Khushu
We perform Salah five times a day but can we honestly say that we have Khushu in it. When some of us pray, we go into autopilot or we daydream, but we should realise that the Salah is like a gift from Allah and that is how we should treat it. Being able to stand in front of Allah five times a day is an honour and we really should make the most out of our Salah and to do this we need to have Khushu.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِۚ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ
And seek help through patience and prayer; and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah] (Al Khasi’in – Those who have Khushu)
(2:45)
Khushu means humility. It is to be humble in front of Allah. It also means serenity, tranquillity and dignity. To have Khushu a person needs to fear Allah and know that He is always watching.
Khushu also means that the heart stands before the Lord in humility and submission. (Al Madarij)
حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ
Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle [i.e., 'asr] prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.
(2:238)
Part of obedience is to bow, to be solemn and submissive, to lower one’s gaze and to humble oneself out of fear of Allah, may He be Glorified. (Ta’zim Qadr al Salah)
Allah says:
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ
Certainly will the believers have succeeded:
الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ
الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ
They who are during their prayer humbly submissive
(23:1-2)
Khushu is developed in the heart (that is why I decided to do a post about it and to benefit my brothers and sisters in the deen) and the results of it manifest on the body. This brings to mind the hadith of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمwho said: “Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body, if it becomes good (reformed), the whole body becomes good, but if it gets spoilt, the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart.” (Sahih Bukhari)
Shaitan, who wishes to mislead mankind, tries to distract us during Salah so that we lose the reward and sweetness of Salah and he also tries to divert us getting closer to Allah hence why some people get a lot of waswas during Salah. May Allah save us from the cursed one.
The Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم also said:
“The first thing of your religion that you will lose is Khushu, and the last thing that you will lose of your religion is Salah. There may be a person praying who has no goodness in him, and soon you will enter the masjid and not find anyone who has Khushu” (Al-Madarij)
So in these difficult times where we are drawing closer to the Day of Judgement, day by day, we really need to hold fast to our deen and try to improve our Salah so that we may please Allah and draw closer to Him, Most Glorified and Exalted is He.
May Allah make it easy for us to gain Khushu.
More posts about Khushu heading your way in’shaa’Allah
(A reminder to myself first and foremost)
