Advice for one afflicted with intrusive thoughts during prayer

Question:
This is a message from Buraydah, sent by one of our listening brothers. The sender is Abu Abdullah, our brother, who has a question. He says: I am a Muslim, praise and thanks be to Allah, and I maintain the prayer at its times in congregation, praise be to Allah. However, I suffer from distraction during my prayer, to the extent that sometimes I enter the prayer and exit it without knowing what I read in it. I have supplicated to Allah many times to grant me humility, and I have not despaired nor lost hope in the mercy of Allah. I have read about the man who came to complain to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that Satan was confusing his prayer. I ask you to guide me, may Allah reward you, on how to seek refuge from Satan during prayer? And to explain the advice of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to that questioner? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
It is prescribed for the Muslim, when he enters the prayer, to devote his heart and his whole self to it, and to be conscious that he is standing before Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), so he magnifies Him and humbles himself before Him, and turns to this great act of worship. By doing so, Satan stays away from him, for he is a whispering enemy who whispers when one is heedless and retreats when one remembers Allah. If intrusive thoughts overcome the believer or become frequent in his state of prayer, let him seek refuge in Allah from Satan, and let him spit lightly to his left three times, saying: “I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan,” as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) advised the noble Companion Uthman ibn Abi al-As al-Thaqafi when he said to him: “Satan has confused my prayer.” So he (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to seek refuge in Allah from Satan and to spit lightly to his left while in prayer three times. Uthman said: “So I did that, and I was cured of this matter, and Allah granted me well-being from it,” or as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said .
So you, O questioner, should be conscious of the greatness of your Lord when you enter the prayer, and devote your heart to it, reflecting on what you read from Surat al-Fatihah and others, and strive to gather your heart for Allah. If that is not sufficient, seek refuge in Allah from Satan, spit lightly to your left three times, and seek refuge in Allah from Satan. Allah will protect you from him . Do not despair, but be earnest and active in fighting the enemy of Allah by gathering your heart for Allah, and by being conscious that you are before Him, hoping for His mercy and fearing His punishment. Also be conscious that this prayer is the pillar of Islam, and it is the greatest of acts of worship and the most important of the obligatory duties after the two testimonies.
With this consciousness, and this monitoring, and this orientation, you will be safe, if Allah wills, from the enemy of Allah. May Allah guide us and you and the Muslims.

The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good.