Very Important Question!

[Abdinuur]

For those of us that pray salaat (and if you dont, you should definitely start now!), how do you keep yourself focus when you're doing the actual salaat?

 

Sometimes I do stay focus, but most of the time I see myself wondering around in my head and thinking about unnecessary things. Things that I want to do for the week, pple I should call, exams, money...etc...

 

Please share with us how you stay away from thinking about these things while in salaat and pray a salaat that you feel good about.

 

Thanks.

 

P.S.

Seriously, start salaat if you arent doing it now cuzz this is the only thing that we can do in the least...without salaat man...I dont know...Allah knows best!

[Nur]

Walaal Kaafi

 

I have the same problem, mine is about business, The minute I say Allah Akbar, Satan goes to work to take any fraction of my prayer he can claim. He is even helpful at times, he lures me with new topics that I should write about on this forum, and other times, he proposes good business deals that I can close within days. It only shows how important Salat is, and inshAllah, I will contribute an article on this topic, Jazaakallahu Khairan for your suggestion, an important topic indeed.

 

Nur

[Raxmah]

Asalamu alaikum

 

I would like to share this, I found it very helpful.

 

Evil whispers during prayer and at other times come from the Shaytaan, who is keen to misguide the Muslim and deprive him of good and keep it far away from him. One of the Sahaabah complained to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about waswaas during prayer, and he said: “The Shaytaan comes between me and my prayers and my recitation, confusing me therein.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “That is a devil called Khanzab. If he affects you seek refuge in Allah from him and spit drily to your left three times.” He [the Sahaabi] said, I did that and Allaah took him away from me.

 

(Narrated by Muslim, 2203)

 

Proper focus (khushoo’) is the essence of prayer. Prayer without proper focus is like a body without a soul. The following are two of the things that help one to develop the proper focus:

 

1 – Striving to think about what you are saying and doing, pondering the meanings of the Qur’aan, dhikr and du’aa’s that you are reciting; bearing in mind that you are conversing with Allaah as if you can see Him. For when the worshipper stands to pray, he is speaking to his Lord, and ihsaan means worshipping Allaah as if you are seeing Him, and knowing that even though you cannot see Him, He sees you. Every time a person experiences the sweetness of prayer, he will be more inclined to do it. [?]. This depends of the strength of one's faith – and there are many means of strengthening one’s faith. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Of the things of your world, women and perfume have been made dear to me, and my joy is in prayer.” According to another hadeeth he said, “Let us relax, O Bilal, with prayer,” and he did not say, Give us a break from it.

 

2 – Striving to ward off the things that may distract you during prayer, namely thinking about things that are irrelevant or distracting. Waswaas affects each person differently, because waswaas has to do with a person’s level of doubts and desires and the degree to which a person is attached to other things or is fearing other things.

 

 

With regard to what you say about the waswaas reaching such a great level that you have begun to experience waswaas that makes you think about Allaah in ways that are not appropriate, these are evil whispers from the Shaytaan. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

 

“And if an evil whisper from Shaytaan (Satan) tries to turn you away (O Muhammad) (from doing good), then seek refuge in Allaah. Verily, He is the All‑Hearer, the All‑Knower”

 

[Fussilat 41:36]

 

Some of the Sahaabah complained about the waswaas that was bothering [?] them. Some of the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said to him, ‘We find in ourselves thoughts that are too terrible to speak of.’ He said, ‘Are you really having such thoughts?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘That is a clear sign of faith.’” (Narrated by Muslim). (Narrated by Muslim, 132 from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah).

 

Al-Nawawi said in his commentary on this hadeeth: “The Prophet’s words, ‘That is a clear sign of faith’ means, the fact that think of this waswaas as something terrible is a clear sign of faith, for if you dare not utter it and you are so afraid of it and of speaking of it, let alone believing it, this is the sign of one who has achieved perfect faith and who is free of doubt.”

 

And it was said that what it means is that the Shaytaan only whispers to those whom he despairs of tempting, because he is unable to tempt them. As for the kaafir, he can approach him in any manner he wants and is not restricted to waswaas, rather he can play with him however he wants. Based on this, what the hadeeth means is that the cause of waswaas is pure faith, or that waswaas is a sign of pure faith.

 

The fact that you hate that and your heart recoils from it is a clear sign of faith. Waswaas happens to everyone who turns to Allaah by reciting dhikr etc. It is inevitable, but you have to be steadfast and patient, and persevere with your dhikr and prayer, and not give up, because in this way you will ward off the plot of the Shaytaan. “Ever feeble indeed is the plot of Shaytaan” [al-Nisa’ 4:76 – interpretation of the meaning]. Every time a person wants to turn to Allaah, waswaas brings other matters to mind. The Shaytaan is like a bandit: every time a person wants to move towards Allaah, he wants to block the way. Hence when it was said to one of the salaf that the Jews and Christians say, “We do not experience waswaas,” he said, “They are speaking the truth, for what would the Shaytaan do with a house in ruins?”

 

 

The remedy:

 

1 – If you feel that you are being affected by this waswaas, say, “Aamantu Billaahi wa Rasoolihi (I believe in Allaah and His Messenger).” It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Shaytaan comes to one of you and says, ‘Who created you?’ And he says ‘Allaah.’ Then the Shaytaan says, ‘Who created Allaah?’ If that happens to any one of you, let him say, Aamantu Billaahi wa Rusulihi (I believe in Allaah and His Messenger). Then that will go away from him.”

 

(Narrated by Ahmad, 25671; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in al-Saheehah, 116).

 

2 – Try to stop thinking about that as much as possible, and keep busy with things that will distract you from it.

 

Finally keep on turning to Allaah in all situations, and to ask Him for help, and to beseech Him, and to ask Him to make you steadfast until death, and to cause you to die doing righteous deeds… And Allaah knows best.

[Abdinuur]

Raxmah, Excellent article..thank you kindly!

 

Nur...that happens to me as well. Actually, it is only in salaat when I start remembering things that I should've done or forgotten...this is so weird...you sort of priorities things in your head as you pray, but again, it shows how important salaat is..

 

Have you guys experienced this: yawning when you're in salaat...

 

...this happens to me most of the times...I dont usually yawn other times...even if I'm sleepy. It only happens whenever I do salaat...again, it shows how important salaat is.

[nafta]

what i do normally, and i have found it works for me, is i picture myself standing in front of the kacba and doing my prayer in front of that. I get this happy feeling all inside and when ever i finish the salaat i actually feel i have accomplished something, It's the most wonderful feeling you can have, walahi....allahu akbar.

 

Brothers and Sisters try that out and you will find that nothing can distract you or even mislead you, insha allah it will work for you. Because it's said, Allah will mislead those who he wants, because he alone can see through your feelings and inside and portray that...so make sure you are totally focused when committing to the salaat and you might not even need to picture anything to help you guide along.

 

Allah knows best

[StarGazer]

First of all, I really appreciate the article sister Raxmah! Excellent.

 

"Striving to ward off the things that may distract you during prayer, namely thinking about things that are irrelevant or distracting. Waswaas affects each person differently, because waswaas has to do with a person’s level of doubts and desires and the degree to which a person is attached to other things or is fearing other things"

 

So true....for example my weakness is music (I will do something about Insha allah) and b'coz am attached to it....sometimes am in the middle of a prayer and a song will pop into my mind, subxanallah. I immediately say Acuudibilaah and try to focus by looking straight down the sajayah (prayer rug). Don't close your eyes, its a call for more distraction. You will get lost in your own thoughts.

 

Kaafi, about the yawning part, well it happens to me when I get up for Fajr. Best think to do is try to recite loudly and clearly so that you're aware of what you're saying.

 

I get distracted when I pray in public ie. work. Its something I have to work on! I guess I get self-conscious.

[Nur]

Baarakallhu feek, Bro. Kaafi, you have realy underscored the most important line, The Importance of Salaat.

 

 

Raxmah Sis.

 

Jazakellahu Khairan sis

 

A very informative contribution, now we need to walk our talk, with Allah's help we shall be able to focus on our prayers.

 

In our prayers we read Al Fatixa, in which we address Allah SWT with exalted praises and gratefulnes, afterwards, we submit our requests of guidance and two special, specific requests not to fall in a class of people who knowingly resisit the guidance of Allah SWT ( Maghduubi Caleyhim) and a class of people who miss the objectives of service to Allah, and hence go astray ( Daalliin)

 

Now, you can see why Satan interrupts this valuable dialogue we communicate with allah 17 times a day and up to 40 times if we do our Sunnah and nightly naafil prayers.

 

Sheikh Ibn Qayim al Jawziyah has written a great book on two of the most important verses in Faatixa we read daily, ( Iyaaka nacbudu wa Iyaaka nastaciin) and from the topology of the verse, it is a two way street, or a communication circuit, we offer IBAADAH to Allah ALONE, and in exchange we seek HELP, help to stay the course, so we can reach the promised land safely.

 

This verse guarantees that if we offer GOOD IBAADAH, that we will receive HELP to stay the course, and here lies the crux of the problem why the Malcuun Sheitaan is at it everytime we want to communicate with Allah SWT. So, let us pay close attention to what we say, so that we gain Khushuuuc when we pray.

 

To Be continued

 

Nur

[Abdinuur]

Nur,

 

Excellent! I agree!

 

Tamina & Nafta...thanks for contributing...we certainly need more & more info to continue educating ourselves thru this forum indirectly.

 

Thanks guys...

 

Carry on.

[Ladiif]

I found concentrating on the meaning of what I'm reading is kind of helpful. Whatever you read, read slowly and pay attention to the Qira'ada iyo macnahooda.

[La-y-La]

aniga hataa sidaas aan ahey. I seem to remember everything i have lost and keep getting ideas in ma head and it is really hard.

 

I try very hard to qashuuc while praying, but dont seem to happen, even though i luv praying, cuz it makes me feel so clean and pure.

 

Alhamdulilah, I have finally started prayin every salaat.

 

 

Raxmah n Nur, good points, very helpful.

 

peace.