Salat is of no use until u dont know what it means..
Focus on the meaning of it.. that helps the most! for example when you are reading surah Fatiha.. read it remembering the meaning of each verse in your heart.. and mean it as a dua..
You concentrate with the thought that you are standing before the Almighty and he is listning to you and infront of you- make It out like It may be the last time you are performing your salah
Keeping the translation in mind helps to have Khushooo and pausing at the end of each Ayah helps
Choose isolated area where there is no distraction.
Do Dhikr before praying.
Learn the meaning of the Surah's you are reciting
Remember you are standing before Allah, so try to be as perfect as you can.
When it comes to prayer, people are of five levels:
The first is the level of the one who wrongs himself and is negligent. He
does not do wudoo’ properly, or pray at the right time or make sure he does all the
necessary parts of prayer.
The second is one who observes the outward essentials of prayer, prays on
time and does wudoo’, but he has lost the battle against his own self and is
overwhelmed with waswaas.
The third is one who observes the outward essentials of prayer, prays on
time and does wudoo’, and also strives against his own self and against waswaas, but
he is preoccupied with his struggle against his enemy (i.e. the Shaytaan), lest he steal
from his prayer, so he is engaged in salaah and jihaad at the same time.
The fourth is one who when he stands up to pray, he fulfils all the
requirements of the prayer, and his heart is fully focused and alert lest he omit
anything, and his concern is to do the prayer properly and perfectly. His heart is deeply
immersed in his prayer and worship of his Lord.
The fifth is one who does all of that, but he takes his heart and places
it before his Lord, looking at his Lord with his heart and focusing on Him, filled with
love and adoration, as if he is actually seeing Him. That waswaas and those thoughts
diminish, and the barriers between him and his Lord are lifted. The difference between the
prayer of this person and the prayer of anyone is else is greater than the difference
between heaven and earth. When this person prays, he is preoccupied with his Lord and
content with Him.
The first type is punishable; the second is accountable; the third is
striving so he is not counted as a sinner; the fourth is rewarded and the fifth is drawn
close to his Lord, because he is one of those for whom prayer is a source of joy. Whoever
finds their joy in prayer in this life, will find their joy in being close to Allaah in
the Hereafter, and will also find his joy in Allaah in this world. Whoever finds his joy
in Allaah will be content with everything, and whoever does not find his joy in Allaah,
will be destroyed by his feelings of grief and regret for worldly matters.”
Salah is the first thing for which we will be held accountable in front of Allah (as those who die Muslim and even have a chance to enter Jannah) - it is the source of strength for a Muslim and, when one thinks about it deeply, by far the most significant event that takes part in our daily lives. It is the time when we stand in front of Allah swt, our creator, bowed in humility (or so we should be!) asking for his help in whatever it is we engage in, whether they be things to do with the dunya, our da'wah efforts or those things which are to do directly with the incorporeal itself (deep introspection etc).
Thus, to get our salah right, and to exert every effort in its improvement, is a must upon us all. None of us should be comfortable with our level of concentration in salah, even if it is better than others'. The striving to perfect one's salah is constant and perpetual, for perfection is near unattainable in this regard by us mere mortals if even the Rasool (SAW), the Companions (RA) ) would shed tears of concern and worry over their level of concentration in prayer and whether Allah would accept them! What that does motivate us to do, though, is to strive and strive constantly, and have the confidence that Allah swt will accept our efforts.
Yet salah cannot, and must not be thought of as an isolated act of worship; if, as it is said, the believer's day revolves around Salah, then should not the khushu' that he can/should gain (or try to gain) translate into all his activites and affairs? Should not this khushu' also be an aspect of everything else he does? The answer is a foregone conclusion!
Salah and dua are the believer's ultimate weapon. But they must be connected to our mission in today's day and age. We must use the spiritual upliftment and closeness to Allah swt we gain from salah to redouble our efforts, and exert them with greater focus, in all other facets of our deen. To those that engage in dawah activities and campaigns for all manner of organisations and efforts, salah is the tool to draw closer to Allah, so that he rewards his slave, listens to his supplications, and lets him see the fruits of this relationship in practical results in terms of his effort.
