About Us
How It All Began
Egypt is like a second home to me.
Back in 2014, I moved to Cairo to teach Digital Animation. I had the best time — and the children I taught were absolutely wonderful. Their creativity, humour, and warmth left a lasting impression on me. When I returned to the UK in 2016, a piece of my heart stayed behind. I’ve had a deep longing for Egypt ever since.
A few years later, I came across something beautiful — a company called Urban Rugs, based in Egypt. Their prayer mats were stunning. The designs, the craftsmanship, the quality... I loved everything about them. But with international shipping costs so high, getting one wasn’t easy.
In 2023, I returned to Egypt for a visit and decided to meet the founders of Urban Rugs — two brothers, Fadi and Hadi. We had a warm and honest conversation. I wasn’t there for business — just curiosity and admiration for their work. But as we spoke and I learned more about their story, their vision, and the care they put into every mat… something changed.
The quality was exceptional, the comfort unmatched — and I could instantly see the benefit these prayer mats would bring to others. It felt like a natural continuation of what we already do at My Salah Mat: a child or adult earns to pray using our interactive prayer mat, and once they’re confident, they move on to a padded prayer mat that they’ll cherish for years to come.
I realised this could be something special.
So I made the decision to bring Egyptian-made prayer mats to the UK.
In January 2024, just before Ramadan, the first shipment of Urban Rugs arrived. Alhamdulillah, it wasn’t all smooth — we had some shipping challenges along the way — but the feedback has been incredible. People love them. Orders started coming in, and we’re still receiving them to this day.
Now, we’re working on exclusive designs and expanding the range — all while staying true to our mission: to help Muslims feel connected, comfortable, and inspired in their Salah.
This journey began in a Cairo classroom, continued through a heartfelt conversation with two brothers, and is now reaching homes across the UK.
Alhamdulillah.
Written by Kamal Ali,
Director of Urban Rugs UK