap because most people used it to cover the floor as a sign of comfort and warmth. One reason the author uses to support the importance of carpets and rugs in the Islamic world is that today they have become essential commodities of standard living. The article elaborates how these items are widely used in the Islam world.

Sardar, Marika. “Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.” Carpets from the Islamic World, 1600–1800, vol. 14, no. 1, 2013, pp. 5–18, doi: 10.1177/09213740020140010501

The author of the article ‘carpets from the Islamic world’ Manika Sardar, an associate curator of Islamic art and Southern Asian at San Diego, explains further about the transformation of carpet weaving under the Safavid, Ottoman and Mughal dynasties. In this case, this is where carpets were designed in larger quantities than before then traded to the Far East and Europe. Within the Islamic world, this fabric was used as wall hangings or to cover furniture. The journal also illustrates how the early Mughal rugs had the resembles as those from contemporary Persia especially those produced in Herat. However in the seventeenth century, as the author elaborates, the patterns changed to European engravings (Heilbrunn 13). As evidence, the author points out that the works of the European traders spread the Far East and West of Japan and China. The article offers useful information on how today’s carpets lack the date and place of origin.

Ghazal, Rym. “The significance of prayer mats.” The Muslim World, vol. 4, no. 1, 2 Mar. 2015, pp. 1–9., doi:10.1111/j.1478-1913.1924.tb00494.x.

The award-winning, published author, humanitarian, historian, animal lover, and collector of Fairy Rym T. Ghazal states that all Muslim believer around the world uses the rug or carpet as a prayer gadget known as Sajjad salat. This term which is the act of prostration is widely used during sujood (Islamic prayers. Every Muslim, in this case, has this fabric either a constant traveling companion or at home especially when they want to pray. The author backs up his point where he mentions Prophet Mohammed who liked praying ‘khumar’ by use of the carpet (Rym 8). Muslims, in this case, are seen to have mats that have a vertical rectangular shape thus marking the direction of the qibla. He also elaborates how the Prophet kept the mat clean despite the fact that he prayed five times a day. The article illustrates why the rugs and carpets have become accessible and affordable to have. They are also seen to come in a variety of different colors and design.

Huda. “Collections of the Museum of Islamic Art I. Turkish Prayer Rugs.” Islamic Prayer Rugs, vol. 7, no. 1, 1 Sept. 2017, pp. 1–5., doi:10.2307/1579104.

The author of this article, as well as writer and a Muslim director for over two decades in researching, elaborate why the prayers rugs are not universally in use by the Muslims more specific the Islam. The carpets and rugs have become a tradition where Muslims needed cleanliness to their place of prayer as well as creating an isolated place for the practice. The primary reason as elaborated by the author is that the rags are modified from the one-meter long fabric to a new carpet often made of cotton or silk (Huda 4). The rugs were also designed and made using solid colors that are usually adorned. Most of the designs had either floral, geometric, arabesque or Islamic landmarks. The reason why the mats were modified as elaborated by the author is for ease of use. For instance, when it’s time for prayers, the worshippers put it on the ground where the top point faces the direction of Saudi Arabia and Mecca. Later, when they are done praying, they just fold it and put it away for the next session

Moallem, Minoo. “Center for the Study of Material & Visual Cultures of Religion M A V C O R.” Praying through the senses: The Prayer Rug/Carpet and the Converging Territories of the Material and the Spiritual, 9 July 2014, pp. 1–17. doi:10.22332/con.ess.2015.1.

Minoo Moallem who is a professor of Women and Gender at the Berkeley University of California emphasizes why there is an expansion of the religious tourism and modern transnational culture. The primary reason for this change was because the rug defined race, class, and gender through a fashionable habit of a Muslim prayer. The item as further elaborated by the author to support the article such as satisfying the consumers’ needs based on purchasing power, gender identification and religious affinity (Minoo 15). Today, the article's emphasis that the majority of the rugs and carpets are used to anesthetize and ornamental prayer.

Jacobsen, Charles. “Islamic Art in Antique Rugs.” Islamic Art in Antique Rugs: The most iconic Islamic art form and cultural tradition. vol. 2, 1 June 2017, pp. 1–15., doi:10.15760/honors.412.

Charles Jacobsen and University professor in Ohio states claim that rugs and carpets were first created as an iconic art when it started in the Islamic societies. Initially, carpet weaving was an extraordinary tradition of producing oriental carpet. Therefore, Islamic art was mostly found in the antique rugs. Carpet weaving as elaborated by the author was a project that was planned by Shah Abbas in the 16th century. As a result, carpet weaving changed from the peasant's hand to a prestigious artist. As evidence, the author shades more understanding why carpet that is weaved was considered to be precious in that the rug was used to cover walls or furniture (Charles 11). The popularity of this rag made it be generated more throughout the European towns. This article makes us understand why the historical art became a significant source of Islamic carpet weaving.

Conclusion

The discussion in this essay portrays a comprehensive explanation on how the Muslim art viewed rags and carpets. As seen, these items were widely used for different reasons. For instance, the majority of the Muslims used it when it came to prayers. The article also analyses how the art of creating the rug sand carpets by ancestors. Further elaboration is even shown that the Muslim Prophet Mohammed recognized the use of the rug as a praying tool. Later there is a noticed changed where the mats are subsequently modified to a smaller softer version which was easier to carry. Travel and use it when it came to prayers. Carpets and rugs as explained by one author showed that this fabric had created preferences if one was to own it. However as described and elaborated by all authors, carpets, and rugs under the Islamic art shows that item is very influential in the Islamic community particularly when it comes to prayers.





































Works cited

Huda. “Collections of the Museum of Islamic Art I. Turkish Prayer Rugs.” Islamic Prayer Rugs, vol. 7, no. 1, 1 Sept. 2017, pp. 1–5., doi:10.2307/1579104.

Ghazal, Rym. “The significance of prayer mats.” The Muslim World, vol. 4, no. 1, 2 Mar. 2015, pp. 1–9., doi:10.1111/j.1478-1913.1924.tb00494.x.

Jacobsen, Charles. “Islamic Art in Antique Rugs.” Islamic Art in Antique Rugs: The most iconic Islamic art form and cultural tradition. vol. 2, 1 June 2017, pp. 1–15., doi:10.15760/honors.412.

Moallem, Minoo. “Center for the Study of Material & Visual Cultures of Religion M A V C O R.” Praying through the senses: The Prayer Rug/Carpet and the Converging Territories of the Material and the Spiritual, 9 July 2014, pp. 1–17, doi:10.22332/con.ess.2015.1.

Saoud, Rabah. “Muslim Heritage.” The Muslim Carpet, vol. 2, no. 4, 12 Apr. 2004, pp. 28–37., doi:10.1016/j.powtec.2014.11.018.

Sardar, Marika. “Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.” Carpets from the Islamic World, 1600–1800, vol. 14, no. 1, 2013, pp. 5–18. doi: 10.1177/09213740020140010501.