Tag: prophet

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Muslim men

“Giddy-up!”

Horse Riding

horse

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) rode horses, camels, mules and donkeys. He rode horses both saddled and bareback, and he used to make them gallop them on occasion. He used to ride alone, which was most of the time, but sometimes he would put someone behind him on the camel, or he would put one person behind him and one in front, so there would be three men on one camel. So he would sometimes let some men ride on his camel with him, and on some occasions he let his wives ride with him. The animals which he rode most often were horses and camels.

(Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2565)

In a hadith narrated from Ibn Umar (R.A) in which our beloved Prophet said,

“Teach your children swimming, archery and horse riding”. In Sahih Muslim, the Prophet (s) said, “Practice archery and horseback riding.” The Prophet (s) said, “Any action without the remembrance of Allah is either a diversion or heedlessness except four acts: walking from target to target (during archery practice), training a horse and learning to swim.” (Reported by al Tabarani on good authority)

Horseback riding or horse riding referring to the skill of riding, driving, steeplechasing or vaulting with horses.This broad description includes the use of horses for practical working purposes, transportation, recreational activities, artistic or cultural exercises and competitive sport.

http://www.sunnahsports.org.uk/horse-riding.html

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Ramadān: The Month of Generosity


19th Ramadān 1437 AH ~ Friday 24th June 2016

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Spending one’s wealth for the cause of Allāh ta‘ālā is a very important aspect of Dīn and holds great rewards. Allāh ta‘ālā says:

The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allāh is like a grain that grows seven ears, each ear having a hundred grains. And Allāh multiplies [the reward further] for whom He wills. Allāh is All-Embracing, All-Knowing. (2:261)

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

The servants [of Allāh ta‘ālā] do not rise any morning except that two angels descend. One of them says, ‘O Allāh, give more to the one who spends [in the cause of Allāh ta‘ālā],’ and the other says, ‘O Allāh, bring ruin to the one who withholds.’ (Al-Bukhārī)

Indeed, sadaqah extinguishes the Wrath of Ar-Rabb, and prevents an unpleasant death. (At-Tirmidhī)

Sadaqah does not decrease wealth. (Muslim)

Allāh says, ‘O son of Ādam, spend; I will spend on you.’ (Al-Bukhārī)

The month of Ramadān is a month of generosity. Spending for the cause of Allāhta‘ālā, just like other good deeds, increases greatly in reward during this blessed month. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, who was the most generous of people, was even more generous during the month of Ramadān. Ibn ‘Abbās t says:

The Messenger of Allāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam was the most generous of people, and he was the most generous in the month of Ramadān, when Jibra’īl‘alayhis salām would visit him. He would visit every night in Ramadān and revise the Qur’an with Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam. Indeed, Rasūlullāhsallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam was more generous than the [swift] blowing wind [that brings rain]. (Al-Bukhārī)

We should try our utmost to emulate our beloved Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallamby being as generous as possible in this blessed month. The percentage we spend for Allāh ta‘ālā during Ramadān should be greater than the percentage outside of Ramadān. We should spend as much voluntary charity in good causes as we can, at the same time ensuring there is no negligence as far as the obligatory duty of zakāh is concerned.

The consequences of withholding zakāh are indeed severe:

And those who hoard their gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allāh, announce unto them a painful punishment. On the Day when it will be heated in the Fire of Jahannam and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks and their backs. [It will be said to them,] ‘This is what you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard.’ (9:34-35)

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

He who, despite being given wealth by Allāh, does not discharge his zakāh, his wealth will be made into a poisonous, bald-headed snake with two black spots over its eyes. It will coil itself around his neck on the Day of Qiyāmah and then bite his cheeks and say, ‘I am your wealth! I am your treasure!’ (Al-Bukhārī)

The following advice should be kept in mind when assessing one’s compliance with the rules of zakāh:

1. Fix a date when zakāh is to be calculated. The date is governed by when an individual reached the nisāb of zakāh and must be according to the Islamic Calendar. It must be a set date and not just estimated, as that would mean leaving the obligation of zakāh unfulfilled. Take the example of someone who calculated his zakāh on the 1st of Ramadān last year. This year he has £10,000 on the 1st Ramadān but the day ends without him calculating his zakāh. The next day, the 2nd Ramadān, he spends £5,000, and then on the 3rd Ramadān he finally sits down and calculates his zakāh. In this example he should have paid zakāh on £10,000, but due to not fixing a date he paid only on £5,000, half of what he owed.

