Operation Iraqi Freedom Prayer Rug

[MySonsDad]

Here is a pretty cool item my son and I picked up about a month or so back while making our regular rounds at some of our favorite antique shops. Thought I’d share it with everyone but wasn’t quite sure where to post it, so here it is! My kid spotted this Operation Iraqi Freedom prayer rug while we were snooping around one of his favorite shops. We hadn’t seen one of these before and didn’t really know what it was, at first sight, but figured it out quick enough and the resident expert at the shop, who we find to be quite reputable, filled us in on all the details.

The price was right so we snatched it up. I’ve surfed all over the internet, and although I have found hundreds upon hundreds of prayer rugs, I’ve not come across a single one that depicts, like this rug does, so well. The rug measures 27 x 40 inches w/o the fring.

From what I have learned, you can’t just go out and buy one of these prayer rugs, they are all hand made, by local merchants who are very reluctant to sell them to soldiers.

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Regards,

Russ & Son

[rodney0919]

I just bought a rug like this today exactly the same the year is 2004 to 2005 though any info on how much it is worth????

[MySonsDad]

Hey Rodney,

Turns out that this is probably not a prayer rug. What I have been able to come up with is that these rugs were made by locals and sold at local bazzars as souvenirs to the fighting forces stationed in the area. As for value, I'd have no idea, we didn't pay much for ours.

Russ

[ObKrieger]

Hi Russ,

I can confirm that this is not a prayer rug. This is not a design that Muslims would pray on. (It's nothing against America, the West, etc. It's just not proper. It's hard to explain.)

As a souvenir, these would be worth only a small amount of money in Iraq. However, values differ depending on where you are at, so it is probably worth at least a little more here. It is a cool rug and it will make an interesting family heirloom.

[MySonsDad]

Hi Russ,

I can confirm that this is not a prayer rug. This is not a design that Muslims would pray on. (It's nothing against America, the West, etc. It's just not proper. It's hard to explain.)

As a souvenir, these would be worth only a small amount of money in Iraq. However, values differ depending on where you are at, so it is probably worth at least a little more here. It is a cool rug and it will make an interesting family heirloom.

Agreed, I looked at hundreds of prayer rugs, on-line, and after doing so it was apparent that this rug we have was NOT a prayer rug. I also found a thread someplace that showed an almost identical rug and the story behind it from the US Army soldier who purchased it at a local bazzar, just off base where he was stationed, and brought it home as a souvenir .

Russ