Means to Attain Khushoo’ in Prayer

14-10-2021 | IslamWeb

Question:

Long time i enjoy doing prayer,but after i make many sin and repent from it. Im not enjoying doing my prayer, my khushoo' decrease , i feel like i just canceling my obligationI want to prayer like the people that reach ihsaan do , can you give me the answer ?

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

There is no doubt that Khushoo’ [proper focus, submissiveness, humility and reverence in Prayer] is the soul and core of the Prayer, and Allah Almighty linked the success of the believers with Khushoo’ in their Prayers.

Allah Says (what means): {Certainly will the believers have succeeded: They who are during their prayer humbly submissive.} [Quran 23:1-2]

We have previously clarified some means that will help in obtaining Khushoo’ in Prayer in many Fatawa, among which are the following:

1) Remembering death and contemplating the matters of the Hereafter. It was narrated that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Remember death in your Prayer, for if a man remembers death in his Prayer, it is most likely for him to perform his Prayer in the best manner.” [Al-Bayhaqi in the Book Az-Zuhd Al-Kabeer, and the author of Kinz Al-Ummaal] [Al-Albaani classified it as Hasan in as-Silsilah as-Saheehah, and in Saheeh al-Jaami’]

2) Visiting graves: Anas ibn Maalik  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “I forbade you from visiting graves, but then it appeared to me that it softens the heart, makes the eyes cry, and reminds of the Hereafter, so you may now visit them, and do not say something that is contrary to the Sharee’ah.” [Ahmad and authenticated by Al-Albani]

3) Striving to purify the heart and to soften it: if the heart becomes pure and soft, then no doubt, Khoshoo’ will be attained. Among the matters that make the heart become soft is feeding the needy and wiping over the head of an orphan. Abu Hurayrah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that a man complained to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) about the harshness of his heart, and he [the Prophet] said to him: “If you want to soften your heart, so feed the poor and wipe over the head of the orphan.” [Ahmed and Al-Albani classified it as Hassan]

4) Avoiding sins, as sins cause darkness in the heart, heedlessness about Allah, and confusion and preoccupation of the mind, especially being attached to forbidden desires.

5) Remembrance of Allah as much as possible, recitation of the Quran, and reading the Ahadeeth of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) for this softens the heart, inculcates fear in it, and brings about Khoshoo’.

6) Reading the biographies of the righteous predecessors of this nation among the Companions, the Taabi’een and the generation that followed the Taab’een [for these are the three best generations] to learn about the level of their piety, their asceticism, and their Khoshoo’ (reverence) in their worship.

7) Keeping company with the righteous people, doing the same acts like them, and cooperating with them in goodness, and staying away from a bad company and the perpetrators of evil, because their company causes bad consequences to the person.

8) Supplicating Allah Almighty to bless the person with Khoshoo’ in prayer as Allah owns the hearts and turns them the way He wishes. One should also seek refuge with Allah from the lack of Khoshoo’ of the heart. Anas  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) used to supplicate with the following supplication: “(O Allah, I seek refuge with You from knowledge that is of no benefit, a heart that is not humble, a soul that is not satisfied, and a supplication that is not heard.)'" [Ahmad and An-Nasaa’i; Al-Albani classified it as Saheeh (authentic)]

9) Contemplating this temporary world which is worthless, and in the Sight of Allah it is not even equal to a wing of a mosquito. This helps a person become ascetic in it and long for the Hereafter that calls him to have Khoshoo’.

These are some of the reasons that we recommend ourselves and you – dear brother – to acquire, so that we may attain Khoshoo’ in order that Allah will be pleased with it.

For more benefit about Khushoo' in Prayer, please refer to Fatawa 384499, 415666 and 74911.

Allah Knows best.

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