Abu Huraira (Radiallahu anhu) said: The Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) said, "Let anyone tell me; if a stream flows by the house of any person and he baths in it five times a day, whether any dirt will remain on his body." The companions replied that no dirt would remain in such a case. He said, "So is the case with prescribed prayers. Allah forgives men's sins (minor) on their account."Hadiths on the virtues of Salah related by both Bukhari and Muslim:
Rabee'ah narrates:
It was the habit of the Prophet, peace be on him, that if someone did him a good turn, he loved to repay that person with something more excellent. He wanted to do something for me too in return for my service to him. So one day he came up tome and said: 'O Rabee'ah ibn Ka'b.' 'Labbayk ya rasulullah wa Sadaik - At your command, O Messenger of God and may God grant you happiness,' I responded. 'Ask of me anything and I will give it to you.' ..
I thought a little and then said: 'Give me some time, O Messenger of God, to think about what I should ask of you. Then I will let you know.' He agreed.
At that time, I was a young man and poor. I had neither family, nor wealth, nor place of abode. I used to shelter in the Suffah of the mosque with other poor Muslims like myself. People used to call us the "guests of Islam". Whenever any Muslim brought so mething in charity to the Prophet, he would send it all to us. And if someone gave him a gift he would take some of it and leave the rest for us.
So, it occurred to me to ask the Prophet for some worldly good that would save me from poverty and make me like others who had wealth, wife and children. Soon, however, I said: 'May you perish Rabee'ah. The world is temporary and will pass away. You have your share of sustenance in it which God has guaranteed and which must come to you. The Prophet, peace be on him, has a place with his Lord and no request would be refused him. Request him therefore, to ask Allah to grant you something of the bounty of the hereafter.'
I felt pleased and satisfied with this thought. I went to the Prophet and he asked: 'What do you say, O Rabee'ah?' 'O Messenger of God,' I said, 'I ask you to beseech God most High on my behalf to make me your companion in Paradise.'
'Who has advised you thus?' asked the Prophet.
'No by God,' I said, 'No one has advise me. But when you told me 'Ask of me anything and I will give to you,' I thought of asking you for something of the goodness of this world. But before long, I was guided to choose what is permanent and lasting agains t what is temporary and perishable. And so I have asked you to beseech God on my behalf that I may be your companion in Paradise.'
The Prophet remained silent for a long while and then asked: 'Any other request besides that, Rabi'ah?' 'No, O Messenger of God, Nothing can match what I have asked you.' 'Then, in that case, assist me for your sake by performing much prostration to God.'
So I began to exert myself in worship in order to attain the good fortune of being with the Prophet in Paradise just as I had the good fortune of being in his service and being his companion in this world.
Salah is the method to strengthen ones conviction and adherence to Allah’s (swt) commandments and abstain from His prohibitions.
“Surely, the salah prevents evil speech and bad deeds…” [Quran 29:45]
Salah is a unique act of worship that prevents the believers from anything that deserves the anger of Allah (swt). It is the ultimate medium for change for it includes all aspects of ibadah:
· Dhikr
· Praising Allah
· Dua
· Conversation with Allah
· Means for proximity with Allah
· Recitation of Qur’an
· Contemplation
· Sending salaams to the Prophet
· Enjoyment
· Means for Sabr
· Alleviation of burden
· Solace and tranquillity from the shackles of the dunya
In order to achieve success in our salah, thereby strengthening our Islamic personality, acquiring khushu is paramount.
“It is the believers who are successful: those who have khushu (the khaashioon)…” [Qur’an 23:1-2]
May Allah give all of you khushu' in your salah, allow you to improve on all aspects of your life
Showing posts with label focus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label focus. Show all posts
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
Sunday, 25 October 2009
“Let us enjoy the comfort of the Salaat.”
