Can you concentrate in your Prayer?

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The Degree of Devotion

“Nay seek (Allah’s) help with patient perseverance and prayer: it is indeed hard, except to those who are humble.” (2:45)

“Then will I assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and their left: nor wilt Thou find, in most of them, gratitude (for Thy mercies).” (7:17)

“The Believers must (eventually) win through.Those who humble themselves in their prayers” (23:1-2)

Prophet (SAW) used to tell that his coolness of His eyes lies in Salah. He used to feel he is resting when He is Praying.

Ibn Sammah (a pious companion) said “For 40 years, I missed the first takbeerat (in jama’ah) only once, And that was when my mother passed away.”

Another pious predecessor, Bakr Al Muzzani, said ”if you want your prayer to be beloved to you, say to yourself that you may not have another chance to pray after it another prayer.” The Prophet (saw) used to say “pray as if it is your last prayer.”

Khushoo: It means concentration during prayer. Khushoo is an essential ingredient for our prayers to be accepted.

Hathim al ‘Atham would say, “I would perfect my wudhu, face the qiblah, say Allahu Akbar, and envision that Allah is above me and Heaven is on my right, and Hell is on the my , the siraat is under me, the angel of death is behind me and when I would finish tasleem I would say astufgerullah, and would cry to Allah to forgive me – for my Salaah may not have been accepted.”

Two things that help to develop Khushoo.

1. Knowing whom we are standing before – Allah: The creator of all that exists. The one who doesn’t have any beginning or any end but the one who began everything and will end everything. When we take a gift for an important person how do we present it? The wrapping, the presentation. How do we stand, and where are we looking when we present it? We are standing in front of Allah. How should we be then?
2. Warding off all distractions – Even in masajids nowadays the intricacies of design can distract a person, so remove anything that adds to the distraction.

How to Gain Khushoo in Prayer?

Imagine Allah is above you, Jannah on the right, hell on the left, angel of death behind you and below the sirath.

1. Preparing oneself for the prayer.
   a.    Repeating the words of the Adhan.
   b.    Reciting the dua after Adhan.
   c.    Reciting dua between Adhan and Iqamah.
   d.    Doing wodhu properly.
   e.    Wearing one’s best clothes.

          Allah says in the Qur’an:

        “O Children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel to every Masjid: eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for Allah loves not those who waste by extravagance.” (7:31)

2. Moving at a measured pace during Prayer
3. Remembering Death while praying. Always think this will be the last prayer we would pray of our life.
4. Thinking about the ayats and adhkar being recited. Allah says in the Qur’an:

   “(Here is) a Book which We have sent down unto thee, full of blessings, that they may meditate on its Signs, and that men of understanding may receive admonition.” (38:29)

5. Pausing at the end of each ayat.
6. Recite in a slow rhythmic tone and beautify the voice. Allah says in the Qur’an:

   “and recite the Qur’an in slow, measured rhythmic tones.” (73:4)

7. Praying with a Sutrah and praying close to it.
8. Varying the Surahs in prayer.
9. Praying in comfortable clothes.
10. Not praying when one needs to answer the call of nature.
11. Try not to yawn while praying. Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: “The yawning as from the devil. So when one of you yawns he should try to restrain it as far as it lies in his power.” (Muslim)

People are of four (4) levels vis-a-vis prayers

1. One who is negligent.
2. One who is struck by the whispers of Satan.
3. One who is engaged in Salah and struggle at the same time.
4. One whose heart is deeply immersed in prayer.

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