There are several things for this. For example:
(1) Being prompt and prepared on time for Salah:
There are also several things for this. For example, responding to the Adhan. After that, recite the Sunnah supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ، آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ، وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ
“O Allah! Lord of this perfect call and the established prayer! Grant Muhammad, peace be upon him, the position of intercession and the rank of excellence, and raise him to the praised station which You have promised him.”
Supplicate during the time between Adhan and Iqamah. Perform Wudu according to Sunnah and say Bismillah before it, then recite the Sunnah supplication and remembrance after it:
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
“I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, He has no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad, peace be upon him, is His servant and Messenger.”
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنَ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ
“O Allah! Make me among those who repent much and among those who purify themselves well.”
Arranging for Miswak:
And to clean the mouth because shortly after, the Quran will be recited from it. It is mentioned in the noble Hadith:
طهروا أفواهكم للقرآن
“Keep your mouth clean for the Quran.”
Wearing Proper Clothes:
Allah Almighty says:
يَا بَنِي آدَمَ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ
“O children of Adam! Wear your adornment at every time of prayer.”
And Allah Almighty is most deserving that a servant should adorn himself for Him. Psychologically, a person also gains great comfort from beautiful clothes, unlike sleeping clothes or work clothes.
The clothing should be properly covering (modest) and at the same time, cleanliness of the place should be ensured. Go to the mosque early.
While going to the mosque, maintain calmness and dignity, do not walk with fingers interlocked, and upon arrival, wait for the prayer.
Keep the rows straight, stand together with your companions, because devils enter the gaps inside the rows.
(2) Performing Prayer with Calmness and Tranquility:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, used to perform his prayer with great calmness and tranquility, and after each posture, he would pause long enough for every bone to settle in its place.
And the Prophet, peace be upon him, specifically admonished the “Masi al-Salat” (the one who errs in his prayer) by saying:
لا تتم صلاة أحدكم حتى يفعل ذلك
“None of you can complete his prayer until he performs these actions (dignity and tranquility).”
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
أسوأ الناس سرقة الذى يسرق من صلاته، قالوا يا رسول الله كيف يسرق صلاته؟ قال لا يتم ركوعها ولا سجودها
“The worst thief among people in terms of theft is the one who steals in his prayer.” It was asked: O Messenger of Allah, how does one steal in prayer? He said: “He does not complete his bowing and prostration.”
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Abdullah al-Ash’ari, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
مثل الذى لا يتم ركوعه، وينقر فى سجوده مثل الجائع يأكل التمرة والتمرتين لا يغنيان عنه شيئا
“The example of the one who does not complete his bowing in prayer and pecks like a crow in prostrations is like a hungry person who eats one or two dates, which do not benefit him (i.e., do not relieve his hunger).”
Imam Albani graded it Hasan in Sahih al-Jami’.
And the one who does not maintain calmness and tranquility in his prayer, but rather tries to hastily finish it, it is impossible for him to be humble in prayer. Because haste destroys humility, and pecking like a crow causes the reward to be completely lost.
(3) Remembering death in prayer:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
أذكر الموت فى صلاتك فإن الرجل إذا ذكر الموت فى صلاته لحري أن يحسن صلاته، وصل صلاة رجل لا يظن أنه يصلي غيرها
“Remember death in your prayer; when a person remembers death in his prayer, he will surely beautify his prayer. So pray like a person who is not sure if he will pray again.”
And similarly, there is the advice that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, gave to Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub, may Allah be pleased with him:
إذا قمت فى صلاتك فصل صلاة مودع
“When you stand for prayer, pray as if it is your farewell prayer.”
Every person must eventually die, and this worshipper will also die, so it is possible that this is his last prayer. Therefore, he should pray with concentration, devotion, and humility, as it might be his final prayer.
(4) Contemplation and reflection on the verses and supplications in prayer, and responding to them:
The Holy Quran was revealed for contemplation, reflection, and action:
كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ ﴿٢٩﴾
“This is a glorious Book which We have revealed to you, so that they may reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding may take admonition.”
How can this contemplation and reflection be achieved without knowledge? These realities are only possible through knowledge, and only then can tears fall from the eyes or the heart be softened. Allah Almighty says:
وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ لَمْ يَخِرُّوا عَلَيْهَا صُمًّا وَعُمْيَانًا ﴿٧٣﴾
“(The servants of the Most Merciful are those) who, when reminded of the verses of their Lord, do not fall upon them deaf and blind.”
Here, we should also realize the importance of the knowledge of Quranic exegesis (Tafsir). See how Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari expresses astonishment and says:
إني لأعجب ممن قرأ القرآن ولم يعلم تأويله أى تفسيره كيف يلتذ لقراءته
“I am greatly amazed at the reciter of the Quran who is not aware of its meanings.”
How can he derive pleasure from his recitation?
One of the greatest aids for contemplating the Quran and its verses can be the repeated reading of appropriate and important verses and repeatedly focusing on their meanings. This practice is found in the blessed teachings of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), who one night performed Qiyam (night prayer) by repeatedly reciting the following verse until dawn:
إِن تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ ۖ وَإِن تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ﴿١١٨﴾
“O Allah! If You punish them, they are Your servants, and if You forgive them, indeed You are the Most Powerful, the Most Wise.”
Similarly, for contemplating the verses, one should respond according to the subject of the verses. At the appropriate moment, one should ask, make supplications, seek forgiveness, ask for Paradise, or seek refuge from Hell and the fate of the damned. Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that one night he prayed with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and the Prophet prolonged the words in his recitation. When he passed by a verse of glorification, he glorified Allah; when he passed by a verse that warranted a question, he asked; and when he passed by a verse that required seeking refuge, he sought Allah’s protection.
Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that one night he prayed with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). His recitation was very deliberate. Wherever there was mention of Allah’s glorification, the Prophet glorified Him; wherever there was a question, he asked; and wherever there was mention of seeking refuge from Allah, he sought protection.
And this was during the night prayer.
Among the companions (may Allah be pleased with them), it is mentioned about Qatadah ibn Nu’man (may Allah be pleased with him) that one night the Prophet (peace be upon him) repeatedly recited only قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ, and did not recite anything else.
Sa’id ibn Ubayd al-Tai (may Allah have mercy on him) says that he saw the famous Tabi’i Sa’id ibn Jubayr leading prayer in Ramadan and repeatedly reciting the following verse:
الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِالْكِتَابِ وَبِمَا أَرْسَلْنَا بِهِ رُسُلَنَا ۖ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٧٠﴾ إِذِ الْأَغْلَالُ فِي أَعْنَاقِهِمْ وَالسَّلَاسِلُ يُسْحَبُونَ ﴿٧١﴾ فِي الْحَمِيمِ ثُمَّ فِي النَّارِ يُسْجَرُونَ ﴿٧٢﴾
“Those who denied the Book of Allah and the Messengers, soon they will know when the collars are placed around their necks and the chains; they will be dragged.”
Imam Qasim narrates that one night he saw Sa’id ibn Jubayr standing in prayer, repeatedly reciting this verse and repeating it more than once:
وَاتَّقُوا يَوْمًا تُرْجَعُونَ فِيهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ ۖ ثُمَّ تُوَفَّىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ ﴿٢٨١﴾
“Fear the Day when you will be returned to Allah. Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned, and they will not be wronged.”
Abu Abdullah of the Qais tribe narrates that one night they had the opportunity to stay with Hasan al-Basri. They saw him rise at night and start praying, and he kept repeating this one verse until dawn:
وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا
“If you try to count the blessings of Allah, you will never be able to number them.”
In the morning, they said, “Abu Sa’id! You repeated this one verse all night and did not move beyond it?” He replied, “I derive great admonition and lesson from it. Whenever I raise or lower my gaze, I find some blessing upon myself, and those blessings of which I am unaware cannot be counted.”
It is mentioned about Harun ibn Rabab al-Asidi that sometimes he would keep reciting this verse during the Tahajjud prayer until dawn and weep:
فَقَالُوا يَا لَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٢٧﴾
(The disbeliever in Hell will say,) “Oh, I wish we were returned to the world so that we would not deny the verses of our Lord and become believers.”
One practice that aids humility (khushu’) in prayer is memorizing the Quran and reciting different supplications during the various pillars of prayer according to the occasion. This allows for contemplation and reflection in every part. This reflection and responding to the verses according to the occasion greatly increases a person’s humility, and Allah Almighty says:
وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ يَبْكُونَ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ خُشُوعًا ﴿١٠٩﴾
“And they fall upon their faces weeping, and it increases their humility.”
An Incident of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him:
This includes the account of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) contemplation of the Qur’an and his humility in prayer. Ata bin Abi Rabah narrated that I and Ubaid bin Umair went to the presence of the Mother of the Believers, Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). Ubaid bin Umair said to her: O Mother! Please tell us a remarkable incident of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that you witnessed. She became tearful and said that one night the Prophet (peace be upon him) got up from his bed and said to me: Aisha! Leave me, I want to worship my Lord. She said that I replied: O Messenger of Allah! Although I cherish your closeness, I prefer your happiness more. So he got up, performed ablution, and started praying, then began to weep and kept weeping until his garment became wet. Then he wept more until the ground beneath him also became wet. Then Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) came to inform him of the Fajr prayer. When he saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) weeping, he said: O Messenger of Allah! Why are you crying when Allah, the Exalted, has forgiven all your shortcomings? The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied:
أفلا أكون عبدا شكورا
“Should I not be a grateful servant to Him?”
Then he said: Tonight some verses have been revealed to me; woe to the one who reads them but does not ponder over them.
إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ ﴿١٩٠﴾
“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding.”
Responding to Verses:
One of them is to say “Ameen” after Al-Fatiha, and there is great reward in it. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
إذا أمن الإمام فأمنوا، فإنه من وافق تأمينه تأمين الملائكة غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه
“When the Imam says Ameen, you should also say Ameen. Indeed, whoever’s Ameen coincides with the Ameen of the angels, his past sins will be forgiven.”
Similarly, when rising from Ruku, when the Imam says سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ, the follower should say:
ربنا ولك الحمد
“O our Lord! And all praise is for You.”
There is also glad tidings of great reward in this. It is narrated from Rifa’ah bin Rafi’ Zarqi (may Allah be pleased with him) that one day we were praying behind the Prophet (peace be upon him), and when he raised his head from Ruku and said سمع الله لمن حمده, a man behind the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
ربنا ولك الحمد حمدا كثيرا طيبا مباركا فيه
“O our Lord! All praise is for You, abundant, pure, and blessed.”
When the Prophet (peace be upon him) ended the prayer with Salam, he asked, “Who was the one who said this?” The man said, “It was me.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
رأيت بضعة وثلاثين ملكا يبتدرونها أيهم يكتبها أول
“I saw more than three angels hastening towards these words to see who among them would write them first.”
(5) Reciting one verse at a time:
If recitation is done by pausing after each verse, it greatly helps in understanding and contemplation, and this method of recitation is the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها narrates that the Prophet ﷺبسم الله الرحمن الرحيم would recite and then pause, then recite: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ then pause and say: الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ then pause and say: مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ. In short, the Prophet ﷺ used to pause after every verse while reciting.
The hadith is authentic.
And pausing at the end of each verse is Sunnah, even if its meaning is connected to the following verse.
(6) Reciting with Tartil and a beautiful voice:
Allah Almighty says:
وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا
“And recite the Qur’an with measured recitation.”
The recitation of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was very clear and each letter was pronounced distinctly.
The conclusion is that even if the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited a medium-length surah, due to the measured recitation it would seem like a long surah.
This measured recitation, i.e., reading slowly and distinctly, greatly helps a person to ponder and reflect on the Qur’an and also leads to humility and concentration in prayer. This is unlike reading quickly.
Reciting in a beautiful voice greatly aids in humility. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also encouraged and emphasized this:
زينوا القرآن بأصواتكم فإن الصوت الحسن يزيد القرآن حسنا
“Beautify the Qur’an with your voices, for indeed a beautiful voice doubles the beauty of the Qur’an.”
However, keep in mind that this beautification of voice does not mean to modulate your voice in such a way that it resembles songs and melodies. The beauty of voice in Qur’anic recitation is that it expresses pain and sorrow, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
إن من أحسن الناس صوتا بالقرآن الذى إذا سمعتموه يقرأ حسبتموه يخشى الله
“The one who has a beautiful voice in the Qur’an is the one whom you hear reciting and you think that he fears Allah.”
(7) In prayer, Allah converses with His servant and responds to him:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said that Allah Almighty says:
قسمت الصلاة بيني وبين عبدي نصفين ولعبدي ما سأل: فإذا قال العبد الحمد لله رب العالمين، قال الله: حمدني عبدي، فإذا قال: الرحمٰن الرحيم، قال الله: أثنى على عبدي، فإذا قال: مالك يوم الدين، قال الله: مجدني عبدي، فإذا قال: إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين، قال: هذا بيني وبين عبدي ولعبدي ما سأل، فإذا قال: اهدنا الصراط المستقيم صراط الذين أنعمت عليهم غير المغضوب عليهم ولا الضالين، قال الله: هذا لعبدي ولعبدي ما سأل
“I have divided the prayer between Myself and My servant equally, and for My servant is what he has asked for. So when the servant says: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ, Allah says: My servant has praised Me. Then when the servant says: الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ, Allah says: My servant has glorified Me. When the servant says: مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ, Allah says: My servant has declared My greatness. When the servant says: إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ, Allah says: This is between Me and My servant, and for My servant is what he has asked for. When the servant says: اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ, Allah says: This is for My servant, and for My servant is what he has asked for.”
This is a magnificent and noble hadith. If a worshipper keeps this hadith in mind, he will attain immense humility and will feel the profound effects and blessings of Al-Fatiha, the Opening of the Book. And why not, when he has the awareness and certainty that I am addressing my Lord and my Lord is addressing me, the One who grants my needs and necessities! Therefore, the worshipper should recognize the greatness and value of this dialogue as it deserves.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
إن أحدكم إذا قام يصلي فإنما يناجي ربه، فلينظر كيف يناجيه
“When any one of you stands for prayer, he is in conversation and whispering with his Lord. So he should consider how and what he is conversing with Him.”
(8) Arranging a Sutrah for Prayer:
Arranging a sutrah is also a useful and beneficial practice for attaining humility (khushu) in prayer. It greatly prevents the worshipper’s gaze from wandering here and there, and the person becomes largely protected from the interference of Satan. Others also take care when passing in front of him. If a sutrah is not placed, the worshipper feels much discomfort and his reward is also reduced. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
إِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيُصَلِّ إِلَى سُتْرَةٍ وَلْيَدْنُ مِنْهَا
“When any one of you stands to pray, let him place a sutrah and stand close to it!”
Standing close to the sutrah:
There are great benefits to standing close to the sutrah. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) advised:
إذا صلى أحدكم إلى سترة فليدن منها، لئلا يقطع الشيطان عليه صلاته
“When any one of you prays facing the sutrah, stand close to it so that Satan does not break his prayer.”
It is Sunnah that there should be a distance of three hand spans between the worshipper and the sutrah. There should be at least enough space for a goat to pass between the worshipper and the place of prostration.
As mentioned in authentic hadiths.
In this regard, the Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized that the worshipper should never allow anyone to pass between him and the sutrah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
إذا كان أحدكم يصلي فلا يدع أحدا يمر بين يديه، وليدرأه ما استطاع، فإن أبى فليقاتله فإن معه القرين
“When any one of you is praying, do not let anyone pass in front of him, and try to prevent it as much as possible. If he insists, then fight him, for Satan is with him.”
Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) states: “This prevents the worshipper’s gaze from going beyond a certain limit, and anyone who tries to pass within that limit can be stopped.
And Satan is also prevented from passing here and cannot interfere in his prayer.”
(9) Placing the hand on the chest:
One of the essential etiquettes of prayer is to fold the hands respectfully. When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, stood in prayer, he would place his right hand over the left.
And he would fold them on the chest.
The hadith is authentic.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, also said:
إنا معشر الأنبياء أمرنا أن نضع أيماننا على شمائلنا فى الصلاة
“The community of the Prophets was commanded to place their right hand over the left in prayer.”
Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked about the wisdom behind folding the hands during the standing position in prayer. He replied:
“This is to express humility and submission before the Lord of Glory.”
Imam Ibn Hajar states:
“This resembles the posture and appearance of a humble petitioner.”
In this way, standing with folded hands also prevents unnecessary movements.
It also reflects a state of humility and reverence.
(10) Placing the gaze at the place of prostration:
It is narrated from Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا صلى طأطأ رأسه ورمى ببصره نحو الأرض
“When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prayed, he would lower his head and keep his gaze directed towards the ground.”
When the Prophet (peace be upon him) entered the House of Allah (and prayed), his gaze did not move from the place of prostration.
However, when he sat for Tashahhud, the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) gaze was on the index finger of his right hand, and he kept moving it. As mentioned in
. And in the narration of Musnad Ahmad it is stated:
وأشار بالسبابة ولم يجاوز بصره إشارته
“(The Prophet (peace be upon him) in Tashahhud) pointed with the index finger and during this, his gaze did not move beyond the point he was indicating.”
In another narration, it is mentioned that he pointed with the index finger and kept his gaze fixed on the point he was indicating.
Allama Al-Albani graded this hadith as Hasan Sahih.
Issue: Closing the eyes during prayer?
Here is a question that comes to the minds of some worshippers: What is the ruling on closing the eyes during prayer? While closing the eyes seems to increase a certain degree of humility (khushu)?
Answer:
This practice is against the established Sunnah transmitted from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, as mentioned earlier. Secondly, by doing this, one misses the Sunnah that the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to keep his gaze on the place of prostration or on his right finger. Here, we benefit from the words of Allama Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim, who states: It was not the habit of the Prophet, peace be upon him, to close his eyes during prayer. It is clearly evident that during Tashahhud, the Prophet’s gaze was on his finger and did not move beyond the gesture.
Another proof of this is that during the solar eclipse prayer (Salat al-Kusuf), the Prophet, peace be upon him, was shown Paradise, and he extended his hand as if to grasp a bunch of grapes. Similarly, he saw the scenes of Hellfire, such as the woman with the cat who had imprisoned it, and a man with a stick. There is also the hadith where a goat tried to pass in front of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and he moved it aside. He also moved a boy and a girl away from himself, and separated two girls from each other. Likewise, there are hadiths where the Prophet, peace be upon him, responded to greetings with a gesture during prayer, and all these incidents occurred during prayer. The Prophet, peace be upon him, made these movements or gestures because he saw these things.
Even Satan himself came before the Prophet, peace be upon him, and attacked him, but the Prophet caught him and strangled him; these were all things seen with the eyes. So, the summary of all these hadiths is that the Prophet, peace be upon him, did not close his eyes during prayer.
Regarding the dislike (makruh) of this act, scholars differ. For example, Imam Ahmad considers it makruh. He says that closing the eyes during prayer is the practice of the Jews. However, some other Imams have said it is permissible (mubah) and do not consider it makruh. In short, the correct view is that keeping the eyes open during prayer is not at all contrary to humility (khushu). However, if there are designs or decorations in front of the Qiblah that catch the eye, then certainly there is no harm in closing the eyes. In fact, in such a case, closing the eyes would be closer to correctness, and this is in accordance with the principles and objectives of Shariah.
From Allama Ibn al-Qayyim’s statement, it is understood that the Sunnah is to keep the eyes open, except when it is necessary to avoid something that contradicts humility.
(11) Moving the index finger:
Many worshippers are unaware of this issue and do not realize its importance in aiding and supporting humility. The Prophet ﷺ said:
لهي أشد على الشيطان من الحديد
“The movement of the index finger in the testimony is more severe for Satan than a blow of iron.”
Because it indicates the Oneness and Unity of Allah, expresses sincerity in worship, and these things are extremely disliked by Satan and cause him pain and distress. For this reason, and considering this great benefit, the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to advise and remind each other to observe this Sunnah and were eager to practice it. In fact, they adhered to all such Sunnahs themselves, which people today consider trivial and insignificant and do not care about. The words regarding this effect are as follows:
كان أصحاب النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يأخذ بعضهم على بعض، يعني الإشارة بالأصبع فى الدعاء
“The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to remind each other to point with the finger during the Tashahhud supplication.”
And the Sunnah in this gesture is that throughout the entire Tashahhud, the finger remains raised and pointed towards the Qiblah and is moved.
(12) Recitation and Supplication in Prayer:
This practice renews new meanings and feelings for the worshiper, whereas a person who only remembers one or a few adhkar and repeats them over and over or limits himself to reciting only a few short surahs does not experience the pleasure and joy of prayer that a person who recites from different places and changes the adhkar experiences. In short, reciting adhkar and recitation from different places alternately is Sunnah and is very helpful and supportive for humility (khushu). We should reflect on the various recitations proven from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and contemplate the adhkar of prayer—what they were and how they were? For example, in the opening of the prayer, the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to recite these supplications:
❀ اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ، اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْنِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ
“O Allah! Distance me from my sins as You have distanced the East from the West. O Allah! Cleanse me of my sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. O Allah! Wash away my sins with water, snow, and hail.”
❀ وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ، إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
“I have turned my face towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, being upright in faith and not among the polytheists. Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are all for Allah, the Lord of the worlds, who has no partner. And I have been commanded with this, and I am the first of those who submit.”
❀ سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلَا إِلَٰهَ غَيْرُكَ
“O Allah! You are pure with Your praise, Your name is blessed, Your status is exalted, and there is none worthy of worship except You.”
The hadith is authentic.
Besides these, there are other adhkar as well. The worshiper should sometimes recite these and sometimes those. In recitation, we find that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to recite many different surahs in the Fajr prayer, for example, from طوال مفصل the surahs سوره الواقعه، الطور, ق،, and from قصار مفصل for example: إذا الشمس كورت، الزلزلة and معوذتين. It is also reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited Surah Ar-Rum, Yaseen, and As-Saffat. On Fridays, during the Fajr prayer, he used to recite Surah As-Sajdah and هل أتىٰ على الإنسان.
Regarding recitation in Zuhr prayer, it is reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to recite the equivalent of three verses in the first two rak’ahs. Additionally, he recited Surah At-Tariq, Al-Buruj, and Wal-Lail Idha Yaghsha.
Regarding Asr prayer, it is reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to recite the equivalent of fifteen verses in the first two rak’ahs, including the surahs mentioned above for Zuhr prayer.
In Maghrib prayer, the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to recite from the “Qisar Mufassal” such as Surah At-Tur. Additionally, he recited Surah Muhammad, At-Tur, and Al-Mursalat, among others.
Regarding Isha prayer, it is mentioned that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to recite surahs from the “Awsat Mufassal,” such as Wal-Shams Wadhaha and Idha As-Sama’ Anshaqqat. He also advised Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him) to recite Surah Al-A’la, Al-Qalam, and Wal-Lail Idha Yaghsha, among others.
During the night prayer (Qiyam al-Layl), the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to recite long surahs. It is also established from his blessed practices that sometimes he would recite two hundred verses and sometimes one hundred and fifty verses. Occasionally, he would also recite quietly (Qira’at Makhfi).
Supplications of Ruku:
There are several types of supplications for Ruku, sometimes:
❀ Adding to سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ.
❀ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ
❀ And سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبُّ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ (Endlessly pure, endlessly holy, Lord of the angels and the Spirit).
❀ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ رَكَعْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ، وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ، أَنْتَ رَبِّي، خَشَعَ سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي وَدَمِي وَلَحْمِي وَعَظْمِي وَعَصَبِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“O Allah! I have bowed my back before You, I have believed in You, I have obeyed You, I trust in You, You are my Protector, my ears, my eyes, my blood, my flesh, my bones, and my muscles all humbly submit before Allah, who is the Lord of all worlds.”
Supplications of Qunoot:
After rising from Ruku, you, peace be upon you, would say سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ and then say:
❀ رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ (O our Lord, and all praise is for You).
❀ And sometimes only رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ (meaning without the addition of “waaw”).
❀ And sometimes اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا (وَ) لَكَ الْحَمْدُ.
❀ And at times, these words were also combined with it:
مِلْءَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمِلْءَ الْأَرْضِ وَمِلْءَ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ بَعْدُ
Praise so much that it is as vast as the heavens, as vast as the earth, and as much as whatever comes after them.
And sometimes you would add these words:
أهل الثناء والمجد، اللهم لا مانع لما أعطيت، ولا معطي لما منعت، ولا ينفع ذا الجد منك الجد
“O worthy of praise and greatness! O Allah! Whomever You grant, none can withhold, and whomever You withhold, none can grant, and no one of dignity or greatness can benefit from their dignity and greatness with You.”
Supplications during prostration:
In prostrations, any one of the following supplications can be recited.
During prostrations, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to add سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَىٰ and also say سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَىٰ وَبِحَمْدِهِ. Sometimes he would recite سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبُّ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ (Extremely pure, extremely holy, the Lord of the angels and the Spirit).
The Spirit refers to: the one who is the cause of the continuation of life, or the Chief of the angels, Gabriel the Trustworthy, who is also called Al-Ruh and Al-Ruh Al-Amin.
Sometimes he would recite سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِكَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي (Pure are You, O Allah! Our Lord! With Your praise, O Allah forgive me).
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ سَجَدْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، سَجَدَ وَجْهِي لِلَّذِي خَلَقَهُ وَصَوَّرَهُ، وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ، تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ
O Allah! I prostrate to You, I have believed in You, I obey Your command, my face prostrates to the Being who created it, shaped it, made ears in it, made eyes, most blessed is Allah, the best of creators.
Between the two prostrations during the sitting:
Besides رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي، رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي, this prayer was also recited:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَاجْبُرْنِي وَارْفَعْنِي وَاهْدِنِي وَعَافِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي
O Allah! Conceal my faults, have mercy on me, reform me, elevate me, guide me, grant me comfort and ease, and provide me sustenance.
Tashahhud:
There are various phrases used in Tashahhud, for example:
التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ
All gifts and offerings belong to Allah, including bodily acts of worship and pure financial acts of worship, and pure words as well. Peace be upon you, O Prophet of Allah!
التَّحِيَّاتُ الْمُبَارَكَاتُ، الصَّلَوَاتُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ لِلَّهِ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ
All kinds of blessed gifts, verbal, bodily, and financial acts of worship are all for Allah.
التَّحِيَّاتُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ الصَّلَوَاتُ لِلَّهِ
“All pure gifts, verbal, financial, and bodily acts of worship are for Allah.”
In short, the worshipper sometimes recites one and sometimes the other.
Salawat for the Prophet ﷺ:
There are also various phrases used in sending blessings (Durood) upon the Prophet ﷺ. For example:
① اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
O Allah! Send Your special mercy upon Muhammad ﷺ and the family of Muhammad, just as You sent Your special mercy upon Ibrahim (Abraham) and the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious.
“O Allah! Send blessings upon Muhammad ﷺ and the family of Muhammad, just as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Most Praiseworthy and Most Glorious.”
② اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ بَيْتِهِ وَعَلَىٰ أَزْوَاجِهِ وَذُرِّيَّتِهِ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، وَبَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ بَيْتِهِ وَعَلَىٰ أَزْوَاجِهِ وَذُرِّيَّتِهِ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
O Allah! Send Your special mercy upon Muhammad ﷺ, his household, his wives, and his offspring, just as You sent Your special mercy upon the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Most Praiseworthy and Most Glorious. And (O Allah!) send blessings upon Muhammad ﷺ, his household, his wives, and his offspring, just as You sent blessings upon the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Most Praiseworthy and Most Majestic.
③ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَبَارِكْ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَىٰ آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي الْعَالَمِينَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ
O Allah! Send Your special mercy upon this Prophet and the family of Muhammad, just as You sent Your special mercy upon the family of Ibrahim. And (O Allah) send blessings upon Muhammad ﷺ, the unlettered Prophet, and the family of Muhammad, just as You sent blessings upon the family of Ibrahim in both worlds. Indeed, You are Most Praiseworthy and Most High in status.
Besides these, many other phrases have also been transmitted. In short, the Sunnah for prayer is as mentioned earlier, that these pure words may be recited interchangeably.
There is no harm in frequently reciting any one of them, considering that its evidence is stronger and it is more famous in the books of Hadith. Or because when the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ asked him about Durood, he taught them words like these.
(13) Performing the Prostration of Recitation:
One etiquette of reciting the Holy Quran is that when there is an opportunity for prostration in it, the worshiper should perform the prostration. Allah Almighty has described the special characteristic of the Prophets and the righteous as follows:
إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ خَرُّوا سُجَّدًا وَبُكِيًّا
When Our verses were recited to them, they would fall down in prostration and weep.
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) states: The consensus of the scholars of the Ummah is that prostration at this place is prescribed so that one may follow the example of those Prophets and righteous people and imitate their practice.
Prostration during prayer while reciting the Quran is a great and blessed act; it greatly increases the worshiper’s humility. Allah the Exalted says:
وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ يَبْكُونَ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ خُشُوعًا ﴿١٠٩﴾
“They fall down on their faces weeping, and it increases their humility.”
It is also proven from the practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that when he prostrated in Surah An-Najm, the attendees also prostrated. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Rafi’ (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: I prayed Isha with Sayyiduna (may Allah be pleased with him), and he recited Surah إِذَا السَّمَاءُ انْشَقَّتْ and prostrated in it. I asked him about it, and he said: I prostrated behind Abu al-Qasim (peace be upon him), and I will continue to prostrate at this place until I meet him.
In short, especially during prayer, one should make a habit of performing prostration of recitation. Because this causes the devil’s nose to be covered with dust, he is disgraced, and his cunning and deception over the worshiper become weaker. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
إذا قرأ ابن آدم السجدة فسجد اعتزل الشيطان يبكي، يقول يا ويلي يا ويله، أمر ابن آدم بالسجود فسجد فله الجنة، وأمرت بالسجود فأبيت فلي النار
When the son of Adam recites a verse of prostration and performs the prostration, Satan separates and begins to weep and says: Alas! The son of Adam was commanded to prostrate, and he prostrated, so there is Paradise for him. But I was commanded to prostrate, and I refused, so there is Hellfire for me.
(14) Ta’awwudh: Seeking refuge in Allah:
Satan is our enemy. One form of his enmity is that he entangles the praying person in various thoughts and whispers during the prayer so that his prayer gets spoiled. These thoughts and whispers come to every person who turns towards Allah Almighty or engages in remembrance; inevitably, they experience such thoughts and whispers. But there is no need to be overly distressed by this. Rather, the servant should continue steadfastly in his worship and remembrance and not be disheartened by these thoughts. With this engagement, these thoughts will eventually go away, and Satan’s attack will cease.
إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا ﴿٧٦﴾
Indeed, Satan’s trick is very weak.
Often it happens that when a servant turns towards Allah Almighty, some thoughts begin to arise in his heart. In reality, Satan is a robber; when the servant starts turning to Allah, he plans to rob him (hence these thoughts come, and this is his attack). This is why one of the pious predecessors was asked that Jews and Christians say they do not get whispers, and he replied: They speak the truth, for what would Satan find in a desolate house?
A good example of this is also given: Suppose there are three houses, one belonging to a king filled with various treasures and jewels, the second belonging to the king’s servant with some treasure and jewels, and the third house is empty with nothing in it. Which house would a thief break into? Where would he make a hole?
When a servant stands in prayer, Satan feels great jealousy and anger because the servant is attaining such a great deed, a high rank, and the closest status. Therefore, he tries his utmost to snatch these ranks from him. He gives him various false promises, creates desires, tries to distract and confuse him, and sends all his foot soldiers and cavalry against him so that prayer becomes a trivial act for him, and thus (a weak-hearted servant) abandons it. But if the servant does not obey Satan, he tries to entangle him in various thoughts, and during this, he reminds him of things he had never remembered before the prayer. Sometimes the servant has forgotten something or has become hopeless about it, and Satan reminds him so that his heart turns away from prayer and he does not remain focused on Allah. In such a state, the servant stands in prayer but with reluctance. If a person remains entangled in such thoughts, he cannot gain anything from Allah Almighty. Only the one who attaches his heart to Him with complete attention and concentration attains anything. A person entangled in thoughts remains after prayer as he was before, in his faults and sins, which are not reduced by his prayer. Whereas prayer is an expiation for sins, but only for the praying person who fulfills the rights of prayer, reads it with complete humility, and stands before his Lord with presence of heart and mind!
In short, to counter this cunning deception of Satan and to remove whispers, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught a remedy and method:
It is narrated from Abu Al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: I said, “O Messenger of Allah! Satan comes between me and my prayer and recitation and confuses me?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
This is Satan whose name is Khanzab; when you feel him, recite أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم and spit three times to your left side. The companion (may Allah be pleased with him) said that I did so, and Allah removed him from me.
One of the satanic attacks about which the Prophet (peace be upon him) informed us and then prescribed a remedy is:
وإن أحدكم إذا قام يصلي جاء الشيطان فلبس عليه حتىٰ لا يدري كم صلىٰ، فإذا وجد ذٰلك أحدكم فليسجد سجدتين وهو جالس
When any of you stands to pray, Satan comes and tries to confuse him so much that the praying person does not remember how much prayer he has performed. The Prophet said that when someone faces such a condition, he should perform two prostrations at the end while sitting.
And sometimes it happens as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
إذا كان أحدكم فى الصلاة فوجد حركة فى دبره أحدث أو لم يحدث فأشكل عليه فلا ينصرف حتىٰ يسمع صوتا أو يجد ريحا
When any of you is in prayer, he feels some movement in his back (meaning he thinks) perhaps I have become impure or not? And he falls into doubt. In such a case, the praying person should not leave the prayer until he hears a sound or smells an odor.
Issue:
A person is in prayer and Satan comes and even opens his private parts; the one praying gets a thought, perhaps wind has passed or not? It was said: When any of you faces such a situation, he should never abandon the prayer until he hears a sound or smells an odor.
Here we also want to inform you about another satanic deception that the whispering Satan causes some good and upright worshippers to fall into trial by engaging them in other good deeds besides prayer. For example, he occupies them in the work of invitation and preaching or other scholarly matters, and they become so engrossed in it that they lose track of their prayer. Then some even liken this situation to the case of Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), saying that he was preparing an army during prayer, etc.
Let us refer to the great scholar Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding this matter; he has resolved this issue well and answered this doubt. He says:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said, وإني لأجهز جيشي وأنا فى الصلاة (Sometimes I prepare my army while I am also in prayer). This cannot be a proof for those people because he (may Allah be pleased with him) was responsible and appointed for matters of jihad; he was the Commander of the Faithful, the leader of jihad. So, in many respects, he was like a person praying the prayer of fear while watching an enemy. This includes both the state of fighting and non-fighting. In this condition, a person is, in any case, assigned to prayer and jihad both, so he is commanded to perform both obligations simultaneously as best as he can. And Allah Almighty says:
إِذَا لَقِيتُمْ فِئَةً فَاثْبُتُوا وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٤٥﴾
When you meet a group (of disbelievers) in battle, stand firm and remember Allah much that you may succeed.
And it is obvious that in the state of fighting and jihad, a person’s tranquility cannot be like that in a state of peace. Even if it is assumed that this causes some deficiency in prayer, it is no fault in the perfect faith and obedience of Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). This is why many relaxations are prescribed in the prayer of fear compared to the days of peace.
After teaching the prayer of fear, Allah Almighty says:
فَإِذَا اطْمَأْنَنتُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ ۚ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَّوْقُوتًا ﴿١٠٣﴾
When you are secure, establish prayer (in the usual manner). Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.
The quality of establishing prayer in a state of peace is not demanded in the state of fear. Nevertheless, people differ in this matter. When a person is of perfect faith, he will be present in prayer with heart and soul, pondering and reflecting on all matters of prayer. And Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was such a person that Allah had made the truth flow through his tongue and heart, and he was also a narrator and a person of insight.
Such statements about him cannot be a fault. It is quite possible that during prayer, alongside planning the army, he also attained the status and rank of presence in prayer, which others cannot attain. Yet, there is no doubt that without these thoughts, his presence (in prayer) was certainly much stronger.
And there is no doubt that in a state of peace and tranquility, the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was much more perfect in outward actions compared to the prayer of fear. When Allah Almighty has excused some outward obligations in the prayer of fear, what about the inner matters? Surely, they are excused as well! In short, those thoughts of the worshipper related to obligatory matters, when time is also limited for those obligations, cannot be like thoughts that are not obligatory or for which there is no time constraint. It is possible that for Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), planning his army was possible in that state because he was the Imam of the Ummah and faced countless kinds of thoughts and reflections. Similarly, such a situation may arise for every person according to his rank and status. Often a person thinks (or remembers) things in prayer that he does not think about outside of prayer. Some of these come from Satan.
It is narrated about a pious predecessor that someone asked him, “I buried my wealth somewhere and forgot where I buried it. What should I do?” He said, “Get up and pray.” So he prayed, and the place came to his mind. When asked how he advised this, he said, “I knew that Satan would not leave him in prayer until he remembered that place, which distracted him from prayer and occupied him, and for that person, remembering the place of the buried wealth was more important than anything else.” In any case, a wise person tries to attain perfect presence in prayer and at the same time perform other duties perfectly.
(15) Prayers of the Ancestors:
❀ The companions, may Allah be pleased with them, studied the conditions of the Tabi‘in and some other pious predecessors, which inspires us to follow their example and develop humility in our prayers. Some of them were in such a state that if you saw them rising for prayer and standing in their prayer niche, conversing with their Lord, the thought would dominate their heart that this is the great moment when people stand before their Sustainer (Lord of the Worlds). Their heart would almost leave their body, and their intellect would be lost.
❀ Imam Mujahid, may Allah have mercy on him, says that when those elders stood up for prayer, they feared the Most Merciful, the Exalted, throughout the prayer. How could they look elsewhere, glance around, play with pebbles, make any frivolous movement, or think of worldly matters in their hearts, except by mistake?
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zubair, may Allah be pleased with him, when he stood for prayer, it seemed as if a piece of wood was placed. He was praying in the Sacred Mosque, and while in prostration, a catapult stone came and even touched his clothes, but he did not lift his head from prostration.
❀ Muslimah bin Bashar, may Allah have mercy on him, was once praying in the mosque when a corner of the mosque collapsed. People ran away, but Muslimah remained in prayer, unaware of what had happened.
❀ It is reported about some that they were like heaps of clothes.
❀ Some’s complexion would become pale as if they were about to stand before the Lord of the Worlds.
❀ Some were unaware of who was on their right or left.
❀ It is reported about some that while performing ablution, their complexion would turn yellow. When asked why their color changed, they replied, “I think I am about to stand before my Allah.”
❀ It is reported about Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, that when the time for prayer came, he would tremble and his color would fade. When asked the reason, he said: “By Allah! The time has come to fulfill Allah’s trust, the trust that was presented to the earth, the heavens, and the mountains, but they refused it and were afraid (lest they fail), yet man has taken it upon himself.”
❀ Janab Saeed Tanukhi, may Allah have mercy on him, could not stop tears during prayer; they kept flowing on his beard.
❀ It is reported about one of the Tabi‘in elders that when he stood for prayer, his complexion would become pale. He used to say, “Do you even realize before whom I stand and with whom I converse? Who among you has such awe in his heart?”
Reference سلاح اليقطان لطرد الشيطان
❀ Amir bin Abdul Qais, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked if he had distracting thoughts during prayer. He replied, “Is there anything greater than prayer to think about?” His companions said, “We have many thoughts during prayer.” He asked, “Are they thoughts of Paradise or the houris?” They said, “No, they are about home and children.” He said, “I would rather have an arrow pierced through me than have such thoughts.”
❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Saad bin Muadh, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: “I have three qualities; whatever the situation, I remain the same:
(1) When I am in prayer, I do not talk to myself except about the prayer I am engaged in.
(2) When I hear any Hadith of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, I have no doubt about its truth.
(3) When I attend a funeral, I only think about what the deceased is saying or what is being said to him!”
❀ It is reported about Janab Hatim, may Allah have mercy on him, that he said: “I stand according to Allah’s command, walk with fear and humility, start prayer with determination and intention, say Takbir with the feeling of Allah’s greatness, recite with contemplation and reflection, bow with humility, prostrate with submission, sit calmly, turn in peace with intention, and complete my prayer with sincerity, yet fear and doubt remain whether it is accepted or not. Then I strive to protect it until death.”
❀ It is narrated from Janab Abu Bakr As-Sabghi, may Allah have mercy on him, that he said: “I found two Imams, although I did not have the honor of hearing from them: Abu Hatim Razi, may Allah have mercy on him, and Muhammad bin Nasr Marwazi, may Allah have mercy on him. I have not found anyone who prays more beautifully than Ibn Nasr. I learned that once a fly sat on his forehead and stung him so hard that it bled, but he did not move. Muhammad bin Ya’qub Akhram, may Allah have mercy on him, said the same about him. Ibn Nasr would not even shoo flies away from his ears during prayer. We were greatly amazed at his humility, awe, and the beauty of his prayer. His chin would be on his chest, as if a piece of wood was placed there.”
❀ Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, when entering prayer, would tremble and move his limbs. (الکواکب الدریة)
Compare these Imams and scholars with your own condition: some look at their watch, some adjust their clothes, some scratch their nose, some are selling, some buying, and prayer is also being performed. Some count money, some are lost in the prayer area’s noise, some stare at the ceiling, and some are busy introducing themselves to their neighbor!?
What do you think, if any of them were given the opportunity to stand before a worldly king, would they behave the same way as they do now in prayer?
(16) The Virtue of Complete Humility in Prayer:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
ما من امرئ مسلم تحضره صلاة مكتوبة فيحسن وضوءها وخشوعها وركوعها، إلا كانت كفارة لما قبلها من الذنوب ما لم يؤت كبيرة وذٰلك الدهر كله
Whoever has the time for the obligatory prayer come upon him and then performs ablution beautifully (according to the Sunnah) and prays with humility and proper bowing, then that prayer becomes an expiation for his past sins until he commits a major sin, and this honor remains with him always.
The reward of prayer is always recorded according to the humility and presence of heart, as the noble Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
إن العبد ليصلي الصلاة ما يكتب له منها إلا عشرها، تسعها، ثمنها، سبعها، سدسها، خمسها، ربعها، ثلثها، نصفها
A servant prays, but only a tenth of it is recorded for him, or a ninth, an eighth, a seventh, a sixth, a fifth, a fourth, a third, or half of the prayer is recorded.
And the hadith is Hasan.
And the prayer is only as much as one prays with understanding and consciousness, as narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, ليس لك من صلاتك إلا ما عقلت منها (Your prayer is only as much as you have prayed with intellect and awareness).
Sins and mistakes are only erased when a person prays perfectly and with humility and submissiveness. As in the Prophetic hadith, peace be upon him:
إن العبد إذا قام يصلي أتي بذنوبه كلها فوضعت علىٰ رأسه وعاتقيه فكلما ركع أو سجد تساقطت عنه
When a servant stands to pray, his sins are placed on his head and both shoulders, so whenever he bows or prostrates, his sins fall off and are shaken away from him.
Allama Munawi, may Allah have mercy on him, says in his commentary: The meaning is that when a servant completes one pillar of the prayer, a portion of his sins falls off, until when he completes the prayer perfectly, all the sins have fallen off completely. This glad tidings is regarding the prayer performed with complete conditions, when its pillars and humility are perfect, as indicated by the words in the hadith “the servant” (meaning the one who is perfect in servitude) and “the standing” (perfect standing), implying that he stands humbly and humiliated before the King of kings.
One who has perfect humility in prayer:
When a person who prays with complete humility finishes his prayer, he feels a kind of lightness in his nature. He feels as if some burden has been lifted from his shoulders, and thus he experiences great joy, comfort, and peace, and he wishes that this act would continue and he would never leave it. Because prayer is the coolness of the eyes and the tranquility and peace of the soul for the servant. It is the paradise of the heart and an act of comfort from the world. So, until the person enters into it again, he feels as if he is in captivity and distress, and he finds comfort only in praying, not in worrying about escaping from prayer. Those who love Allah always say like this: “I wish we could pray more and gain peace and comfort through it.” Just as their Imam and leader, our Master Muhammad, peace be upon him, used to say to our Master Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him: (يا بلال أرحنا بالصلاة) “Bilal! Call the Adhan, let us pray, bring us peace through it.”
The Prophet, peace be upon him, also said:
وجعلت قرة عيني فى الصلاة
The coolness of my eyes is in prayer.
Whoever finds the coolness of his eyes in prayer, where else can he find peace and tranquility? Where else can he find patience besides this?
(17) Supplicating according to the occasion, especially in prostration:
Undoubtedly, supplication to Allah Almighty, expressing humility and need before Him, presenting one’s prayers and needs in His presence, and crying out before Him are actions through which a servant’s relationship with his Lord becomes very strong; indeed, it increases humility. And supplication is the essence of worship, and the servant is also obligated to supplicate to his Lord. It is said:
ادْعُوا رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً
O people! Call upon your Lord with humility and in secret.
And the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
من لم يسأل الله يغضب عليه
When asked from the servants, they become displeased.
It is established that the Prophet, peace be upon him, made supplications at many places during prayer, for example, in prostrations, between the two prostrations, after Tashahhud, etc. Among all these places, prostration is the most excellent place. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
أقرب ما يكون العبد من ربه وهو ساجد فأكثروا الدعاء
The servant is closest to his Lord during prostration, so supplicate abundantly in it.
In another hadith it is said:
أما السجود فاجتهدوا فى الدعاء فقمن أن يستجاب لكم
Make much supplication in prostration, for it is more likely to be accepted.
Some of the supplications of the Prophet, peace be upon him, in prostration are:
اللهم اغفر لي ذنبي دقه وجله وأوله وآخره وعلانيته وسره
O Allah! Forgive my minor sins, forgive my major and apparent sins, those before and after, those manifest and hidden.
اللهم اغفر لي ما أسررت وما أعلنت
O Allah! Forgive my hidden sins and those which I have committed openly.
The supplications between the two prostrations have already passed. The supplications that the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to make after Tashahhud have also been taught to us. He said:
إذا فرغ أحدكم من التشهد فليستعذ بالله من أربع: من عذاب جهنم ومن عذاب القبر ومن فتنة المحيا والممات ومن شر المسيح الدجال
When any of you finishes Tashahhud (in prayer), he should seek refuge from four things: the punishment of Hell, the punishment of the grave, the trials of life and death, and the evil of the false Messiah (Dajjal).
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَمِلْتُ وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا لَمْ أَعْمَلْ
O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the evil that I have done and from the evil that I have not done.
اللَّهُمَّ حَاسِبْنِي حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا
“O Allah! Make my reckoning easy.”
And our master Abu Bakr Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, taught this supplication to our mother Aisha Siddiqah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she should recite:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي ظُلْمًا كَثِيرًا وَلَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَغْفِرَةً مِنْ عِنْدِكَ وَارْحَمْنِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
“O Allah! I have greatly wronged myself, and only You can forgive sins, so forgive me by Your grace and have mercy on me. Indeed, You are the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
Similarly, the Prophet, peace be upon him, heard a person making supplication in his Tashahhud:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ يَا اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي ذُنُوبِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
O Allah! I ask You, O Allah, O Self-Sufficient, who neither begets nor is begotten, and there is none comparable to Him, to forgive my sins. Indeed, You are the Most Concealing and Most Merciful.
Then the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
قد غفر له، قد غفر له
Indeed, he has been forgiven, he has been forgiven.
Allama Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, declared this hadith authentic in the verification of Sunan Abi Dawood.
Similarly, the Prophet, peace be upon him, heard another person saying in his Tashahhud:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدَ، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَحْدَكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ، الْمَنَّانُ يَا بَدِيعَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، يَا ذَا الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ، يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ، إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ
“O Allah! I ask You because You alone are praised, there is no deity except You, You are One, You have no partner, You are the Most Benevolent, O Creator of the heavens and the earth, O Possessor of greatness and generosity, O Ever-Living, Sustainer, and Protector! I ask You for Paradise and seek refuge from Hellfire.”
Then the Prophet, peace be upon him, said to his companions, may Allah be pleased with them: “Do you know what he has supplicated?” The companions said: “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, he has supplicated to Allah with the Greatest Name by which supplications are answered and when asked, He grants.”
Similarly, the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to make this supplication at the end between Tashahhud and salam:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَفْتُ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي، أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ، وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
O Allah! Forgive all my past and future sins, those I have committed secretly and openly, those in which I have exceeded the limits, and all that You know better than me. You are the One who advances and leaves behind; there is no deity except You.
Memorizing these and similar supplications solves the difficulty that some people face of sitting silently behind the Imam after Tashahhud because they do not know what to recite.
(18) Remembrances After Prayer
The remembrances after prayer are the best practice to maintain the effect of humility in the heart and the blessings of the prayer, and certainly, to preserve the first act of obedience, it is necessary to perform a second act of obedience afterward. Based on this principle, when reflecting on the remembrances after prayer, it is found that they begin with saying “أستغفر الله” three times. This means the worshiper is seeking forgiveness from Allah, saying: O Allah! Forgive any disturbance or deficiency that occurred in my prayer and my humility and submission.
Similarly, it is essential to pay special attention to the Sunnahs and Nawafil before and after the obligatory prayers, because they compensate for any deficiency in the obligatory prayers and in humility. After discussing the above causes of humility, we now mention some other matters.