One of the things necessary for the salik in all his worships, especially in the salat, which is at the head of all worships and has a position of comprehensiveness [jami'iyat] , is submissiveness [khushu]. It is, in fact, a complete submission [khudu'] mixed with love or fear. It is the result of comprehending the Greatness, Power and Majesty of Beauty and Glory. The detail of this generality is that the hearts of the people of suluk are different according to their disposition and nature:
Some of the hearts are amorous and of the manifestations of Beauty [jamal] and, driven by their nature, they are attracted to the Beauty of the Beloved. When, in the suluk, they comprehend the shadow of the Beautiful, or witness the origin of the Beauty, the Greatness hidden in the secret of the Beauty effaces them, and they go into rapture, for in every beauty there is a hidden glory, and in every glory there is a covered beauty. There is probably an allusion to this point in his saying when the guardian of the gnostics and of the saliks, Amirul Mu'minin (the commander of the faithful), may Allah bless him and all his offspring, says: "Glory to the One whose compassion is vast for His friends despite His severe revenge, and whose revenge is severe for His enemies despite His vast compassion," [27]
Thus, the Majesty, Greatness and Power of Beauty envelop them and they fall into a state of submission [khushu] before the Beauty of the Beloved. This state, at the beginning, causes agitation to the heart and engenders anxiety. Then, after submission [tamkin], it changes to a state of familiarity, and the agitation and anxiety, caused by the Greatness and Power, turn into familiarity and peace, and there happens a state of tranquillity, as was the state of the heart of khalilur-Rahman (Allah's Friend = Ibrahim) (AS).
Some other hearts are fearing and they are of the manifestations of Glory [jalal]. They are in continual understanding of the Greatness, Grandeur and Glory. Their submission is of fright, and the Subjugative and Majestic Names are manifested to their hearts, as was the state of the prophet Yahya (may Allah's peace be upon him and our Prophet and his progeny). So, submission is sometimes mixed with love, and sometimes with fear and fright, though in every love there is fear, and in every fear there is love.
The degrees of submission are according to the degrees of understanding the Greatness, Majesty and Beauty. Now as we, in our case, are deprived of the light of visions, we have but to indulge in acquiring submission by means of knowledge and faith [iman]. Allah, the Exalted, says: "Successful, indeed, are the believers who are submissive in their salats," [28] Submission in the salat is regarded as a sign of faith [iman]. So, whoever is not submissive in his salat, will, according to Allah's saying, be excluded from the faithful [ahl-i iman]. Our salats which are not accompanied with submission are caused by a deficiency of faith or by lacking it. A belief [i'tiqad] and knowledge are other than faith, our knowledge of Allah, His Names and Attributes and of other divine Knowledge [ma'arij], is other than faith. Satan, according to the testimony of Allah, has information about the Beginning and the Resurrection, yet, he is a disbeliever. He said: "You have created me of fire, while You created him of dust," [29] So, he believes in Allah and in His being the Creator; and he says: "Respite me until the day they are resurrected", [30] So, he believes in the Day of Resurrection, too. He knows about the Books, the Messengers and the angels. Nevertheless, Allah addresses him as a disbeliever, excluding him from the group of the believers [mu'minin].
Thus, the people of knowledge are distinct from those of faith. Not every man of knowledge is a man of faith. Therefore, after acquiring knowledge, one has to join the believers, and to convey the Greatness, Majesty, Brightness and Beauty of Allah, the Most Exalted and High, to his heart, so that it may become submissive, since mere knowledge does not result in submission. You can realize it in yourself: although you do believe in the Beginning and the Resurrection and in Allah's Majesty and Glory, your heart is not submissive. As to Allah's saying: "Has not the time yet come for those who believe that their hearts should be submissive when remembering Allah and what has come down of the truth," [31] it may be that it is the formal faith the very belief in what the Prophet (SA) has brought - which is intended here, for the true faith is accompanied by a degree of submission; or the submission in the noble ayah may refer to a submission at its complete degree, as sometimes they apply the word, 'alim (erudite) to the one whose knowledge has reached the limit of faith. In the noble ayah: " ...verily only the erudite among Allah's servants fear Him, " [32] the reference may be to them. In the terms of the Book and the Sunnah, knowledge, faith and Islam refer to different degrees, the explanation of which is out of the scope of these papers.
