Khushoo‘ generally refers to the state of the heart when it stands before its Lord in full submission, humility and absolute concentration; it also represents the tenderness of the heart, as well as its tranquility, humbleness and passion. Khushoo’ transpires only when the fire of desire is extinguished, and instead the light of veneration radiates the heart; and when the magnificence, reverence and glory of Allah The Almighty are present in the heart.
A denominator of manners, creed and deeds, Khushoo’ equips all with the fear of Allah The Almighty, thereby yielding a benefit in both one’s self and the heart. In fact, it is a prerequisite in the Sharee'ah and an etiquette in the Sunnah, and it involves full submission to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds.
Al-Junayd said: "Khushoo‘ means the humbleness of heart before the Knower of the unseen.” And when the heart, the sovereign of the body, is humble, it is reflected in a person’s hearing, sight, countenance and other senses, as well as one’s actions and speech.
Khushoo’ is the perpetual consciousness of the heart and the invigoration of its spirit, pulsation and inspirations, so that it does not fall prey to lethargy. Moreover, it sets precautions against its evil thoughts and insinuations, ignorance, heedlessness and instigations, so that the heart is protected from deviation or harshness.
Khushoo’ can also denote beneficial knowledge that is directly reflected in what it causes of tranquility, fear, humility and submissiveness before Allah, in the heart. However, these are only a fraction of the never-ending effects of Khushoo‘.
Zayd ibn Arqam, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Prophet, , used to say in his supplication: "Allahumma innee a‘oothu bika min ‘Ilmin la-yanfa‘, wa-qalbin la yakhsha‘ wanafsin laa-tashba’ wa-min da‘watin la tustajaab (O Allah! I seek refuge with You from knowledge that does not benefit, a heart that does not have khushoo‘, a soul that does not feel content and a supplication that is not answered.)" [Muslim]
In His Book, Allah The Almighty praised those who are humbly submissive before His majesty, Saying (what means):
· {Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds and supplicate Us in hope and fear, and they were to Us humbly submissive.} [Quran 21: 90]
· {Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humbly submissive men and humble submissive women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so - for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.} [Quran 33: 35]
Benefits of Khushoo’
One of the foremost benefits those with Khushoo‘ attain, is the forgiveness of Allah The Almighty; that not only expunges a person’s record of evil deeds, but increases his or her good acts and reward. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And indeed, among the People of the Scripture are those who believe in Allah and what was revealed to you and what was revealed to them, [being] humbly submissive to Allah. They do not exchange the verses of Allah for a small price. Those will have their reward with their Lord. Indeed, Allah is swift in account.} [Quran 3: 199].
Furthermore, He gave glad tidings to the humbly submissive, when He Said (what means): {For your god is one God, so to Him submit. And, [O Muhammad], give glad tidings to the humble [before their Lord]} [Quran 22: 34]
In another verse, Allah The Almighty attributed the quality of Khushoo’ to believers, who perform the most dignified act of worship: prayer; He stated that such people are on the pathway to success in this world and the Hereafter. And, indeed, a believer senses the effect of Khushoo’ in his or her heart and in his or her daily life, as per the promise of Allah The Almighty, when He Says (what means): {Certainly will the believers have succeeded:* Those who are during their prayer humbly submissive.} [Quran 23: 1-2]
Furthermore, Allah The Almighty praises those who have knowledge among His slaves as having Khushoo’ when they listen to His Words. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, those who were given knowledge before it - when it is recited to them, they fall upon their faces in prostration,* And they say, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled."* And they fall upon their faces weeping, and the Quran increases them in humble submission.} [Quran 17: 107-109]
Possessing Khushoo‘ is also the way to achieving the highest degree of Al-Firdaws in Paradise. Allah The Almighty Says (what means):
· {Indeed, they who have believed and done righteous deeds and humbled themselves to their Lord - those are the companions of Paradise; they will abide eternally therein.} [Quran 11: 23]
· {Those are the inheritors.* Who will inherit Al-Firdaws. They will abide therein eternally.} [Quran 23: 10-11]
Khushoo‘ also manifests itself in steadfastness in the Way of Allah The Almighty, as He Says (what means): {And so those who were given knowledge may know that it is the truth from your Lord and [therefore] believe in it, and their hearts humbly submit to it. And indeed is Allah the Guide of those who have believed to a straight path.} [Quran 22: 54]
Furthermore, a heart that is humbly submissive is safe from Satan, as Sahl said: "A person whose heart has Khushoo’ cannot be approached by Satan."
Thus, to acquire Khushoo’ is to attain a sublime rank; if it had not been the case, the best generation of Muslims – the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them – would not have been censured by Allah The Almighty in the following verse, for not having reached it early on. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly disobedient.* Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its lifelessness. We have made clear to you the signs; perhaps you will understand.} [Quran 57: 16-17].
Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, tells us: "Only four years passed after we had embraced Islam, when Allah The Almighty reprimanded us with the [aforementioned] verse.” [Muslim] Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Allah The Almighty saw that the hearts of the believers should have reached the state of Khushoo’ earlier. Thus, He reproached them [for that] at the beginning of the thirteenth year since the revelation of the Quran [commenced]."
A Valuable Quality
Khushoo’ will be the first good characteristic to be taken away from this Ummah. Shaddaad ibn ’Aws, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, , said: "Khushoo‘ will be the first thing to be removed from the people." In a similar narration by Abu Ad-Dardaa’, may Allah be pleased with him, he, , said: "The first quality to be taken away from this ’Ummah is Khushoo’, [to the extent] that you will not find anyone with this trait."
Moreover, Huthayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, , cautioned: "The first thing that you will lose of your religion is Khushoo’, and the last thing that you will lose of your religion is prayer."