Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

We live in a Student Hostel in Austria. There is a room that has been specified as prayer room for Christians. However, We are using that room for our daily prayers. The carpet in the room has pictures of animals on it. We some times put a cloth over it but at times pray without any cloth. Is it necessary to put cloth on the carpet?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Pray carpet animals

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The Prophet (saws) said: "The entire earth has been made pure and a mosque for me (my Ummah)."

There is absolutely no harm in offering your prayers in the Christian prayer room, and if there are animate pictures on the carpet, it would be best to pray on a prayer mat or cloth which would cover the area where your prayer is being offered. But if a situation arises where there is no prayer mat or cloth available to cover the picture, the prayers prayed will still be considered absolutely valid.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan