Is It Permitted To Pray On a Silk Prayer Mat?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam
Question: Assalam ‘aleykum,
Is it permissible in the Hanafi madhhab to pray on a silk rug? Do prayers prayed on it need to be made up if one did not know of its impermissibility?
Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.
Yes, it is permitted to pray on a silk prayer mat. [Nahlawi, al-Durar al-Mubaha fi al-Hazr wa al-Ibaha; `Ala’ al-Din `Abidin, al-Hadiyya al-`Ala’iyya]
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Wearing silk and gold has been forbidden for the men of my community but is lawful for its women.” [Tirmidhi]
The prohibition is with respect to men wearing silk, and not every single usage of silk; sitting on silk is not the same as wearing it. That being the case, Mulla Ali al-Qari explains, Abu Hanifa permitted using silk as a rug whilst affirming it is superior to avoid considering the traditions (hadiths) which seem to prohibit doing so. [Qari, Mirqat al-Mafatih]
Please also see: The Wearing of Silk and Jewelry and: Why is Gold Impermissible for Men But Permissible for Women? and: Can Men Sell Women’s Silk Clothing or Silk Upholstery
And Allah alone gives success.
Tabraze Azam
Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.