Generally speaking, the salik on the way to the Hereafter -specially if with the mi'raj (ascending) step of the salat -will have to make his heart submissive by the light of knowledge and faith, so as to strengthen, as much as he can, this divine gift and the beneficent gleam, in his heart, trying to keep this state during the whole length of the salat. This state of consolidation and stability, though a bit difficult at the beginning for people like us, it becomes quite possible by practice and by exercising the heart.
My dear: Acquiring perfection and the provision for the Hereafter requires demand and seriousness, and the greater the demand, the more it deserves being serious about it. Certainly, with such a state of weakness, laxity and carelessness, one cannot ascend to the divine proximity and to be in a place neighbouring the Lord of Might. one has to manly set forth in order to reach what one wants. Since you do believe in the Hereafter, and find no way of comparability between that world and this -whether regarding their happiness and perfection, or their sufferings and calamities, as that world is eternal, with no death and perishing, where the happy live in comfort and dignity and in everlasting bliss, a comfort which has no like in this world, a divine glory and sovereignty, the like of which cannot be found in this life, and a bliss which never occurs in anybody's imagination, and similarly regarding the sufferings of that world, its pains, torments and evils can have no match in this world -you should know that the way to happiness runs through obeying Allah, the Lord of Might. None of the acts of worship and obedience can be on the same footing as that of the salat, which is a comprehensive [jami] divine mixture [ma'jun] undertaking the happiness of humanity. If it is accepted, all other acts (of worship) will be accepted. So, you are to exert utmost seriousness in obtaining it, never to feel tired in the quest, and to bear whatever hardship there may be, though there will be none. Actually if you continued it for a while and got cordially familiar with it, you would get, in this very world, so much pleasure out of your talk with Allah -a pleasure which cannot be compared with anyone of this world's pleasures. this will be quite obvious if we study the states of the people supplicating to Allah.
In general, to sum up our discussions in this chapter, we may say that, having comprehended the Greatness, the Beauty, and the Majesty of Allah, either by means of reasoning and proofs, or through the explanations of the prophets (AS), one must remind his heart of it, and then, by gradual remindings, cordial attention and continual remembering Allah's Greatness and Majesty, he has to bring about the state of submission in his heart, so as to attain to the required result. At any rate, the salik should not suffice himself with his present station, as any station which we may obtain does not worth a farthing in the market of the people of knowledge, nor it worths a grain of mustard in the bazar of "the people of heart". The salik must, in all situations, remember his own faults and deficiencies, so that he may find, through this, a way to his happiness. And praise be to All.
There are some of statements in Al Qur'an and Hadiths about Khushuu' or calmness in salah.
In Al Qur'an
"And stand before Allah in a devout frame of mind." [2:238]
"Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their sholats with all solemnity and full submission." [23:1-2]
"And man is ever hasty" [17:11]
...............................What is Khushuu’?.....................By Dr. Mamdouh N. Mohamed.
Khushuu’ during Salaat is misunderstood by some people as crying and weeping. Rather, it is the presence of the heart during an act of ‘ibadah. When a person’s heart is fully occupied of what he says or hears, he is in a true state of khushuu’. The concept of Khushuu’ in Salaat is very essential.
1. It is a vital factor in making a person successful in this life and in later life.
“Indeed, the believers, who have khushuu’ in their Salaat, are the winners.”
قد أفلح المؤمنون الذين هم في صلاتهم خاشعون
2. It is a contributing factor for the acceptance of Salaat.
3. It is a way to gain more rewards from the Almighty Allah; the more the khushuu’ a person has, the more rewards he gets.
4. Without Khushuu’ the heart cannot easily be purified.
Ways to Gain Khushuu’
* Pre-Salaat
1. A Muslim should know his Lord very well. Knowing whom one worships makes a person a better worshipper. Having clear and authentic knowledge about Allah increases His love in our hearts. Consequently, faith also increases.
2. Avoiding major and minor sins is very helpful in gaining Khushuu’, as the heart becomes more receptive to the words of Allah during and after Salaat.
3. Reciting the Qur’an frequently and consistently softens the hearts and prepares it for Khushuu’. Hard hearts do not gain Khushuu’.
4. Minimize attachment to worldly matters. Gearing one’s intentions towards the Afterlife helps against the temptations of life.
5. Avoid excessive laughter and useless arguments as they harden the heart and lead to heedlessness.
6. Stop working as soon as you hear the Adhaan. When you listen attentively to the call of Salaat repeat after the muˆadh-dhin then offer the relevant supplication. This prepares you for a smooth transition from the business with worldly matters to the business with Salaat.
7. Performing wuduuˆ immediately after hearing the Azaan prepares you for the pending Salsat. Wuduuˆ also works as a buffer zone before engaging in Salaat.
8. Going to the mosque early for praying and continuing mention of Allah drives Satan away and help gain concentration.
9. The waiting time for the congregational Salaat helps create a buffer zone between the state of mind before Salaat and the state of during Salaat.
* During Salaat
1. The Iqaamah itself is a final signal to the mind to be well prepared for performing the actual Salaat. Remember what the messenger of Allah said to Bilal (ra) “Let us enjoy the comfort of the Salaat.”
2. When you stand facing the Qiblah remember the following:
1. It might be the last Salaat in your life. There is no guarantee to live longer to catch the next Salaat.
2. You are standing between the hands of Allah, the Lord of the worlds. How can you be busy with something else?
3. The angel of death is chasing you.
3. Do not forget to make isti’azah. It wards off Satan’s whispers.
4. Keep your eyes focused on the place of sujuud. This helps you gain more concentration.
5. When reciting the Fatiha, try to recall the response of Allah to you after every ayah you say. (When you say: ”al-hamdu lillahi rab-bil ‘alamin) Allah responds: “My servant praised me.” etc. This feeling of speaking to Allah puts you in the right mood of khushuu’.
6. Beautifying the recitation of the Qur’an has a positive impact on the heart.
7. Recite the Qur’an slowly and reflect upon its meaning deeply.
8. It is recommended to change the suras that your recite from time to time to avoid the mechanic-like state of repetition.
9. Alternate between the various authentic sunan such as proclaiming a different opening supplication in every Salaat.
10. Undoubtedly, understanding Arabic helps you focus on the intended meaning.
11. Interact with the recited aayahs;
1. if you hear an ayah about Allah, glorify Him by saying “Subhaana Allah”;
2. If you hear an ayah about Hellfire, say “a’uuthu billaahi mina-n-naar”.
3. If you hear a command to make istighfaar, do it.
4. If you hear an ayah that requests tasbiih, make tasbiih.
12. These forms of interactions are very helpful in keeping you focused.
13. When you prostrate, remember that this position brings you closer to Allah. Seize the opportunity to make sincere du’aaˆ. Invest these moments in making sincere supplications.
* Post-Salaat
1. When you make tasliim, make istighfaar to Allah as you might have made during Salaat.
2. When you praise Allah, thank Him from the bottom of your heart that you have experienced the beauty of Salaat in your heart. Getting used to this habit prepares your for the next Salaat, as you will always be eager to focus in your prayer.
3. One perfection leads to another perfection. If some one perfects his Salaat once, he would be self-motivated to continue on the same level.
A salik is a person who engaged in Islamic spiritual path or sufism. The word derived from Arabic word sulook, which means to walk a (spiritual) path (to God). To become a salik, one must follow both the outer path (exoterism, shariah) and the inner path (esoterism, haqiqa) of Islam virtuously.
