1. It is obligatory to perform our Prayer as the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) performed Prayer as he has ordered every Muslim (Perform Prayers as you saw me performing Prayers) (.صَلّوا كما رآيتموني أُصَلّي ).
2. The Prophet (SAWA) never performed a Prayer but by putting his forehead on the earth or something from earth except textile or edible and said جُعِلَت ليَ الأرضُ مسجدا وطَهوراً (Earth was ordained for me a place of prostration and purification (Tayammum).
3. Prostration on carpet is a Bid’ah which never done by the Prophet nor Ahlul Bayt or any pious companion of the Prophet. Leading Sunni Shaikh said that prostrating on carpet (Sajjada ) is a Bid’ah.
4. We don’t prostrate putting our forehead but only on the earth or anything from earth except textile and edible. That is because we obey and follow the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA). This obligatory to keep our Prayer valid by following the order of the Prophet (SAWA).
5. We can put our forehead on any pure clay, though the clay of Karbala has been praised in many authentic Hadeeths being a sacred place, that is why use it as place for prostration as a recommended act.
al-islam website
