How to Get Rid of Distraction of the Mind in Prayer
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Question:
He also says: When I pray, various thoughts come to my mind during the bowing, prostration, or standing. I try to get rid of thinking about these things, knowing that they may be trivial, but they quickly return, especially if I have been preoccupied with a certain matter and then stand up to pray. Without any intention on my part, I find myself thinking about that matter or that problem during the prayer. What is the ruling on this? Do I commit a sin? What is the means to get rid of this problem, and is my prayer accepted?
Answer:
A believer should, when he stands in prayer, be conscious that he is in the presence of Allah and that he is worshipping Him as if he sees Him, until the whispers and bad thoughts are removed from him. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about ihsan (excellence in worship), he said:Sahih al-Bukhari 50. So, O believer, you should do this. Likewise, the believing woman should do this; it is incumbent upon everyone to be conscious of the greatness of Allah when entering into prayer, and to be conscious that he is standing in the presence of Allah, hoping for His mercy and fearing His punishment, and reciting His great Book. In this state, he should gather his heart for Allah and be present with his heart in the presence of Allah, so that the whispers move away from him and the bad thoughts are removed from him. Indeed, when Allah is mentioned, Satan retreats, and when there is heedlessness, he comes and is present.
So, O servant of Allah! You should be conscious of the greatness of Allah with your heart and remember Him with your heart along with your tongue, and you should strive to stay away from these bad thoughts and whispers that you are afflicted with.
Among the means for this, if this matter becomes frequent for you, spit to your left, blow to your left three times, even if you are in prayer, and say: "I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan," "I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan," as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) advised Uthman ibn Abi al-As to do. Uthman ibn Abi al-As complained to him that he found these whispers in prayer, so he guided him to blow to his left three times and seek refuge in Allah from Satan. He did so, and the whispers were removed from him. So, O my brother! If the whispers become intense for you, blow to your left, even if you are in prayer. Even if you are in prayer, blow to your left three times and seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan, and it will be removed from you, if Allah wills. But if you are present in prayer with your heart and are conscious of the greatness of Allah and that you are in His presence, then by the permission of Allah, the whisper will be removed from you and the bad thoughts will be removed from you.
As for the prayer, it is valid; whispers do not invalidate the prayer. In fact, the prayer is valid. However, if a person does something that invalidates his prayer intentionally due to whispers or forgetfulness, he prostrates for forgetfulness. For example, if he stands up from the first tashahhud while forgetting, or forgets the tasbih in the bowing or prostration, or forgets to say the takbirs after the takbir of ihram, such as the takbir for bowing or the takbir in prostration, then he prostrates for forgetfulness before he says the taslim. As for the first takbir, it is a pillar that is necessary; it is not dropped due to forgetfulness or otherwise. So, the one who does not perform the first takbir has no prayer. As for the other takbirs, they are obligatory according to the correct opinion, and if he forgets any of them, he must prostrate for forgetfulness. Likewise, if he leaves the first tashahhud while forgetting and stands up to the third rak'ah without sitting, he prostrates for forgetfulness before he says the taslim. He prostrates two prostrations before he says the taslim, and that is sufficient for him. Likewise, if he forgets a bowing or a prostration due to forgetfulness, he returns. If he is in the last rak'ah, he returns and completes his rak'ah. If he does not remember until after that, in another rak'ah, he performs a rak'ah in place of it. He performs a rak'ah in place of the rak'ah in which he left the bowing or prostration due to forgetfulness.
The conclusion is: that he fights Satan by being present in the presence of Allah with his heart, remembering the greatness of Allah, and gathering his heart for Allah until the whispers are removed from him and the bad thoughts are removed from him.
This forgetfulness that may occur and the thoughts do not invalidate his prayer, but they diminish it and weaken it. So, he should seek help from Allah and ask Him for success, guidance, and assistance against Satan, and he should seek refuge in Allah from Satan as well, even during the prayer if the whispers become frequent for him. We ask Allah for guidance for everyone. Yes.
He also says: When I pray, various thoughts come to my mind during the bowing, prostration, or standing. I try to get rid of thinking about these things, knowing that they may be trivial, but they quickly return, especially if I have been preoccupied with a certain matter and then stand up to pray. Without any intention on my part, I find myself thinking about that matter or that problem during the prayer. What is the ruling on this? Do I commit a sin? What is the means to get rid of this problem, and is my prayer accepted?
Answer:
A believer should, when he stands in prayer, be conscious that he is in the presence of Allah and that he is worshipping Him as if he sees Him, until the whispers and bad thoughts are removed from him. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about ihsan (excellence in worship), he said:
To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must consider that He is looking at you.
أن تعبد الله كأنك تراه فإن لم تكن تراه فإنه يراكSo, O servant of Allah! You should be conscious of the greatness of Allah with your heart and remember Him with your heart along with your tongue, and you should strive to stay away from these bad thoughts and whispers that you are afflicted with.
Among the means for this, if this matter becomes frequent for you, spit to your left, blow to your left three times, even if you are in prayer, and say: "I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan," "I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan," as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) advised Uthman ibn Abi al-As to do. Uthman ibn Abi al-As complained to him that he found these whispers in prayer, so he guided him to blow to his left three times and seek refuge in Allah from Satan. He did so, and the whispers were removed from him. So, O my brother! If the whispers become intense for you, blow to your left, even if you are in prayer. Even if you are in prayer, blow to your left three times and seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan, and it will be removed from you, if Allah wills. But if you are present in prayer with your heart and are conscious of the greatness of Allah and that you are in His presence, then by the permission of Allah, the whisper will be removed from you and the bad thoughts will be removed from you.
As for the prayer, it is valid; whispers do not invalidate the prayer. In fact, the prayer is valid. However, if a person does something that invalidates his prayer intentionally due to whispers or forgetfulness, he prostrates for forgetfulness. For example, if he stands up from the first tashahhud while forgetting, or forgets the tasbih in the bowing or prostration, or forgets to say the takbirs after the takbir of ihram, such as the takbir for bowing or the takbir in prostration, then he prostrates for forgetfulness before he says the taslim. As for the first takbir, it is a pillar that is necessary; it is not dropped due to forgetfulness or otherwise. So, the one who does not perform the first takbir has no prayer. As for the other takbirs, they are obligatory according to the correct opinion, and if he forgets any of them, he must prostrate for forgetfulness. Likewise, if he leaves the first tashahhud while forgetting and stands up to the third rak'ah without sitting, he prostrates for forgetfulness before he says the taslim. He prostrates two prostrations before he says the taslim, and that is sufficient for him. Likewise, if he forgets a bowing or a prostration due to forgetfulness, he returns. If he is in the last rak'ah, he returns and completes his rak'ah. If he does not remember until after that, in another rak'ah, he performs a rak'ah in place of it. He performs a rak'ah in place of the rak'ah in which he left the bowing or prostration due to forgetfulness.
The conclusion is: that he fights Satan by being present in the presence of Allah with his heart, remembering the greatness of Allah, and gathering his heart for Allah until the whispers are removed from him and the bad thoughts are removed from him.
This forgetfulness that may occur and the thoughts do not invalidate his prayer, but they diminish it and weaken it. So, he should seek help from Allah and ask Him for success, guidance, and assistance against Satan, and he should seek refuge in Allah from Satan as well, even during the prayer if the whispers become frequent for him. We ask Allah for guidance for everyone. Yes.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.