Why do some Muslims fold the top right of their prayer mats?
I asked a few who said that we should either remove the prayer mats or fold a portion of it else Shayatin will pray on it!!!
IMO (atleast) Iblees is aware of Allah and perhaps Iblees is more knowledgeable about Allah than many of the Muslims alive today.
The other beings who do decide to pray on those mats may actually be believing jinns.
So, what is the fiqh between the folding of mats? Or is it a bid'ah?
There is nothing in the Qur'an or authentic hadiths that mentions anything about Iblees praying on an unfolded prayer mat. There is also nothing in the Qur'an or authentic hadiths that refers to Iblees, or any other shaytan, praying in the first place.
From a fiqh point of view, folding the prayer mat, partially folding it, or leaving it unfolded is permitted. The only concern is keeping a prayer mat free of najas. Other than that, you may elect either option.
Just for the sake of mentioning it, there is an athar (not a hadith attributed to the Prophet) about a female jinn who used to visit the Prophet, but was late one day as she had to go to a girl's (another jinn) funeral in India. On her way, she saw a shaytan praying. This athar was mentioned in "The Fabricated Pearls in Fabricated Hadiths" (اللآلىء المصنوعة في الأحاديث الموضوعة) by Abdul-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr and Jalal Al-Din Al-Suyuti, which needless to say is fabricated, and definitely not authentic.
I have asked a scholar about this as well as I have seen people do this. Another one of those cultural practices which has no basis in Islam. There was a thread on a forum once with posts on such cultural traditions.
Assalamalikum Brothers, Folding Musalla from top first I.e. Virtical fold first is due to hygienic reason. If we fold this way we will never mix head side with the place where you put your feet. JazakAllah Khair
No, there is no sound basis on this. Ask them about, where they get those words from. If they give any reference, then verify it. In shaa Allah, They will never be able to prove this from Quraan wa Sunnah.
This is considered as an Bidayah or Innovation as saying some innovated thing and it is considered as disbelief if someone try to predict Ghaib without any basis.
Some point to be noted: 1. There is no need to respect prayer mat but it may considered as sanctity if you keep it safe. Allah knows best 2. For hygiene, it is better to fold the Musalla and keep it in clean place.
You can read this article to know some other things almost related to this:
Ruling on leaving the Mushaf open when one has finished reading from it.
