What is the ruling on praying on carpets that contain images?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : As for the carpets we have with us now, we pray on them. There is a point of courage and a statement.
The Shaykh : If it distracts the one praying, there is no doubt in its harm.
The questioner : And by Allah, it is a source of pride.
The Shaykh : And if it does not distract, no, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Images are not removed and displayed to me," because there is some work in them. But if it does not distract, as when a person becomes accustomed to them and no longer cares about them, there is no dislike. However, safety from them is undoubtedly safer, because Satan is eager; even if you have looked at them and know what is in them, Satan may still try to distract you from the prayer by making you look at them.
The questioner : Now all the carpets in the Sacred Mosque are complete. They are all complete.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed, it is a problem, and so are the mats in the mosques now.
The questioner : They have patterns on them.
The Shaykh : Patterns that catch the eye, for example, the endowments are reversed, and a person tries to read them and they occupy him.
The Shaykh : If it distracts the one praying, there is no doubt in its harm.
The questioner : And by Allah, it is a source of pride.
The Shaykh : And if it does not distract, no, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Images are not removed and displayed to me," because there is some work in them. But if it does not distract, as when a person becomes accustomed to them and no longer cares about them, there is no dislike. However, safety from them is undoubtedly safer, because Satan is eager; even if you have looked at them and know what is in them, Satan may still try to distract you from the prayer by making you look at them.
The questioner : Now all the carpets in the Sacred Mosque are complete. They are all complete.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed, it is a problem, and so are the mats in the mosques now.
The questioner : They have patterns on them.
The Shaykh : Patterns that catch the eye, for example, the endowments are reversed, and a person tries to read them and they occupy him.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 2770 - 4600 ما حكم الصلاة على السجاجيد التي فيها تصاوير؟ ابن عثيمين — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.