The Canadian Prayer Rug
Muslims around the world pray five times a day, bowing their foreheads on numerous hand-made and printed prayer rugs that embody symbols and architecture of the Muslim world. These rugs are a form of creative cultural expression: they tell the stories of the places and people where they originate. Weavers incorporate local materials, and familiar motifs, designs and weaving patterns to intertwine a communal narrative on tapestry.
The Canadian Prayer Rug is a tapestry that celebrates the many communities and people who helped nurture and develop the Canadian landscape: from our Indigenous brothers and sisters who worked alongside the early Lebanese and Ukrainian pioneers to build Canada’s first mosque, the Al Rashid, to the thousands of Syrian newcomers who are establishing a home and future in this country. This locally designed and woven tapestry honours the history of our city and celebrates our spirit of collaboration in building thriving and welcoming communities.
Artistic Cultural Expression

Rugs are, at their core, a form of cultural expression: they tell the story of the places they were made and the history of the peoples they were made by. Weavers will often use local materials, and familiar motifs, designs, and weaving patterns to intertwine the stories of their community on the rug. The Canadian Prayer Rug, designed and woven by local artists, tells the story of the city’s natural and physical landscape and its inhabitants. The rug incorporates diverse Canadian motifs, including tribute to Treaty Six territory and First Nations land, as well as locally dyed wool using native plants and herbs of the Edmonton region.

More than just the weaving of a physical rug, this project also weaves together the diverse stories of the Edmonton Muslim community, allowing Muslims to realize the deep roots they have in this province, and establishes the framework for the creation and thriving of an indigenous Canadian/Edmontonian Muslim identity.

In his paper, Islam and the Cultural Imperative, Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah writes that:

Development of a sound Muslim American [and Canadian] cultural identity must be resolutely undertaken as a conscious pursuit and one of our community’s vital priorities…a sound Muslim American [and Canadian] culture would allow for dynamic engagement with ourselves and the world around us. It would also cultivate the ability to cope with complex social realities and negotiate productively the various roles which life in modern society require us to play, while maintaining a unified, dignified, and self-assured sense of who we are and a consistent commitment to the values for which we stand.
Read the paper
The Al Rashid Mosque


Built in 1938, on land donated by the City of Edmonton, funded by members of all monotheistic faiths, designed by a Ukrainian-Canadian architect, resembling a Russian Orthodox Church, and preserved through the tireless efforts of some ambitious Muslim women who refused to let the mosque be demolished, the Al-Rashid is a symbol of unity and solidarity for the Edmonton community. The mosque now resides in Fort Edmonton Park as a heritage site.
The Canadian Prayer Rug is a locally designed and woven prayer rug that showcases and celebrates the stories of the Edmonton Muslim community.

Rug weaving is a distinctive art form that is often used to express the cultural and traditional landscape of the places and people where the rug originates. Weavers will use local materials, and familiar motifs, designs, and weaving patterns to intertwine the stories of their community on one large canvas

This project is one such expression of what a North American Edmontonian prayer rug can look like

The Canadian Prayer Rug project is an undertaking of The Green Room’s Leadership Team. The Green Room is a youth program which operates under Islamic Family and Social Services Association (IFSSA)
The Canadian Prayer Rug embraces the spirit of the many communities and peoples who helped nurture and develop the Canadian landscape: from the early Muslim, Ukrainian and Indigenous pioneers who helped build Canada’s first mosque, the Al Rashid, to the thousands of Syrian newcomers who are establishing a future in this country. The Canadian Prayer Rug, designed and woven locally, is a timely reminder of the Canadian spirit of collaboration and our rich history.
The project was inspired by the stories around Canada’s oldest mosque, the Al-Rashid, and the Syrian, Lebanese, Ukrainian and Indigenous pioneers who helped build, preserve, and protect the mosque

A local Metis designer worked alongside a local Muslim weaver to craft and create a rug that symbolized Alberta and spoke to the province’s natural and communal landscape

Materials from a local wool mill were used, including wool that had been hand-dyed with plants that are native to the region
The Design


Traditionally, the design of a prayer rug is based on the place that it originates from. In Cree, the word Pehonan means “waiting place” or “gathering place”. Similarly in Arabic, the word Masjid, or mosque, refers to a place of gathering, serenity and home. Home is meant to be welcoming and familiar, and place is the physical manifestation of a home: a place to gather, to grow, to stay. The Canadian Prayer Rug is a celebration of the diverse and complex landscapes that create our community here in this city and province.
The Canadian Prayer Rug 
REFLECTIONS
OWNING YOUR OWN

It is our hope that the Canadian Prayer Rug is the first in many projects and initiatives undertaken by Canadian Muslim communities to intentionally and consciously cultivate and create indigenous Canadian Muslim culture. More than just a celebration of the Al Rashid Mosque, the Canadian Prayer Rug is an inspiration for young people and communities across the country and continent to further explore their stories and their roots, and proudly be producers of Muslim Canadian culture that authenticates and validates the lived experiences and realities of Canadian Muslim communities.

