How to attain Khushu`a

[Muslimah]

Bismillah


As salam alykom brothers and sisters,


I was inspired by Nasra’s sig to start this thread in order to help each other attain Khushu, which we all strive to attain, during salat.


I will start copying her sig, then Insh aAllah post a hadeeth.


Pls all post whatever can help us attain khushu.


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<b>"One of the Saliheen was asked how he kept
</b>


his khushu' in prayer (concentration & humbleness)


He said, 'I imagine that Allah is before me,


that the Angel of Death is at my back,


that the gardens of Jannah are to my right,


that the fires of Jahannum are on my left


and that I am standing on the Sirat".

[Muslimah]

<b>
</b>

<b><span style="color:#006600;">Narrated under the authority of Abi Horaira that the Messenger salla Allah a`lyhee wa sallam said:” One who prays a prayer without resting Umml Quran (Fatiha) is deemed an incomplete prayer. He repeated this three times. Attendees answered Abu Horaira saying: we pray behind the Imam: He told them recite it to yourselves. I heard the Messenger of Allah salla Allah a`lyhee wa sallam say: Allah, may He be Exalted, Say: I divided prayer between Me and My slave to two sections, and to My slave what he/she requests. When the slave say: Praise be to Allah, Allah Me He be Exalted Say: My Slave praised me, and when he/she say: ArRahman ArRaheem, Allah may He be Exalted say: Me slave Commended Me, when he/she say: The Master of the Day of Recompense, Allah Say: My slave glorified me, when he /she say: You (Alone) we worship, And You (Alone) we ask for help, Allah Say: this is between Me and My slave and to My slave what he/she requests, when he /she say: Guide us to the Straight Path. The path of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace,
Not (the path) of those who earned Your Anger,
Nor of those who went astray.
Allah Say: this will be fulfilled to My slave and to my slave what he/she asked for (reported by Muslim)




Insh a Allah when one tries to ponder and think about this divine dialogue while praying, feeling that when he utters a word, Allah Responds, when he/she recites the second phrase, what is the divine reply. When one truly and deeply always bears this dialogue in mind, bring the meaning to the heart, while praying as much as possible. This is ought to help attaining the status of khushu one aspires.

</span></b>

[NaSra]

Asalamalaikum


MashaAllah Muslimah what a great thread. Jezekelah khairan :)


The only way khushu’ will increase is by contemplating one's beginning and end in this life and his total reliance on his Creator, Allah. As one of the pious teachers of the past stated, that if you are doing something wrong, knowing that Allah is seeing you, then you are scorning Allah's vision, and if you are doing the wrong, thinking that Allah is not seeing you, then you are in disbelief. Therefore, if one remembers often that he or she has to leave this life and enter the hereafter, which is forever, one will find a sense of fear leading to khushu’. Anyway this is what I try to remind myself and it helps me stay on focus. Nowadays I also think of dying while I'm in prayer, Alhamdulilah it encourages me to leave this life while I'm reciting the beautiful words of Allah from my heart and feeling it too.


<b>"Truly, to a happy state shall attain the believers:</b>



those who humble themselves in their prayer,


and who turn away from all that is frivolous,


and who are intent on inner purity."


<i>[Qur'an 23:1-4]</i>


<b>Be ever mindful of prayers,</b>



and of praying in the most excellent way;


and stand before God in devout obedience.


<i>[Qur'an 2:238]</i>


there is also another beautiful hadith that I love ( I can't find it now tho) :conf06: It goes like this, <b>"Your prayer is only accepted if your heart is present"</b>


ring any bells?

[umm Zachariah]

Bismillah


Assalamu alaikum


MashaAllah sisters a very good subject indeed.


<b>''O my Lord! make me one who establishes regular Prayer, and also (raise such) among my offspring O our Lord! and accept Thou my Prayer.'' </b> The Qur'an 14.40


This is a personal view of a sister of prayer.


My Prayer


by Velma A. Cook


Prayer is not an empty ritual, it is a way of life. People have many ways to escape from the mundane tensions and troubles of life, however most of them are destructive. In Islam, prayer is a life-line, which facilitates renewal and development.


Five times a day I retreat from life, pause and renew my intention for living. It's not just kids and work, fun and problems. There's more, much more, lying just beneath the surface of our everyday thoughts. If we dare to peer within, we'll find it, the home of peace; of truth; an acute awareness of what is wrong and right, of what is worthwhile and what is wasted.


I stand still and concentrate on the spot on the carpet where my forehead will soon rest, casting aside all worries, fears and hopes, and focusing on the only One Who can help, Who can forgive, Who is Well-Aware of everything. Quietly, so only myself can hear, I recite the verses of Qu'ran that remind us, in every prayer, of the One Who showers Mercy of those who deserve it and those who don't. The One to whom, all Judgment lies and Whom we are all to return to, at an appointed time. I remember that no one can help me, no one can waylay my fears, no one can turn the tide of events, except the One to Whom all help is sought.


When anger strikes my heart, I recite the verses that remind us of mercy, tolerance and forgiveness; raising the consciousness to see through the empty words that people speak, to the meaning that may have been intended. So I forgive.


When worries cloud my mind and I'm busy planning what I should do, I recite those verses telling of good deeds and trust in the Lord of all. The best of planners, the Subduer of evil and the Exalter of Whom He pleases. So, I try my best, ask for help and leave the rest to Allah s.w.t.


When I feel sad and lost, I recite the verses promising victory to those who strive to uphold piety, that place of rest and peace that lies not so far ahead and the Source of all Peace Whose help is always near. So, I wipe away my tears and keep on trying, never giving up.


My prayer is a way of life. It comes five times a day but the rest of the time is in preparation for the next, awareness of the passing time, remembering my duty to my Creator and my responsibility to my own soul. So whatever I'm doing, I stop and put it aside, stand in prayer and trying to look within, at the faults that follow me around in my life, of the evil my hands have sent forth, and seek guidance, forgiveness and escape from the evil consequences of what I may have done.


I think of the marvels of the universe, how infinitely beautiful and amazing as they are. The wonders of my own self, the physical human body and the wonders it contains. The depth and breadth of the mind, that few of us can compass and then I look to the trivial pleasures of life, the transient nature of our existence and I feel an urge to do more, to try harder, to be better than I was the day before.


And so I bow before my Creator, acknowledging the fact that only He deserves my sincerity, my obedience and my love. All else in life is secondary to the fact that if He hadn't chosen to create me, I would never have existed. Here I am! Here's my duty. Worship is not only prayer and fasting but the way we live, the way we speak, the way we treat people and the way we solve problems. Knowing that we weren't only Created and left to discern truth for ourselves, I adhere to the guidance given to me, to steady me on the path that leads to success in this life and the next.


I continue in my prayer, whether well or ill, tired or wakeful, sad or hopeful, I continue, knowing that success doesn't lie in the amount of money, weapons or strength one thinks one has, but in ones morality.


(source http://www.islamicgarden.com/myprayer.html)

[Muslimah]

Bismillah
as salam alykom
Besides visualising that Allah Is in a dialogue with you, feeling that Allah Replies as mentioned above to every verse you recite from Fatiha.
What helps also to attain khushu`a is the fact that prayer is THE MEETING with Allah. Thus, as soon as the time comes, you start the meeting by saying Allah u akbar. The minute u said this, you are in a meeting with Allah, talking to Allah, conversing with Allah. When you realize this, certainly you will feel much into it. More focused and wanting to be there forever.

[Muslimah]

Bismillah
Usually when you get a chance to be in a meeting with a top notch personality, you feel that you want to extend the time, which is mostly tight due to numerous engagements of this person. The person is mostly timed well, insisting to keep his/her busy schedule and even if the topics are not fully covered, you still will be dismissed. Of course you will switch your cell phone off before getting into the office, as you feel lucky for being there, you dont want to be interrupted, you give full attention during the meeting so that you dont miss the slightest detail.

But with Allah, you start the meeting, no matter how long you stay, Allah Does not dismiss you but rather you end up the meeting by saying assalam alykom both sides. Allah Gives you full attention and it is up to you to be as attentive or not.
When yousucceed in fully realizing this sense, you will want to be really focused, you will strive to maitain full attention with all of your heart and senses.

Any more tips...come on brothers and sisters, let us help one another.

[Dan]

Bismillah


As Salam alaikum


I have heard many times before prayers, "Let us pray as if it is our last." Many times that goes right over our heads. It is such good advise that it is repeated often so (being human) we put less importance on the meaning.


But imagine what you would want you very last deed in this life to be. Uopn death, there are no more chances to pray and earn the glorious blessings that we recieve from it. If you were told that this meal was the last time you would ever get to have this particular food, would you not want to relish the moment? Would we eat the very last bowl of vanilla ice cream with hot fudge poured over it while watching tv or talking on the phone? I wouldn't. I would want to remember and expereince each sweet bite, the hot contrasting the cold, the melting and mingling flavors.


Should not our salah be the same? What if this was our last Fatihah? Did I truly feel and understand each word that I recited? Was I truly communicating with The Creator or was I just spewing words as I went over my grocery list?


"The angel of Death is at my back."


Too abstract? Think of a gun pointed at your head that will go off as soon as the last syllable of the salam leaves your lips. Would not our prayers contain more concentration? Or at the very least, they would be longer than the head banging, chickens-eating-some-grain prostrations that we fall into because "our show" is coming on or (astaghfirullah) it is a commercial break.


May Allah Protect me from hypocricy in my heart and actions.


As Salam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu

[NewBeginning]

I enjoyed reading this vey much. It reminded me of a saying I heard years ago... "Live Like You Were Dying".


Imagine you got news from the Dr. you only had 4 days to live. What would you do in those four days, and what stopped you from doing these things all those other days before you got the "bad" news?


Very good food for thought.

[Muslimah]

Bismillah


Before even entering into Salat physically, just as it is the most important meeting (with Allah), if one is preparing for any other meeting, depending on the other party. One spends sufficient time to prepare, choose appropriate clothes, try to look the best as possible, clean oneslef properly (men wear fragrances)..etc and certainly goes ahead of time taking in consideration potential traffic jams and so forth.


If one makes a simulation bringing into mind this sense starting from Wodu, one should make wodu with this connotation in mind, preparing to meet the king of the Kings, Owner of the skies and earth. one should do wodu carefully, takes sufficient time, then be ready as soon as the adhan is on.


Insh aAllah this would help.

[radiyah]

Bismillah


Masha'Allah sister M Jazaky Allah khayr for this post. Usually there is a prayer before entering salat which goes like this


<b></b>



"


Oh Allah enlighten my heart, my hearing my vision, make light in my veins in my flesh in my bones in my hair, oh Allah enlighten my path in this life and hereafter and shade me under your shade when there is no shade but yours, and do not deprive me of the sensation of looking into your face, and rejoin us with the Prophets Messengers and Shuhada' and Saleheen Ameeen ya rab ila'lameen.


"





And if in any case while u r in prayer, u lost track just say 3 times Aotho bi Allah min alshaytan alrajeem, and spit lightly 3 times to your left shoulder (without any slurps or waters coming out :D) just say tif tif tif I am sure u will feel better, i do, i feel some heavy breathing is coming out from my chest. May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala accept all our prayers Ameeen


this spit action was taught to us by sheikh Sayed Noah, may Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'la heal him ameeeeen


Salam :hello_kitty_sm_03: