What is the importance of khushu' in prayer, and what are the factors that help achieve it?
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Question:
May Allah reward you with good and do you well. He says: We hope to be humble in prayer as our Lord, Glorified and Exalted is He, has commanded us, but we sometimes overlook the manner that makes us humble in our prayers. Please guide us to that. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
There is no doubt that khushu' (humility) in prayer is its essence and its spirit, and the reason it was legislated. Allah the Exalted said:[An-Nisa 4:77] And He the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah 2:45-46] And He the Exalted said: [Al-Mu'minun 23:1-2] He the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah 2:238] [Al-Baqarah 2:238] So khushu' is the spirit of prayer and its essence. If prayer is devoid of khushu', it is like a body without a spirit. Therefore, it is obligatory for the Muslim to be present in heart in his prayer, to keep in mind the greatness of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) in his prayer, and to reflect on the words of Allah as he recites them in prayer, for these are matters that call for khushu'.
First, when a person turns his heart to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and leaves behind the preoccupations and worries of this world. Second, that he keeps in mind the greatness of his Lord, before Whom he is standing, addressing Him, calling upon Him, and conversing with Him through His words and his supplication, Glorified and Exalted is He.
Third, that he enters into prayer while free from the preoccupations that distract him from prayer. For this reason, prayer is prohibited in the presence of food, and prayer is prohibited while one is struggling to relieve himself of the two excretions; because these things disturb his prayer. So he enters into prayer while prepared for it, having no physical or psychological distractions that occupy him from his prayer. What is the seeking of refuge with Allah from Satan at the beginning of prayer after the opening takbir? He says: I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed. If he says this great phrase with presence of heart, then Allah will drive away from him the Satan who disturbs his prayer in order to distract him from khushu' in his prayer. Yes.
May Allah reward you with good and do you well. He says: We hope to be humble in prayer as our Lord, Glorified and Exalted is He, has commanded us, but we sometimes overlook the manner that makes us humble in our prayers. Please guide us to that. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
There is no doubt that khushu' (humility) in prayer is its essence and its spirit, and the reason it was legislated. Allah the Exalted said:
and establish prayer and give zakah
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَand indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah] (46) Who are certain that they will meet their Lord and that they will return to Him.
وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ الَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَاقُو رَبِّهِمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ(1) Certainly will the believers have succeeded: (2) They who are during their prayer humbly submissive
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَMaintain with care the [obligatory] prayers
حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِand [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.
وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَFirst, when a person turns his heart to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and leaves behind the preoccupations and worries of this world. Second, that he keeps in mind the greatness of his Lord, before Whom he is standing, addressing Him, calling upon Him, and conversing with Him through His words and his supplication, Glorified and Exalted is He.
Third, that he enters into prayer while free from the preoccupations that distract him from prayer. For this reason, prayer is prohibited in the presence of food, and prayer is prohibited while one is struggling to relieve himself of the two excretions; because these things disturb his prayer. So he enters into prayer while prepared for it, having no physical or psychological distractions that occupy him from his prayer. What is the seeking of refuge with Allah from Satan at the beginning of prayer after the opening takbir? He says: I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed. If he says this great phrase with presence of heart, then Allah will drive away from him the Satan who disturbs his prayer in order to distract him from khushu' in his prayer. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 4096- ما أهمية الخشوع في الصلاة، وما هي الأسباب المعينة في ذلك؟ - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.