Khushu' in Salah
بسم اللّٰه والحمد اللّٰه
والصلاة واسلام على رسول اللّٰه
- By Ruh
Allah ﷻ says:
Successful indeed are the believers. Those who in their prayer are khaashi’oon [have humility and attentiveness].
- [al-Muminoon 23:1-2]
We all desire to be focused in our salah, we hope to find comfort and peace within while we stand before our Lord ﷻ. However, we often find that our salah feels empty. One could say our salah is lacking in khushu', which is the soul of salah and it is something we all should strive to achieve.
DEFINITIONS AND USES:
In order for us to make an effort to find khushu' it is important to understand what is meant by the term. The dictionary definitions for the verb khasha'a (خَشَعَ) given are: to be submissive, be humble; to humble oneself, reduce to submission, to display humility; to be moved, be touched. The word khushu' (خُشُوعٌ), which we commonly use, is defined as: submissiveness, submission, humility.
From these definitions we can sense that this is not an empty humility, but a humility that takes root from a deep submission. As though one has reached a sense of reality that compels them to submit, a submission so real that it becomes apparent upon their limbs as well as in their heart.
Lanes Lexicon provides examples of how it is used to express a state of things:
خَشَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ
- The sun became eclipsed.
خَشَعَ الوَرَقُ
- The leaves withered.
خَشَعَتِ الأَرْضُ
- The earth, or land, dried up, not being rained upon.
From these examples we can see how they are overcome by these states, humbled by the restrictions placed upon them, abased and removed from the benefit that is sought from them, almost as though they have become worthless, powerless and in complete submission to the state they are in.
Allah ﷻ mentions the disbelievers to be in khushu' repeatedly in the Quran:
In order for us to make an effort to find khushu' it is important to understand what is meant by the term. The dictionary definitions for the verb khasha'a (خَشَعَ) given are: to be submissive, be humble; to humble oneself, reduce to submission, to display humility; to be moved, be touched. The word khushu' (خُشُوعٌ), which we commonly use, is defined as: submissiveness, submission, humility.
From these definitions we can sense that this is not an empty humility, but a humility that takes root from a deep submission. As though one has reached a sense of reality that compels them to submit, a submission so real that it becomes apparent upon their limbs as well as in their heart.
Lanes Lexicon provides examples of how it is used to express a state of things:
خَشَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ
- The sun became eclipsed.
خَشَعَ الوَرَقُ
- The leaves withered.
خَشَعَتِ الأَرْضُ
- The earth, or land, dried up, not being rained upon.
From these examples we can see how they are overcome by these states, humbled by the restrictions placed upon them, abased and removed from the benefit that is sought from them, almost as though they have become worthless, powerless and in complete submission to the state they are in.
Allah ﷻ mentions the disbelievers to be in khushu' repeatedly in the Quran:
[Some] faces, that Day, will be humbled, Working [hard] and exhausted. They will [enter to] burn in an intensely hot Fire.
- [al-Ghashiyah 88:2-4]
The Arabic khashi'atun (خَـٰشِعَةٌ) has been translated here as "humbled". Allah ﷻ is describing the state of the disbelievers on the Day of Judgement, how they will be exhausted and humbled. These people are seeing the realities they denied as well as the fulfillment of the promised punishment.
Allah ﷻ says:
The Day the shin will be uncovered and they are invited to prostration but they [i.e., the disbelievers] will not be able, Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. And they used to be invited to prostration while they were sound.
- [al-Qalam 68:42-43]
They are in complete submission to Allah ﷻ, without ability to act upon their own will, completely abased and disgraced, without hope. Unable to do anything but face the punishment of Allah ﷻ, with full conviction that this is just and deserved. "Their eyes humbled," almost as though the witnessing of events is a reason for this.
Perhaps it is something to consider when trying to understand what it means to be in khushu'.
"We have khushu' today in Salah, so we do not need to have it on the Day of Judgement."
QUALITIES OF THE KHASHI'OON:
Allah ﷻ says:
Now that we have an idea of what is meant to have khushu', we must look at whom Allah ﷻ is referring to when He ﷻ says:
Successful indeed are the believers. Those who in their prayer are khaashi’oon [have humility and attentiveness].
