Khushu’ means calmness and tranquility of the body and attentiveness of the mind, in the Salah.
Loving the prayer and rushing to perform it with Khushu’, and perfection inwardly and outwardly, demonstrates the heart’s love for Allah and eagerness to meet Him. On the other hand, disinterest in the prayer, laziness in answering the Adhan, and performing it alone, away from the congregation of Muslims in the Masjid, without a valid excuse, are all indications that the heart is empty of Allah’s love and disinterested in what He has with Him.
Allah subhana wata 3ala said, “Successful indeed are the believers. Those who perform their Salah with all solemnity and full submissiveness” – Chapter 23, verse 1-2 of the Quran.
Everything Opposing Khushu’ is Forbidden:
Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu narrated, “It is forbidden to keep the hands on the hips during Salah” – Bukhari (Dealing with action in Salah, Chapter: Keeping the hands on the hips during Salah, Hadith: 1219).
Anas bin Malik radi Allahu narrated that the Prophet Muhammad sallahu alyihi wa sallam said, “What is wrong with those people who look toward the sky during Salah?” His tone grew stern while delivering this speech and he sallahu alyihi wa sallam said, “They should stop (looking toward the sky during Salah) otherwise their easy (or eyesight) would be snatched away” – Bukhari (Adhan, Chapter: Looking toward the sky during Salah, Hadith: 750).
Aisha radi Allahu anha narrated, “I asked the Messenger of Allah sallahu alyihi wa sallam about looking here and there in Salah. He sallahu alyihi wa sallam replied: It is a way of stealing by which Shaytan steals (a portion) from the Salah of a person” – Bukhari (Chapter: To look here and there in Salah, Hadith: 752).
Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu narrated that the Prophet Muhammad sallahu alyihi wa sallam said, “Yawning is caused by the devil, so when one of you yawns he must repress it as much as he can” – Muslim (Piety, Chapter: Answering the sneezer and repulsion of yawning, Hadith: 2994).
Attaining the Full Reward for the Salah:
Ammar bin Yasir radi Allahu anhu narrated that Prophet Muhammad sallahu alyihi wa sallam said, “One might finish the Salah, but only have a tenth, ninth, eighth, seventh, sixth, fifth, fourth, third or a half of it written for him” – Abu Dawood (As-Salat, Chapter: What is said about decreasing in prayer, Hadith: 796).
Umar radi Allahu anhu said while standing on a pulpit, “A man might have white hair in Islam (he reaches old age while Muslim), yet, he has not completed even one Salah for Allah the Exalted! He was asked why that is and he answered: He does not perfect the prayer’s required Khushu” –Al-Ihya, vol.1, p202. This statement from Umar radi Allahu anhu in the beginning of Islam should be given due consideration in our time. How do we pray nowadays? Is it not that when we start the Salah, all types of thoughts and ideas come to us, as if the Salah is our chance to think about buying selling, profits or losses?
“It is strange that the thoughts keeping recurring with every Salah, and some people travel far away while standing between Allah’s hands. If one were standing before a person of authority, he or she would devote more attention to what is being said and done. The audience would not miss a single word uttered, and every thought would be held under control. As for the Salah, do the people perform it from beginning to end without losing concentration and thinking about other things? Surely, only those who have earned Allah’s Mercy perform the prayer perfectly in every respect.
If one’s time and devotion were reserved for Allah Alone, Allah would suffice for him concerning all of his needs. Allah will surely relieve one’s concern in this case and will fill his heart with love of Him and dedicate his tongue to the remembrance of Him. In contrast to the one whose sole concern and dedication is this life and its affairs. In such a case, Allah will make him dependant on himself, and thus, he will carry the burden of his concerns, sadness, and grief alone. This person’s heart is not immersed in love of Allah because it is too busy in loving the creation, and his tongue is not busy remembering Allah, because he only remembers the creation. He dedicates his energy to other than the obedience of Allah by serving the creation instead, striving hard in such a cause, as a beast of burden would do in the service of others” – Al Fawaid, by Ibn Al-Qayyim, p110.
Mu3adh bin Jabal radi Allahu anhu advised his son, “My son! Perform the prayer of a man who is just about to leave (this life) and imagine that you might not be able to pray ever gain. Know that the believer dies between two good deeds, one that he performed and one that he intended to perform later on” – Sifatu As-Safwah, Vol. 1 p496.
Bakr Al-Muzani’s piece of advice would help us in performing the Salah perfectly and properly. He said, “If you want your Salah to be of any benefit to you, say to yourself, ‘I might not have a chance to perform another Salah’. As long as you are still in Salah, you are knocking at the door the King (Allah). Verily, he who knocks at the King’s door, He will open it for him” – Jami, Al’-ulum Wal-Hikam P466.
Al-Qasim bin Muhammad said, “Whenever I went out in the morning, I used to visit Aisha radi Allahu anha (his aunt and the wife of the Prophet sallahu alyihi wa sallam) and greet her. One day I found her performing the Duha prayer (a mid-morning voluntary Salah) reciting this Ayah repeatedly, while crying and invoking Allah, “So Allah has been Gracious to us, and has saved us from the Torment of the Fire” –Chapter 52, verse 27. I stood there until I felt bored, so I left and went to the market to do something and said to myself that when I finish what I had to do, I would go back (to Aisha radi Allahu anhu). When I finished my work and work and went back to her, I found her still standing in Salah, reciting the same Ayah, crying and invoking Allah” – Il-Ihya, Vol. 4, p436.
Maymun bin Hayyan said, “I never saw Muslim bin Yasar turning his head while praying, whether the prayer was short or long. Once, a part of the Masjid came down and the noise caused fear to the people who were in the market. He was in the Masjid (when this occurred), but he did not show any fear nor even turn his head but he kept on praying” – Az-Zuhd, by Imam Ahmad, p359.
Hatim Al-Asamm was asked about his Salah and he said, “When it is near the time of Salah, I perform a perfect Wudu’ and proceed to where I am going to pray and sit down there until the Salah begins. I become fully attentive to what I am about to do. I then stand up and pray, imagining that the Ka3bah is in front of my eyes, Paradise to my right, Hell-fire to my left and the Angel of Death behind me. I imagine that it is the last Salah I am about to perform, stand up in hope (in Allah, His Paradise and reward) and fear (from Allah’s torment in the Hell-fire) and recite the Takbir with concentration. I recite the Quran calmly, make Ruku’ humbly, go into Sujud with Khushu and then sit on my left leg, with the left foot laid on the floor and the right foot raised up, al the while praying with sincerity. Afterwards, I do not know (nor feel certain) if that Salah was accepted from me [because of his humbleness]” –Al-Ihya vol.1 p179.
Also see: JOY OF SALAH