A salik is also called murid when one becomes a disciple to one particular spiritual teacher (murshid) or a Sufi master
May Allah fill our hearts with khushuu’ - Aamiin.
Some of the hearts are amorous and of the manifestations of Beauty [jamal] and, driven by their nature, they are attracted to the Beauty of the Beloved. When, in the suluk, they comprehend the shadow of the Beautiful, or witness the origin of the Beauty, the Greatness hidden in the secret of the Beauty effaces them, and they go into rapture, for in every beauty there is a hidden glory, and in every glory there is a covered beauty. There is probably an allusion to this point in his saying when the guardian of the gnostics and of the saliks, Amirul Mu'minin (the commander of the faithful), may Allah bless him and all his offspring, says: "Glory to the One whose compassion is vast for His friends despite His severe revenge, and whose revenge is severe for His enemies despite His vast compassion," [27]
Thus, the Majesty, Greatness and Power of Beauty envelop them and they fall into a state of submission [khushu] before the Beauty of the Beloved. This state, at the beginning, causes agitation to the heart and engenders anxiety. Then, after submission [tamkin], it changes to a state of familiarity, and the agitation and anxiety, caused by the Greatness and Power, turn into familiarity and peace, and there happens a state of tranquillity, as was the state of the heart of khalilur-Rahman (Allah's Friend = Ibrahim) (AS).
Some other hearts are fearing and they are of the manifestations of Glory [jalal]. They are in continual understanding of the Greatness, Grandeur and Glory. Their submission is of fright, and the Subjugative and Majestic Names are manifested to their hearts, as was the state of the prophet Yahya (may Allah's peace be upon him and our Prophet and his progeny). So, submission is sometimes mixed with love, and sometimes with fear and fright, though in every love there is fear, and in every fear there is love.
The degrees of submission are according to the degrees of understanding the Greatness, Majesty and Beauty. Now as we, in our case, are deprived of the light of visions, we have but to indulge in acquiring submission by means of knowledge and faith [iman]. Allah, the Exalted, says: "Successful, indeed, are the believers who are submissive in their salats," [28] Submission in the salat is regarded as a sign of faith [iman]. So, whoever is not submissive in his salat, will, according to Allah's saying, be excluded from the faithful [ahl-i iman]. Our salats which are not accompanied with submission are caused by a deficiency of faith or by lacking it. A belief [i'tiqad] and knowledge are other than faith, our knowledge of Allah, His Names and Attributes and of other divine Knowledge [ma'arij], is other than faith. Satan, according to the testimony of Allah, has information about the Beginning and the Resurrection, yet, he is a disbeliever. He said: "You have created me of fire, while You created him of dust," [29] So, he believes in Allah and in His being the Creator; and he says: "Respite me until the day they are resurrected", [30] So, he believes in the Day of Resurrection, too. He knows about the Books, the Messengers and the angels. Nevertheless, Allah addresses him as a disbeliever, excluding him from the group of the believers [mu'minin].
Thus, the people of knowledge are distinct from those of faith. Not every man of knowledge is a man of faith. Therefore, after acquiring knowledge, one has to join the believers, and to convey the Greatness, Majesty, Brightness and Beauty of Allah, the Most Exalted and High, to his heart, so that it may become submissive, since mere knowledge does not result in submission. You can realize it in yourself: although you do believe in the Beginning and the Resurrection and in Allah's Majesty and Glory, your heart is not submissive. As to Allah's saying: "Has not the time yet come for those who believe that their hearts should be submissive when remembering Allah and what has come down of the truth," [31] it may be that it is the formal faith the very belief in what the Prophet (SA) has brought - which is intended here, for the true faith is accompanied by a degree of submission; or the submission in the noble ayah may refer to a submission at its complete degree, as sometimes they apply the word, 'alim (erudite) to the one whose knowledge has reached the limit of faith. In the noble ayah: " ...verily only the erudite among Allah's servants fear Him, " [32] the reference may be to them. In the terms of the Book and the Sunnah, knowledge, faith and Islam refer to different degrees, the explanation of which is out of the scope of these papers.
