Johor religious authorities seize 11 floor mats with image of Kaaba

Johor religious authorities seize 11 floor mats with image of Kaaba

Published: Apr 13, 2024 4:41 PM


The Johor Islamic Religious Department confiscated 11 floor mats that depicted images of the Kaaba at a supermarket in Johor.

This was in response to a complaint from the public against the supermarket in Batu Pahat, Johor Islamic Religious Affairs committee chairperson Fared Khalid said.

The seizure was done on April 9, the day before Aidilfitri, he was quoted as saying by Berita Harian.

“Actually, the inspection and surveillance were carried out a day before Aidilfitri following a public complaint and it went viral on social media.

“As a result of the inspection, 11 floor mats with the image of the Kaaba have been confiscated and monitoring is still ongoing throughout the state,” he said.

A statement was not issued out of respect for Aidilfitri celebrations and to prevent public worry, he added.

According to the same report, a social media user uploaded a picture of the floor mats being sold at the Batu Pahat supermarket.

“I thought it was a prayer mat because of the image of the Kaaba, but it looks to be a floor mat to wipe feet on,” they said.

The Kaaba, also known as the al-Ka’ba al-Musharrafa, is a large marble and stone cube located at the centre of the holiest mosque in Islam, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Muslims pray in the direction of the Kaaba, which is considered the holiest site in Islam.

It is also the focal point of the haj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to the area and a mandatory religious duty for all Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime.