Sajdah on a soft carpet or rug

QUESTION:

I have a plastic, woven rug/carpet. It is cushioned. For Salaah, when I press my forehead down hard on it, I can feel the hardness of the floor underneath it. But this is only if I press my forehead with force. If I just rest my forehead on it, then it is stable, but I can’t feel the hardness of the floor. Can I pray Salaah on it?

ANSWER:

Sajdah will be permissible on such a rug or carpet upon which the forehead is stable, and the firmness can be felt. [Re: Fataawa Uthmaaniyya Vol:2 Pg:86] Hence, in the queried scenario, it will be permissible to perform Salaah on the rug with the proviso that you press your forehead on it until the firmness of the ground is felt. [Re:- Fataawa Darul Uloom Zakariyya Vol:2 Pg131-132]

وَالْأَصْلُ كَمَا أَنَّهُ يَجُوزُ السُّجُودُ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ يَجُوزُ عَلَى مَا هُوَ بِمَعْنَى الْأَرْضِ مِمَّا تَجِدُ جَبْهَتُهُ حَجْمَهُ وَتَسْتَقِرُّ عَلَيْهِ وَتَفْسِيرُ وِجْدَانِ الْحَجْمِ أَنَّ السَّاجِدَ لَوْ بَالَغَ لَا يَتَسَفَّلُ رَأْسُهُ أَبْلَغَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَيَصِحُّ السُّجُودُ عَلَى الطِّنْفِسَةِ وَالْحَصِيرَةِ وَالْحِنْطَةِ وَالشَّعِيرِ وَالسَّرِيرِ وَالْعَجَلَةِ إنْ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ يَجِدُ حَجْمَ الْأَرْضِ، بِخِلَافِ مَا إذَا كَانَتْ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الْحَيَوَانِ؛ لِأَنَّ قَرَارَهَا حِينَئِذٍ عَلَى الْحَيَوَانِ كَالْبِسَاطِ الْمَشْدُودِ بَيْنَ الْأَشْجَارِ وَلَوْ سَجَدَ عَلَى ظَهْرِ رَجُلٍ إنْ كَانَ لِلضَّرُورَةِ بِأَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ مَوْضِعًا مِنْ الْأَرْضِ يَسْجُدُ عَلَيْهِ وَالْمَسْجُودُ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ جَازَ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي الصَّلَاةِ (البحر الرئق ج1ص337)

فتاوي حقانيه ج3 ص90

ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Maulana Ahmed Saeed

Date: – 27 Safr 1445 / 13 September 2023

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb