Qatari inventor Abdulrahman Khamis has claimed a gold medal at the ITEX Malaysia 2023, a leading invention, innovation and technology exhibition, making it the third award he is receiving for his ‘smart educational prayer rug’.
Khamis’ rug innovation, named Sajadah, has received recognition for being the world’s first smart prayer rug aimed to teach new Muslims and children how to pray. It combines both his devotion to his Islamic faith with his passion for scientific innovation.
Sajadah uses modern technology to provide guided training for the five Islamic daily prayers, as well as 20 other prayers including Qiyam and Taraweeh.
The rug uses audio and text to display what the worshiper must recite during each prayer position, through its LED screen and built-in speakers. It utilises revolutionary pressure sensors to detect and rectify worshipers’ errors in prayer.
Sajadah is also being recognised for its well-considered inclusivity. The rug includes interactive features to cater to the needs of children with ADHD, an anti-slip and memory foam layer for individuals with knee or joint pain and three different language options.
The innovation is particularly groundbreaking for the future of Islamic education because it provides an accessible and modern approach to learning the basics of prayers for children and new Muslims.
Khamis has received three awards for his Sajadah, the most recent being at the 34th ITEX Malaysia 2023, which took place on May 12 and 13. The exhibition sees thousands of visitors annually to commercialise new inventions as well as to grant awards to successful inventors.
Distinguished amongst other inventors at the exhibition, Khamis received a gold medal and was honoured with an award by the Patent Office of the Secretariat General of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
In a statement on Instagram, Khamis thanked H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, his beloved Qatar, family, children, and God.
The award comes less than a month after Khamis won a gold medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, the world’s No. 1 inventions exhibition held from April 26 to 30.
The first gold medal granted to Khamis for Sajadah was at the 13th International Invention Fair in the Middle East (IIFME) held in Kuwait, deemed one of the most significant exhibitions worldwide.
Sajadah’s creation is not only a revolutionary step towards enhancing Islamic education but also promoting technological research and development in Qatar and surrounding areas to reach progressive goals.