- [al-Muminoon 23:1-2]
Allah ﷻ gives us the answer to this in the following verse:
Those who know that they will meet their Lord, and that to Him they will return.
- [al-Baqarah 2:46]
Allah ﷻ mentions a mindset which He says is the quality of the ones that will find success, the ones with khushu' in prayer. This verse is part of a longer passage and we can learn much from this address.
Allah ﷻ says:
O Children of Israel! Remember My blessings which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill your pledge to Me, and I will fulfill My pledge to you, and fear Me. And believe in what I revealed, confirming what is with you; and do not be the first to deny it; and do not exchange My revelations for a small price; and be conscious of Me. And do not mix truth with falsehood, and do not conceal the truth while you know. And attend to your prayers, and practice regular charity, and kneel with those who kneel. Do you command people to virtuous conduct, and forget yourselves, even though you read the Scripture? Do you not understand? And seek help through patience and prayer. But it is difficult, except for the devout. Those who know that they will meet their Lord, and that to Him they will return.
- [al-Baqarah 2:40:46]
These verses were revealed in Medina, during a time when people were asking the educated Jews regarding the legitimacy of our beloved Prophet ﷺ. Allah ﷻ addresses the Jews of Medina, telling them that even with all their injustices, if they were to be patient upon righteous deeds and turn to Him in prayer, Allah ﷻ would have guided them. He would have taken them out of the darkness and into the light. The disobedient found it difficult and the devout found delight in pleasing Allah ﷻ and were guided to Islam, due to their patience upon good and their devotion to Allah ﷻ. Through their actions and their hearts. Allah ﷻ Says about them:
Those who know that they will meet their Lord, and that to Him they will return.
- [al-Baqarah 2:46]
This mentioning by Allah ﷻ, "Those who know that they will meet their Lord," has further connotations in Arabic from which we can surely take lesson. In Arabic, the way in which it is being said could be translated as, "They think they are meeting their Lord," with connotations of present as well as future. It is as though their mindset is such that they feel they are in meeting with their Lord in their worship, speaking to Him and asking of Him directly. This brings to mind Hadith Jibreel, where the Prophet ﷺ mentions regarding ihsan:
"Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not achieve this state of devotion, then (take it for granted that) Allah sees you."
- [al-Bukhari]
This highlights for us the mindset of one that can achieve khushu' in salah. People of this mindset will stay far from sin. To expect to find khushu' without an effort to refrain from what displeases Allah ﷻ in general is questionable. This is not to say that if one falls into sin he is lost, but what is being highlighted is the desire to do good, so strong that it pushes one to turn to Allah ﷻ in repentance and seeking assistance. With tears and full conviction that Allah ﷻ hears them and He knows of their sins, those they commit openly and in secret and turn to Him for forgiveness and guidance, motivated by the fear of His punishment and the hope of His forgiveness and mercy. To hope to achieve khushu' one must strive to do what pleases Allah ﷻ in general and strive to adorn themselves with the qualities of the believers.
QURAN AND KHUSHU':
QURAN AND KHUSHU':
Allah ﷻ says:
And they fall down upon their faces weeping, and it increases them in humility.
- [al-Isra 17:109]
What is being referred to here as "it" is the Quran. Allah ﷻ tells us the Quran will increase us in humility, in khushu'.
Allah ﷻ says:
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.
- [al-Ma'idah 57:16]
The verse begins with a call to the believers to have khushu' in their remembrance of Allah ﷻ. This can be understood in a general sense, that in our remembrance of Him we should be humbled. However, Allah continues and adds: "and what has come down of the truth?" This would be referring to the Quran which is the revelation that was sent down.
From this, it could be said that Allah ﷻ is telling us that our remembrance of Him should be with khushu', but also singling out the Quran, emphasising it as something to have khushu' towards. To have khushu' towards the Quran, to be humbled by it, would mean to believe and act upon what was sent down, to take heed of the warnings and the guidance.
Allah ﷻ continues with, "And let them not be like those," implying what follows are the qualities of the ones without khushu' and highlights certain characteristics they have.