One of our hopes when starting this project was that we would be able to beautify many peoples homes. To make this possible we are partnering with a Pakistani social enterprise, Shubinak, to make the rug accessible to everyone.

Shubinak

Shubinak is a sustainable apparel and lifestyle brand working around the diverse skills of Pakistan’s artisans. Its beginnings are rooted in the deep green valleys of Chitral, where the actual term refers to the warping of a loom by women spinners, literally meaning ‘spider’ (nature’s master weaver), in the Khowar language. Shubinak preserves ancient artistries, passed down through generations, such as handloom weaving, hand embroidery, crochet, hand knitting, manual quilting, hand screen-printing, block printing, and natural dyeing.

It is a social enterprise of artisans using the natural inspiration around them, interwoven with cultural narratives; each piece weaves a story through fabric, embellishment and design. Each collection theme is well-researched and adheres to Shubinak’s core principles of collaboration, preservation, and empowerment. Authentic embroideries from various regions are combined with natural materials, using indigenous tools, to create quality products. Contemporary designs are created to address socio-environmental issues like deforestation, water shortage, preservation and national unity. Shubinak’s ultimate goal is to become a resounding voice on global sustainability.

The Canadian Prayer Rug Hand Embroidered Edition will be opulence defined in the form of Qalmi stitch on handloomed organic cotton canvas. “Qalmi” is derived from the word “Qalam,” which means “writing instrument.” This intricately embroidered masterpiece will commemorate the story of the rug through its myriad of meticulous stitches tracing the design and covering the entire surface of the prayer rug.

The Canadian Prayer Rug Hand Screen Printed Edition will celebrate this truly Canadian design. It will be a treasured piece of your home, screen-printed with a touch of hand embroidery on handloom organic cotton canvas.
Buy
Hand Screen Printed Edition

$65

The Canadian Prayer Rug Hand Screen Printed Edition will celebrate this truly Canadian design. It will be a treasured piece of your home, screen-printed with a touch of hand embroidery on handloom organic cotton canvas.
Handwoven & Handmade Rug Edition 

$500

Own a hand woven organic cotton reproduction of the original that captures it's rich feeling, delicate plushness, and fine craftsmanship. This rug is an heirloom that will be a cherished part of your family's story for years to come & it will help contribute to the betterment of people's lives in rural Pakistan.
Prayer Rug & Socks On The Prairies 
$85

Drawing inspiration from the design elements and stories of the Canadian Prayer Rug, the Socks on the Prairies weave together the diverse stories of the Albertan Muslim community, and the deep roots between the Muslim and Indigenous communitites in our province.
ORDER NOW!
Learn more about IFSSA


The Canadian Prayer Rug is an initiative of The Green Room, a youth program operating under Islamic Family and Social Services Association (IFSSA). The project was undertaken by The Green Room’s Leadership Team with financial support from the Edmonton Heritage Council.

Established in 1992, Islamic Family and Social Services Association (IFSSA) is the first and only social service agency in Edmonton that is dedicated to providing a holistic approach to community well-being that is both culturally and spiritually sensitive. The organization provides a halal food and clothing bank, family violence counselling and outreach services, preventative youth programming and refugee support.

The Green Room’s Leadership Team

The Green Room, IFSSA's youth initiative, was established in 2013 in order to nurture the spiritual, educational, and emotional needs of youth ( ages
16-24). The program does this through the cultivation of meaningful connections, growth and service opportunities for young people in the
community.

The Green Room’s Leadership Team is a year-long development program focused on providing youth with a platform to become personally and socially conscious citizen who are deeply connected to their community and are empowered to take action to address local issues. The program facilities this by providing participants with a space to cultivate meaningful connections, examine their role and identity as Canadian Muslims, challenge personal and societal thoughts and assumptions, and engage in hands-on experiential learning to make the community a better place.
The Canadian Prayer Rug Hand Embroidered Edition will be opulence defined in the form of Qalmi stitch on handloomed organic cotton canvas. “Qalmi” is derived from the word “Qalam,” which means “writing instrument.” This intricately embroidered masterpiece will commemorate the story of the rug through its myriad of meticulous stitches tracing the design and covering the entire surface of the prayer rug.

The Canadian Prayer Rug Hand Screen Printed Edition will celebrate this truly Canadian design. It will be a treasured piece of your home, screen-printed with a touch of hand embroidery on handloom organic cotton canvas.

Edmonton Heritage Council

The Edmonton Heritage Council (EHC) was founded in 2009 to give voice to the city's memory. Through advocacy, grants, initiatives and programming,
EHC provides both a voice and a platform to Edmonton's heritage community, and stimulates the interest of Edmontonians in their own heritage. EHC is the primary funder for The Canadian Prayer Rug project.
Learn More
Contact
IFSSA relies on the generous support of community donors as well as government and private grants to deliver important programs and services to Edmontonians.
DONATE NOW
We’d love to hear from you to answer your questions, share our success,
 or hear what you have to say about supporting IFSSA.

You can reach us at:
salaam@thegreenroomyeg.ca
info@ifssa.ca
Thanks

Thank you to everyone who made this special project happen.

Special Thanks:
Share by: