Attaining Khushū’ in Salāh
3 Points to always bear in mind:
– Change your view of Salāh: Not to only fulfil an obligation but to also attain well-being and spirituality (body and soul)
– Utter every word in Salāh as if you are conversing with Allah directly
– Attempt to engage your heart into whatever you are saying: Love, Fear, Hope, Submission, etc.
In Wudhū’:
– Engage your heart in intending purification from 3 things: (1) Shirk (2) Sins (3) Dirt
Walking to the Mosque:
– Intend to walk to the mosque as if you are returning to Allah to reconcile with Him in His House
– Try to arrive early in order to be tranquil rather than rush for that Rak’ah!
Takbīr:
– Clear your heart from everything except Allah
– Rid your heart from any inkling of pride
– Intend to exalt Allah with your heart and tongue
Dua al-Istiftāh:
– Fill your heart will full exaltation of your Lord (one Du’ā)
– Intend to renew your repentance and be truthful to act on it after finishing the Salāh (another Du’ā)
Al-Isti’ādhah:
– Seek assistance by taking refuge with Allah from your most deadliest enemy
Al-Fātihah:
– Stop at every verse and contemplate on Allah’s response to you
– Actualise the ‘All Perfect Praises’ with your tongue and limbs
– Ponder over the apparent Mercy of Allah to attain His Love
– Visualise your condition on the Day of Judgement
– Recognise your need to worship Him – the purpose of creation itself
– Bring to mind the importance of Hidāyah
– Know that ‘an’amtha’ is from ‘ni’mah ’- the 4 categories of Believers: ‘the Prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the rigthteous’ in lieu of ‘ni’mah’ to mean ‘wealth, children and all other worldly gains’
– Examine yourself: make sure to follow the truth when you know it to avoid being angry with (like the Jews) or to go astray without knowledge and be lost (like the Christians)
Al-Ta’mīn:
– Be positive in its response and have certainty in it
– Intend for it to concord with the Angels’ Ta’mīn to procure forgiveness
– Raise your voice for it is a symbol of Islam and despised by the Jews
Rukū’:
– Intend to exalt Allah Alone
– Extract from your heart any exaltation for anyone else besides Allah
– Remind yourself of how this position is a great sign of submission (was too much for the arrogant polytheists to perform)
Standing from Rukū’:
– Renew your thoughts/feelings of ‘Praise’ and intend for it to also concord with the Angels’ to procure forgiveness
Sujūd:
– Actualise this position with complete neediness and submission
– Taste the delight of being close to Allah
– Take advantage to make plentiful Du’ās
Sitting in between the two Prostrations:
– Imagine a boulder over your head about to drop unless you win Allah’s forgiveness (must plead earnestly like as if you are in a court case)
Tashahhud:
– Bring to mind that this is the farewell to your potential last Salāh on earth
– Imagine the Prophet in front of you while sending Salām upon him with his return
– Recognise the importance of the communal Believers: dead and alive
– Renew your conviction of Tawhīd with the Shahādatayn
Taslīm:
– Feel the pain in returning to the anxieties and hardships of the Dunyā
– Be cognizant of sending Salām upon the Angels on your sides
After Taslīm:
– Stay seated in your place and stay focused on your Adhkār – rather than observing on what’s happening around you
– Give yourself a score out of 10 for the Khushū that was present in that Salāh: try to always improve on that until you can regularly score 10 by Allah’s Permission
– Be sure to feel happy that Allah gave you Tawfīq to complete the Salāh and hope that He does so again for your next Salāh
Tasfiya Tarbiya 