What is the ruling on a prayer that lacks khushu' (humility)?

Question:
He says: I suffer from a lack of khushu' (humility) in prayer. I constantly try to be humble, but to no avail. What is the ruling on my prayer, and what do you advise me?

Answer:
Your prayer is valid. Your prayer is valid if you perform it in the required manner, with its conditions, pillars, and obligations. However, you will only be credited with the reward for the portion in which your heart was present, the portion in which your heart was present. Allah the Exalted said: Khushu' (humility) is the spirit of the prayer and the presence of the heart. So you must turn to Allah the Exalted in your prayer. Khushu' (humility) has causes.
One of them is that you do not enter into prayer while your thoughts are confused and your mind is preoccupied. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade entering into prayer while a person is preoccupied with the presence of food he desires. He said, "There is no prayer in the presence of food," and he said, "When the 'Isha' prayer time arrives, start with it, so that a person does not enter into prayer after having taken his share of food, so that he enters the prayer fully turned toward it." Likewise, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade praying while one is struggling with the two excretions, urine and feces. It is not permissible for a person to enter into prayer, or it is disliked for him to enter into prayer while preoccupied with one of the two excretions. Rather, he must free himself from that excretion, urinate or defecate, then perform wudu' (ablution), clean himself, then perform wudu' (ablution) and pray. As for entering into prayer while struggling with the two excretions, this confuses his prayer.
Likewise, he should pray in a suitable place. He should not pray in a place that disturbs him with sounds, or a place with thorns or pebbles, or a place that is extremely cold or extremely hot. He should pray in a moderate place and a place where he feels comfortable, in order to be humble in his prayer.
And among the greatest things that bring khushu' (humility) to the prayer is reflecting upon the Qur'an that you recite in the prayer or hear from the imam. Turn to it and reflect upon it, for that will grant you khushu' (humility) before Allah the Mighty and Majestic.