Generally speaking, the salik on the way to the Hereafter -specially if with the mi'raj (ascending) step of the salat -will have to make his heart submissive by the light of knowledge and faith, so as to strengthen, as much as he can, this divine gift and the beneficent gleam, in his heart, trying to keep this state during the whole length of the salat. This state of consolidation and stability, though a bit difficult at the beginning for people like us, it becomes quite possible by practice and by exercising the heart.
My dear: Acquiring perfection and the provision for the Hereafter requires demand and seriousness, and the greater the demand, the more it deserves being serious about it. Certainly, with such a state of weakness, laxity and carelessness, one cannot ascend to the divine proximity and to be in a place neighbouring the Lord of Might. one has to manly set forth in order to reach what one wants. Since you do believe in the Hereafter, and find no way of comparability between that world and this -whether regarding their happiness and perfection, or their sufferings and calamities, as that world is eternal, with no death and perishing, where the happy live in comfort and dignity and in everlasting bliss, a comfort which has no like in this world, a divine glory and sovereignty, the like of which cannot be found in this life, and a bliss which never occurs in anybody's imagination, and similarly regarding the sufferings of that world, its pains, torments and evils can have no match in this world -you should know that the way to happiness runs through obeying Allah, the Lord of Might. None of the acts of worship and obedience can be on the same footing as that of the salat, which is a comprehensive [jami] divine mixture [ma'jun] undertaking the happiness of humanity. If it is accepted, all other acts (of worship) will be accepted. So, you are to exert utmost seriousness in obtaining it, never to feel tired in the quest, and to bear whatever hardship there may be, though there will be none. Actually if you continued it for a while and got cordially familiar with it, you would get, in this very world, so much pleasure out of your talk with Allah -a pleasure which cannot be compared with anyone of this world's pleasures. this will be quite obvious if we study the states of the people supplicating to Allah.
In general, to sum up our discussions in this chapter, we may say that, having comprehended the Greatness, the Beauty, and the Majesty of Allah, either by means of reasoning and proofs, or through the explanations of the prophets (AS), one must remind his heart of it, and then, by gradual remindings, cordial attention and continual remembering Allah's Greatness and Majesty, he has to bring about the state of submission in his heart, so as to attain to the required result. At any rate, the salik should not suffice himself with his present station, as any station which we may obtain does not worth a farthing in the market of the people of knowledge, nor it worths a grain of mustard in the bazar of "the people of heart". The salik must, in all situations, remember his own faults and deficiencies, so that he may find, through this, a way to his happiness. And praise be to All.
There are some of statements in Al Qur'an and Hadiths about Khushuu' or calmness in salah.
In Al Qur'an
"And stand before Allah in a devout frame of mind." [2:238]
"Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their sholats with all solemnity and full submission." [23:1-2]
"And man is ever hasty" [17:11]
...............................What is Khushuu’?.....................By Dr. Mamdouh N. Mohamed.
Khushuu’ during Salaat is misunderstood by some people as crying and weeping. Rather, it is the presence of the heart during an act of ‘ibadah. When a person’s heart is fully occupied of what he says or hears, he is in a true state of khushuu’. The concept of Khushuu’ in Salaat is very essential.
1. It is a vital factor in making a person successful in this life and in later life.
“Indeed, the believers, who have khushuu’ in their Salaat, are the winners.”
قد أفلح المؤمنون الذين هم في صلاتهم خاشعون
2. It is a contributing factor for the acceptance of Salaat.
3. It is a way to gain more rewards from the Almighty Allah; the more the khushuu’ a person has, the more rewards he gets.
4. Without Khushuu’ the heart cannot easily be purified.
Ways to Gain Khushuu’
* Pre-Salaat
1. A Muslim should know his Lord very well. Knowing whom one worships makes a person a better worshipper. Having clear and authentic knowledge about Allah increases His love in our hearts. Consequently, faith also increases.