Ibn Katheer explains:
Allah is prohibiting the believers from imitating those who were given the Scriptures before them, the Jews and Christians. As time passed, they changed the Book of Allah that they had, and sold it for a small, miserable price. They also abandoned Allah's Book behind their back and were impressed and consumed by various opinions and false creeds. They imitated the way others behaved with the religion of Allah, making their rabbis and priests into gods beside Allah. Consequently, their hearts became hard and they would not accept advice; their hearts did not feel humbled by Allah's promises or threats.
- [Tafsir Ibn Katheer]
Let us not abandon the Book of Allah ﷻ, in adherence as well as its recitation. Let us follow its guidance and let it take root within the depths of our hearts and let us recite it with conviction that this is the Words of your Lord, with humility. When we fall to sin let us not belittle them as though the warnings of Allah ﷻ are not true, as though our hearts will not get hard. We must strive to have khushu' towards Allah in our lives in general and this will be what increases us in khushu', returning back to the mindset of "They think the are meeting their Lord," the concept of "worship Allah as though you see Him." Such a person would be compelled to live in obedience, and feel deep regret in sin, being hasty to seek an accepted repentance. Let us be of those that feel humbled by the Quran and its glad tidings and warnings. Let us be like those when Allah ﷻ says:
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Believe in this ˹Quran˺, or do not. Indeed, when it is recited to those who were gifted with knowledge before it ˹was revealed˺, they fall upon their faces in prostration, and say, ‘Glory be to our Lord! Surely the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled.’ And they fall down upon their faces weeping, and it increases them in humility.”
- [al-Isra 17:107-109]
PREPARING FOR SALAH:
A big part of preparing for salah is to remove distraction, as those distractions can turn our heart away from the qiblah. When we pray we face the qiblah with our bodies but if we also face the qiblah with our hearts we will truly experience khushu'. As mentioned previously, our mindfulness outside salah will facilitate mindfulness within salah. If you force yourself to do something without understanding or desire it can be burdensome. If we are already immersed in a thing, it is much easier to to re-affirm that qiblah of the heart towards it, an act which can sometimes feel like chore becomes a source of comfort. In salah we sometimes fight to concentrate, almost too much to the extent we forget Allah ﷻ all together and are so focused on trying to focus. Like the concept of living in the moment, being present is completely lost.
Imam al-Ghazali (rh) mentions in his Ihya ʿUlum al-Din, points to consider when preparing for salah:
- Proper preparation for prayer, including thinking about the afterlife and standing before your Lord
- Removing from one’s immediate surroundings anything that can distract during prayer
- Removing from one’s life things that distract during prayer
- Removing from one’s heart love of this world, that is a root cause for much distraction
Spend some time before salah removing the distractions in your life from your heart and fill it with the remembrance of Allah ﷻ. Five minutes before you even approach wudhu, re-orientate yourself. Focus on who you are about to be in the presence of and ponder on the reality that there is nothing better for you than salah, there is no bigger issue than you meeting Allah ﷻ. Nothing in existence can bring you any benefit other than Allah ﷻ. He knows what is in your heart, He knows your stresses and pains. Allah ﷻ wants to give you ease, so prepare to go and find comfort with Him ﷻ, a moment where you can truly be calm, as you know there is nothing better for you than this.
Humran (ra), the freed slave of 'Uthman (ra) said:
I saw Uthman call for a vessel (of water) and poured water over his hands three times and then washed them. Then he put his right hand in the vessel and rinsed his mouth and cleaned his nose. Then he washed his face three times and his hands up to the elbow three times; then wiped his head, then washed his feet three times. Then he said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had said: He who performed ablution like this ablution of mine and offered two raka`ahs of prayer without allowing his thoughts to be distracted, all his previous sins would be expiated.
- [Sahih Muslim]
This prayer without distraction is the jewel we seek and it is attached to wudu, an act that has many narrations which speak of its virtues. This wudu could be considered to be done with khushu', fully focused on ensuring it is done just as the Prophet ﷺ did, in complete submission to Allah ﷻ. No distractions. Just in awe that they are called to speak to Allah ﷻ and exerting themselves to prepare for that in the best way they can.
Let us use the time of wudhu in submission, a time where we are crossing over from our connection to this world to the next, from the seen to the unseen. Let us complete our wudhu as though we are meeting our Lord, in a manner most pleasing to Him, out of humility for the truth that has been sent down, the guidance with which we have blessed.
Let us use the time of wudhu in submission, a time where we are crossing over from our connection to this world to the next, from the seen to the unseen. Let us complete our wudhu as though we are meeting our Lord, in a manner most pleasing to Him, out of humility for the truth that has been sent down, the guidance with which we have blessed.
Allah ﷻ says:
Let your salah be a manifestation of this and bring it to the forefront of your mind when you are approaching its time and as you enter it, for there is no help but with Him and know that this is the matter that Allah ﷻ will ask you about first.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
Contemplate on this, think about who it is that you are meeting, as well as your meeting with Him on the Day of Judgement. This may very well be your last prayer, so it would be wise to remember the advice of the Prophet ﷺ:
When we are performing salah we should have the mindset that Allah ﷻ is aware of our actions and the states of our hearts.
Allah ﷻ Says:
Take this advice to heart and try to pray as though it is your last. What type of prayer would you want your last prayer to be? Focus on this point throughout your prayer, that this could be the last and be present with Allah ﷻ. Pray slowly, focusing on the words we recite, the duas we make, the praises we we say. Focus on each word, each syllable, striving to bring meaning into each utterance, being present in heart and body. Also be mindful of how you are standing and bowing and prostrating to Allah ﷻ, be calm and conscious of your limbs as they worship Him.
Within prayer, even after all the precautions, we can also find that we still get distracted. Uthman b. Abu al-'As (ra) reported that he came to Allah's Messenger ﷺ and said:
Remember that even the most righteous get distracted in salah. It is rare to find that the entire salah is in khushu', however, this doesn't mean we do not try to fight off distractions and reaffirm our qiblah of our hearts. The Prophet ﷺ advises two things here; to seek refuge with Allah ﷻ and spit (dry) three times to your left. Recognise that shaytan is trying to distract you and that following the advice of the Prophet ﷺ with conviction and meaning, in sha Allah, will help remove this distraction.
Verily, Allah loves those who rely upon Him.
- [Ali 'Imran 3:159]
Let your salah be a manifestation of this and bring it to the forefront of your mind when you are approaching its time and as you enter it, for there is no help but with Him and know that this is the matter that Allah ﷻ will ask you about first.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Indeed the first deed by which a servant will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection is his Salat. If it is complete, he is successful and saved, but if it is defective, he has failed and lost.
- [at-Tirmidhi - Sahih]
Contemplate on this, think about who it is that you are meeting, as well as your meeting with Him on the Day of Judgement. This may very well be your last prayer, so it would be wise to remember the advice of the Prophet ﷺ:
“When you stand for your prayer, pray as if you are saying farewell.”
- [Sunan ibn Majah - Sahih]
When we are performing salah we should have the mindset that Allah ﷻ is aware of our actions and the states of our hearts.
Allah ﷻ Says:
Know that Allah knows what is within yourselves, so beware of Him, and know that Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing.
- [al-Baqarah 2:235]
Verily, Allah is every watchful over you.
- [an-Nisa 4:1]
Take this advice to heart and try to pray as though it is your last. What type of prayer would you want your last prayer to be? Focus on this point throughout your prayer, that this could be the last and be present with Allah ﷻ. Pray slowly, focusing on the words we recite, the duas we make, the praises we we say. Focus on each word, each syllable, striving to bring meaning into each utterance, being present in heart and body. Also be mindful of how you are standing and bowing and prostrating to Allah ﷻ, be calm and conscious of your limbs as they worship Him.
Within prayer, even after all the precautions, we can also find that we still get distracted. Uthman b. Abu al-'As (ra) reported that he came to Allah's Messenger ﷺ and said:
Allah's Messenger, the Satan intervenes between me and my prayer and my reciting of the Qur'an and he confounds me. Thereupon Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "That is (the doing of a) Satan (devil) who is known as Khinzab, and when you perceive its effect, seek refuge with Allah from it and spit three times to your left." I did that and Allah dispelled that from me.
