The Proliferation of Worries in Prayer and Distraction: What Are Their Causes, Is the Prayer Valid in This State, and What Are the Specific Causes That Aid in Khushu' in
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The questioner : Your Eminence, this questioner says: The proliferation of worries in prayer and distraction, what are their causes? Is the prayer valid in this state? And what are the specific causes that aid in khushu' in prayer?
The Shaykh : Yes. The causes of the proliferation of waswas (whispers) are from Shaytan. If Shaytan enters a person during prayer, he occupies his heart and says to him: “Remember such and such, remember such and such on such and such a day.” If a person feels this, let him spit to his left three times and say: “I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan.” This is the remedy that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us of. Whenever a person does this with sincerity and faith, Allah removes from him what he feels of waswas in his prayer. This is the cause of the worries in prayer, and this is the remedy for them.
As for whether the prayer is valid with waswas: if a person resists it, it does not harm him, and his prayer is valid. If he gives in to it, most scholars say that his prayer is valid, and some scholars say: if it overcomes most of the prayer, his prayer is invalid. The correct view is that the prayer is valid, but it is deficient to the extent of the waswas that occurred for this worshipper. Yes.
The questioner : The specific causes that aid in khushu', O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : The most prominent ones?
The Shaykh : Yes, the specific causes that aid in khushu' are that a person empties his heart for the prayer and forgets everything else, and does not think about anything. He feels that he is standing before Allah (Mighty and Majestic), who knows what is in his heart, sees his actions, and hears his words. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you and bless you. This questioner says: O Your Eminence.
The Shaykh : Yes. The causes of the proliferation of waswas (whispers) are from Shaytan. If Shaytan enters a person during prayer, he occupies his heart and says to him: “Remember such and such, remember such and such on such and such a day.” If a person feels this, let him spit to his left three times and say: “I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan.” This is the remedy that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us of. Whenever a person does this with sincerity and faith, Allah removes from him what he feels of waswas in his prayer. This is the cause of the worries in prayer, and this is the remedy for them.
As for whether the prayer is valid with waswas: if a person resists it, it does not harm him, and his prayer is valid. If he gives in to it, most scholars say that his prayer is valid, and some scholars say: if it overcomes most of the prayer, his prayer is invalid. The correct view is that the prayer is valid, but it is deficient to the extent of the waswas that occurred for this worshipper. Yes.
The questioner : The specific causes that aid in khushu', O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : The most prominent ones?
The Shaykh : Yes, the specific causes that aid in khushu' are that a person empties his heart for the prayer and forgets everything else, and does not think about anything. He feels that he is standing before Allah (Mighty and Majestic), who knows what is in his heart, sees his actions, and hears his words. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you and bless you. This questioner says: O Your Eminence.