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
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