Turbah (Prayer Stone)

Turbah (Arabic: تربة), also called mohr, is a small tablet made of natural earth or clay that Shia Muslims use during prayer to place the forehead upon during sujud (prostration). The word "turbah" comes from the Arabic word for earth (turab). The use of turbah is based on the Islamic teaching that sujud should be performed on natural earth or what grows from the earth, rather than on synthetic materials.

According to Shia jurisprudence (fiqh), it is obligatory to perform sujud on pure earth or natural materials such as stone, sand, wood, or leaves. Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "Sujud is not permissible except on the earth or what grows from it, except what is eaten or worn" (narrated in Al-Kafi by Shaykh al-Kulayni, vol. 3). This hadith forms the basis for the Shia practice of using turbah.

The most valued turbah is made from the soil of Karbala, Iraq — the site where Imam Husayn ibn Ali (peace be upon him) was martyred in 680 CE (61 Hijri). Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said according to narrations in Bihar al-Anwar by Allamah al-Majlisi: "The soil of Karbala is healing and blessed." However, using Karbala soil is not obligatory — any clean, natural earth can be used.

It is important to emphasize that Shia Muslims do not worship the turbah. It is merely a tool to ensure that sujud is performed on a natural and clean material in accordance with the Prophet's sunnah. Historical Sunni sources also confirm that the Prophet prayed on earth — Abu Said al-Khudri narrated that the Prophet's forehead and nose had traces of water and mud after prayer (Sahih al-Bukhari).