Canadian Company Unveils New Ergonomic Muslim Prayer Mat

LONDON: As the end of Ramadan approaches, many worshippers who have spent the holy month at taraweeh prayers will most likely be feeling the physical strain. Now, Canadian company Timez5 claims to have come up with a solution with the world’s first physiological prayer mat.

The Timez5 prayer mat, made of five different layers and retailing at $300, claims to be kinder on the knees and joints by enabling weight distribution and support, so that worshippers can be more comfortable doing their prayer rituals.

“We have conducted five years of intensive research and development in the areas of ergonomics, physiology and biomechanics that are specific to the Muslim lifestyle,” said Nader Sabri, the chief executive officer at Timez5.

The research revealed that those who meditate or pray regularly are fundamentally different. They are faced with physical challenges over time different to non-worshippers.

Controversially, praying has been highlighted as one of the most common causes of degenerative knee problems, alongside obesity, across the Muslim world according to studies carried out in the UAE.

In Kurdistan, the need for knee-replacement surgery has risen dramatically.

“There seems to be a lot of knee pathology in Kurdistan -- one of them arthritis,” said Professor Deiary Kader, an orthopaedic surgeon based in the UK who travels regularly to Kurdistan every two months to teach surgery and operate on patients.

“I do not think it is related to prayer, but almost certainly it is related to obesity,” he said about growing knee problems in Kurdistan.

"Praying is an excellent exercise, it keeps the joint moving,” the doctor said. “To date there is no evidence that performing ruku (bowing) and sajdah (prostrating) have any detrimental effect on the knee joint.”

Whether prayer is the root cause of knee problems is questionable, but there is no doubt many worshippers struggle with pain during prayer in old age. 

Timez5 insists that its prayer mat can help worshippers with these problems.

“We have a patented five-layer system designed to respond to the specific weight, motion and postures of the user,” said Sabri. “It all starts with the counter-force of the body and then all the layers activate.”

Sabri claims the mat also helps people suffering from sports injuries, as well as chronic and acute pain in the knee, back and neck.

The retail price is likely to put off many people. But one user, London-based Amina Hawrami, said it has helped her relieve leg pain when praying.

“My dad would lay his prayer mat over a thin duvet to protect his knees and wrists, which is a good solution (but) this Timez5 (mat) is more comfortable,” she said.