2. Avoiding major and minor sins is very helpful in gaining Khushuu’, as the heart becomes more receptive to the words of Allah during and after Salaat.
3. Reciting the Qur’an frequently and consistently softens the hearts and prepares it for Khushuu’. Hard hearts do not gain Khushuu’.
4. Minimize attachment to worldly matters. Gearing one’s intentions towards the Afterlife helps against the temptations of life.
5. Avoid excessive laughter and useless arguments as they harden the heart and lead to heedlessness.
6. Stop working as soon as you hear the Adhaan. When you listen attentively to the call of Salaat repeat after the muˆadh-dhin then offer the relevant supplication. This prepares you for a smooth transition from the business with worldly matters to the business with Salaat.
7. Performing wuduuˆ immediately after hearing the Azaan prepares you for the pending Salsat. Wuduuˆ also works as a buffer zone before engaging in Salaat.
8. Going to the mosque early for praying and continuing mention of Allah drives Satan away and help gain concentration.
9. The waiting time for the congregational Salaat helps create a buffer zone between the state of mind before Salaat and the state of during Salaat.
* During Salaat
1. The Iqaamah itself is a final signal to the mind to be well prepared for performing the actual Salaat. Remember what the messenger of Allah said to Bilal (ra) “Let us enjoy the comfort of the Salaat.”
2. When you stand facing the Qiblah remember the following:
1. It might be the last Salaat in your life. There is no guarantee to live longer to catch the next Salaat.
2. You are standing between the hands of Allah, the Lord of the worlds. How can you be busy with something else?
3. The angel of death is chasing you.
3. Do not forget to make isti’azah. It wards off Satan’s whispers.
4. Keep your eyes focused on the place of sujuud. This helps you gain more concentration.
5. When reciting the Fatiha, try to recall the response of Allah to you after every ayah you say. (When you say: ”al-hamdu lillahi rab-bil ‘alamin) Allah responds: “My servant praised me.” etc. This feeling of speaking to Allah puts you in the right mood of khushuu’.
6. Beautifying the recitation of the Qur’an has a positive impact on the heart.
7. Recite the Qur’an slowly and reflect upon its meaning deeply.
8. It is recommended to change the suras that your recite from time to time to avoid the mechanic-like state of repetition.
9. Alternate between the various authentic sunan such as proclaiming a different opening supplication in every Salaat.
10. Undoubtedly, understanding Arabic helps you focus on the intended meaning.
11. Interact with the recited aayahs;
1. if you hear an ayah about Allah, glorify Him by saying “Subhaana Allah”;
2. If you hear an ayah about Hellfire, say “a’uuthu billaahi mina-n-naar”.
3. If you hear a command to make istighfaar, do it.
4. If you hear an ayah that requests tasbiih, make tasbiih.
12. These forms of interactions are very helpful in keeping you focused.
13. When you prostrate, remember that this position brings you closer to Allah. Seize the opportunity to make sincere du’aaˆ. Invest these moments in making sincere supplications.
* Post-Salaat
1. When you make tasliim, make istighfaar to Allah as you might have made during Salaat.
2. When you praise Allah, thank Him from the bottom of your heart that you have experienced the beauty of Salaat in your heart. Getting used to this habit prepares your for the next Salaat, as you will always be eager to focus in your prayer.
3. One perfection leads to another perfection. If some one perfects his Salaat once, he would be self-motivated to continue on the same level.
A salik is a person who engaged in Islamic spiritual path or sufism. The word derived from Arabic word sulook, which means to walk a (spiritual) path (to God). To become a salik, one must follow both the outer path (exoterism, shariah) and the inner path (esoterism, haqiqa) of Islam virtuously.
A salik is also called murid when one becomes a disciple to one particular spiritual teacher (murshid) or a Sufi master
May Allah fill our hearts with khushuu’ - Aamiin.
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