- [Sahih Muslim]
Remember that even the most righteous get distracted in salah. It is rare to find that the entire salah is in khushu', however, this doesn't mean we do not try to fight off distractions and reaffirm our qiblah of our hearts. The Prophet ﷺ advises two things here; to seek refuge with Allah ﷻ and spit (dry) three times to your left. Recognise that shaytan is trying to distract you and that following the advice of the Prophet ﷺ with conviction and meaning, in sha Allah, will help remove this distraction.
THE DOMAIN OF SALAH:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
In this hadith there is no mention of a prayer of khushu', rather, the act of preparing and waiting for salah is highlighted by its virtue. Let us ponder on this, the fact that we are rewarded so long as we are in the domain of salah.
The Prophet ﷺ said, "One of you continues to be in prayer as long as he is waiting for prayer." How often do we really wait for salah, rather, we rush to it and rush out of it. Prepare for salah earlier and sit in remembrance of Allah ﷻ. Know, whatever issue or anxiety you have, whatever is in your mind, know that Allah ﷻ is the One that can help in those matters and you are about to speak with Him, you are in the best of hands, and to rely upon Allah ﷻ is beloved to Him.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
The prayer of a man in congregation is twenty-five times greater than prayer in his home or shop, because when he performs ablution in a good manner and leaves to the mosque only to perform prayer, then his every step will raise him a degree and expiate a sin until he enters the mosque. When he is performing prayer, the angels send blessings upon him for as long as he remains in his place of prayer. They say: O Allah, bless him and have mercy upon him. One of you continues to be in prayer as long as he is waiting for prayer.
- [Sahih al-Bukhari]
In this hadith there is no mention of a prayer of khushu', rather, the act of preparing and waiting for salah is highlighted by its virtue. Let us ponder on this, the fact that we are rewarded so long as we are in the domain of salah.
The Prophet ﷺ said, "One of you continues to be in prayer as long as he is waiting for prayer." How often do we really wait for salah, rather, we rush to it and rush out of it. Prepare for salah earlier and sit in remembrance of Allah ﷻ. Know, whatever issue or anxiety you have, whatever is in your mind, know that Allah ﷻ is the One that can help in those matters and you are about to speak with Him, you are in the best of hands, and to rely upon Allah ﷻ is beloved to Him.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
The time after salah is clearly blessed, with so many duas we have that the Prophet ﷺ would make after salah. Make sure to use this time to reflect on your salah and seek forgiveness for the shortcomings and ask Allah ﷻ to increase you in khushu’. The Prophet ﷺ, in the hadith where he mentions salah being the first matter we will be questioned on, continues:
Recognise your deficiencies and make up for them through your sunnah and nafl prayers. This is surely part of our devotion and reverence for Allah ﷻ, recognising that you are deficient and trying to make up for it as advised by His Messenger ﷺ. This surely must be a sign of khushu'.
FINAL WORDS:
I hope through this read you have found a deeper understanding of khushu' and it provides you with some assistance as you tread on the path to find closeness to Him.
“The angels invoke blessings on any of you who remains in his prayer place as long as he does not invalidate his ablution, saying, ‘O Allaah, forgive him; O Allaah, have mercy on him.’”
- [Sahih al-Bukhari]
The time after salah is clearly blessed, with so many duas we have that the Prophet ﷺ would make after salah. Make sure to use this time to reflect on your salah and seek forgiveness for the shortcomings and ask Allah ﷻ to increase you in khushu’. The Prophet ﷺ, in the hadith where he mentions salah being the first matter we will be questioned on, continues:
“If it is complete (the prayer), he is successful and saved, but if it is defective, he has failed and lost. So if something is deficient in his obligatory (prayers) then the Lord, Mighty and Sublime says: 'Look! Are there any voluntary (prayers) for my worshipper?' So with them, what was deficient in his obligatory (prayers) will be completed. Then the rest of his deeds will be treated like that."
- [at-Tirmidhi - Sahih]
Recognise your deficiencies and make up for them through your sunnah and nafl prayers. This is surely part of our devotion and reverence for Allah ﷻ, recognising that you are deficient and trying to make up for it as advised by His Messenger ﷺ. This surely must be a sign of khushu'.
FINAL WORDS:
I hope through this read you have found a deeper understanding of khushu' and it provides you with some assistance as you tread on the path to find closeness to Him.
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