A few weeks ago a bunch of us were eating at a local restaraunt and someone brought up ProductMuslim. As usual people started throwing out wacky ideas for Muslim products. One of the brothers suggested a digital prayer rug that spoke to you when you went over the prescribed number of rakaahs and had other cooky features like a scalding grill that would prevent you from doing extra sujoods. Today another brother randomly forwarded the news story below to me. Amazing don’t you think?:
Prayer rug links high-tech, spiritual worlds
eRug has built-in sensors that alert the user to prayer time
May 15, 2008
Shauna Rempel
Toronto Star
Name: Wael Aboulsaadat
Age: 36
Program: Fourth-year PhD student, department of computer science at the University of Toronto.
Thesis: Computer user interfaces for religious practice.
The device: Aboulsaadat has designed a prototype of a digital device called eRug that Muslims can use to enhance their daily prayers. The rug has built-in sensors, lights and a display screen to show scripture, alert the user to the next prayer time and find the direction of Mecca. “It will increase their understanding of the scriptures and the quality of the prayer,” says Aboulsaadat.
Full Story: http://www.thestar.com/living/article/425375
![[del.icio.us]](http://www.productmuslim.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://www.productmuslim.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](http://www.productmuslim.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[Google]](http://www.productmuslim.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/google.png)
![[LinkedIn]](http://www.productmuslim.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/linkedin.png)
![[Mixx]](http://www.productmuslim.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/mixx.png)
![[MySpace]](http://www.productmuslim.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/myspace.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://www.productmuslim.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png)
![[Twitter]](http://www.productmuslim.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/twitter.png)
5 Responses
one pure WOOOOOW. I came across this just now, I noticed that this is from 2008. I would like to know the latest development of the product, and did it make it’s way to the market or not
[Reply to this Comment]
Something about this seems very wrong to me. It seems like a gimmick. I would hate to see such a gimmick be associated with prayer. I think people would become dependent upon this rug to do their prayers, but that is just a guess.
[Reply to this Comment]
Portable/personal tent-like enclosure for prayer, in case you are on the road and need to pray. Privacy, especially for sisters. And Weatherproof.
[Reply to this Comment]
hmmm, I wonder if it has an automated “Subhan’Allah” if you make a mistake (kinda joking, but not really).
I remember talking to my cousin after a Taraweeh prayer about doing Taraweeh for those who don’t have the Qu’ran memorized (for those who know, basically Taraweeh is the reading of the Qu’ran in sections in prayer for the duration of Ramadan). So we were talking about the rulings behind having a Qu’ran in front of you to read from during prayer. I think we found it was ok. If this is the case, the digital prayer rug could be very valuable for those to work with more of the Qu’ran during prayer. It can help enhance knowledge and understanding (maybe subtitled translation?).
Now, I guess the follow up from this would be the sincerity of a user to learn these things outside of actual Salat time. Some of the operations of this eRug, like notifications, Qu’ran display etc can be facilitated with other means outside the actual time of doing Salat. The reason it may be controversial is most would say there should be absolutely no external presence once performing Salat. However, maybe this is reputed by what I mentioned earlier of it being permissible to read directly from a Qu’ran during prayer (not positive on this ruling, so please correct me if I’m wrong).
So I guess in conclusion, cool idea to have something to enhance the quality of prayer. But on the contrary, is it really enhancing the quality of prayer given many of these aspects can be completed outside actual Salat performance? I kinda get what Mitch says about something feeling wrong about it, not really with the gimmick perspective. It’s like if I prayed everytime with a Qu’ran in front of me instead of spending time outside Salat in reviewing/memorising the surahs. And not only surahs, but Salat performance.
[Reply to this Comment]
allah maha besar
[Reply to this Comment]