Persian rugs are symbols of luxury and wealth to people within the western world. Within the Persian area like Iraq, Pakistan, and Iran they are part of everyday life and would not be out of place throughout the fasting time of Ramadan. Rugs are utilized throughout prayer times because of the labor intensive creation of the rug translates well to several hours of prayer and contemplation. Knitting and crochet, more western forms of artwork, have produced their own version of the prayer rug, but instead of kneeling which is only practiced in a few Christian traditions, shawls are becoming produced with a prayerful mind. The repetitive and time consuming nature of the artwork lends itself to both prayer and meditation.

Ramadan is about taking time to reflect about the wrong paths that have been taken within the past, and contemplating how to enhance the long term. This is comparable to Lent for Christians. This slower contemplative mindset is ideal for working on a piece of artwork that develops slowly. Even quick moving fingers would take months to finish a hand-woven rug. Those sturdy knots will most likely survive the maker and pass on the prayers of a much better tomorrow.

Remembering the fingers that produced any artistic work, even one made for being walked on, can assist an individual in comprehending its value. Vintage rugs have also stood a test of time. Their knots have proven sturdy. To classify as vintage a rug will probably be at least 50 years old. This puts it minimally as old as the movie Wizard of Oz. Several of these rugs are a lot older, because the tradition dates back prior to written history. The Muslim connection of the area also explains why some colors are much more prevalent than others. Green is closely linked to Muhammad and would most likely not be put into a rug that was to be walked on. Some vintage carpets are woven with the expectation of a rug being hung up. Simply because of the prohibition of pictorial representations of an individual, one is much more likely to use color to represent the divine or holy in decorations. This is comparable to the concept in the western world of purple being the color of wealth and royalty and white much more closely linked with the divine.

So as Muslims around the world take a month to slow down their world and pray over a much better path for the long term, take a moment to slow down and respect, if not the faith, than the fingers that produced the vintage rugs underfoot.