Although Yasmine Hammad started her company to give women a new more tailored option for prayer gowns, Salaty has been transformed into a business now predominantly focusing on encouraging and inspiring children to become passionate about prayer with specially-designed prayer mats, gowns, prayer charts and games.
The idea for Salaty first stemmed from Yasmine’s realisation that the women’s prayer gowns available on the market were ill-fitted and impractical; she had to carry hers around in a plastic bag if she wanted to pray when she was out and about. “You should have the right clothing to wear, otherwise you will be distracted by things like whether your arms, hair or feet will show. Having something nicely tailored for you means that you can then focus on god, so you can perform your prayer in a beautiful manner.” What started as just making her own gown eventually grew into a business. But it wasn’t just woman that Yasmine wanted to make gowns for, inspired by her children’s love of praying with her, Salaty was created to also provide prayer gowns for children.
“I wanted to create the idea of the moms really being a role model.”
“I think it is important to teach children from early stages how to pray. My children wanted their own gowns, so we started designing some, experimenting on them to see how to make them fit and work perfectly.” Yasmine also launched a line of Mommy and Me gowns, “I wanted to create the idea of the moms really being a role model,” she explains. “The children look up to you, they want to be like you. It all starts in the home with how you interact with your children.”
Her children were not just the inspiration, they still take an active role in the design of Salaty’s products. “A few months ago, my eldest daughter sketched a gown and was very persistent that I got it made for her at the tailors. It was pretty plain, but then she got some watercolours and started painting on it, personalising it and making it her own. So I thought I would get pouches made, so they could be coloured in by the kids so that they can be creative and make in their own. The pouches have padding in, so can also be used as a prayer mat, they even have a compass hanging on them as well.”
“Children all over the world can have fun learning how to do the steps on their own.”
Since its creation Salaty has become about a lot more than just prayer gowns and prayer mats. Yasmine’s passion for creating excitement in children for prayer led her to the ingenious idea of creating showerproof Wudu cards, “We found these waterproof cards for kids in the shower, so thought why don’t we do Wudu cards in English and Arabic? We show kids from different ethnicities with 8 different cards showing step by step how to perform Wudu. Children all over the world can have fun learning how to do the steps on their own.” Salaty also make magnetic prayer charts, where children can make a record every time they pray, with space to write about rewards if they pray a certain number of times. “It is like an advent calendar every week for the children!”
Salaty has been met with huge support from parents looking for fun and practical ways to give their children the tools for praying. Success stories pour in about children discovering a love of praying with help from Salaty’s products. And Yasmine’s innovative ideas are not done yet, she is continuously coming up with new exciting ways to encourage children to pray and hopes to eventually expand out of the UAE, so watch this space!
Find Salaty’s website here.
