[MaxMax]

Prayer rugs are characterized by the prayer niche, or mihrab,
an arch-shaped design at one end of the carpet.

The mihrab, which probably derives from the prayer niche in mosques,
must point toward Mecca while the rug is in use.

So any rug with a Mihrab or point can be used. From the photo we cannot determine
if such a design is on the rug. It's possible that the guards opened it up and saw it.
I would think that they know what the interpretation of such a design would be which
is why it's being called a Muslim prayer rug.

[plain talk]

Again - whether it is a prayer rug per se or not is not really that relevant. If anything found at the border has Arabic writing on it or looks like it came from a middle eastern country then that is not a good sign.

[plain talk]

Again - whether it is a prayer rug per se or not is not really that relevant. If anything found at the border has Arabic writing on it or looks like it came from a middle eastern country then that is not a good sign.