Activists on social media circulated a photo of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa performing Eid al-Adha prayers. He appears alone, using his own prayer rug, unlike other worshippers.
This action sparked widespread interaction among digital users, with comments ranging from seriousness to joking. Some suggested that his use of the rug could be a precaution against any assassination attempt, similar to poisoning the large red carpet placed on the prayer floor, which can accommodate all the worshippers.
While others commented that the brown patterned rug he used may have been the same one he relied on for his daily prayers, including while at the People's Palace.
On the other hand, some commentators criticized this behavior, considering it an uncomfortable form of discrimination, while others saw it as carrying ominous messages, given that it was unique to him and not to other worshippers.
In contrast, one observer saw his prayer on a simple rug as reflecting a sense of austerity and humility, in keeping with the economic conditions the people and the country are experiencing. It also represented a departure from protocol, highlighting personal religious commitment without exaggeration or ostentation on the red carpet, the color of which is reserved for protocol.
It's worth noting that Sharia took the same measure during last year's Eid al-Fitr prayer, when a similar prayer rug was displayed for the imam during that prayer, which was also held in the People's Palace prayer hall.