2. Just as it is important to give zakāh at the right time, it is also important to calculate it correctly. Some people give a bit here and a bit there and assume they have given enough, when in fact they have fallen short of their obligation. It is essential therefore to learn from authentic ‘ulamā how to set a date and calculate zakāh properly.

Many people give their zakāh in Ramadān and feel they are gaining all the rewards of generosity that the month promises, but they overlook voluntary spending completely or to a large extent. Zakāh and voluntary spending are separate a‘māl in Islam and each should be given due attention. If we give a portion of zakāh to a project to help orphans, we should give some voluntary charity as well. And just as we should look for the most appropriate and rewarding recipients to give our zakāh to, we should also look for the most rewarding places to spend voluntarily. Indeed, the types of recipients of zakāh are limited, as prescribed by the Sharī‘ah, but the avenues where we can spend voluntarily are numerous.

In the Month of Generosity the rewards of voluntary deeds are elevated to the value of obligatory deeds, so voluntary spending should be a major part of our a‘māl. And not just during Ramadān; during every auspicious occasion e.g. 15th night of Sha‘bān, day of ‘Arafah, Laylat-ul-Qadr etc., spending in the cause of Allāh ta‘ālā should be part and parcel of our extra ‘ibādah. One step further, voluntary spending, within one’s means, should be made a routine throughout the year and should be budgeted for accordingly.

Finally, we should make a special point of spending in the nights of Ramadān. Although every moment of Ramadān is special, there is a particularly special night, Laylat-ul-Qadr, which will greatly multiply the reward for spending. If we spend £10 on Laylat-ul-Qadr, we will be rewarded as if we had made a £10 donation every night for over eighty-three years, for the reward of good deeds on that night is better than a thousand months (83 years and 4 months).

Some ‘ulamā say that Laylat-ul-Qadr occurs in the last ten nights of Ramadān, while others are of the opinion that it can fall on any night of Ramadān. As we do not know which night it will be, we should spend in the cause of Allāh ta‘ālā every night of Ramadān to avoid being deprived of the great rewards.

May Allāh ta‘ālā fill our hearts with true generosity, and may He grant us the tawfīq to follow in the footsteps of our beloved Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam and be even more generous this Ramadān. Āmīn.

© Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 21 No. 6, Jun 2012)

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Making the Sunnah a Part of Life: a Three Point Plan

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Importance of Sunnah

Allāh ta‘ālā has commanded us to follow and emulate the life of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam in the Glorious Qur’ān:

Say (O Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam): If you really love Allāh, then follow me, and Allāh shall love you and forgive you your sins. Allāh is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful. (3:31)

Similarly this has been emphasised by Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam in numerous ahādīth:

Hold fast to Kitābullāh and my Sunnah… (Al-Hākim)

Indeed adopting the ways of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam is the key to our success in both worlds. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated: 

Whoever loves my sunnah, loves me, and whoever loves me will be with me in Jannah. (Mishkāt) 

Regarding the importance of the Sunnah, Imām Mālik rahimahullāh has commented,“The Sunnah is like the Ark of Nūh ‘alayhis salām; whoever boards it will gain salvation and whoever stays aloof from it will drown.” (Tarīkh Dimashq)

Making Sunnah an Objective

In order to emulate the beautiful way of our beloved Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam in every aspect of our lives, first and foremost we must make this a conscious objective. Without making this an objective, the goal will only remain on our tongues. When a person aspires to achieve something, he can only succeed when his aspiration becomes an objective, which he is passionate and determined to fulfil. Merely wishing and dreaming without any effort does not bring any progress or success.

Learn the Sunnah

After this objective becomes embedded in our hearts and minds, it is inevitable that we will want to strive to attain this. In this regard, it is essential that we first learn about the Sunnah. There are many good and authentic books from which we can learn about the ways of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam. A few are listed hereunder:

  • Ash-Shamāil At-Tirmidhī authored by Imām At-Tirmidhī rahimahullāh, with commentary by Shaykh-ul-Hadīth Mawlānā Muhammad Zakariyyā rahimahullāh;
  • The Sublime Conduct of Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, a translation of Shamāile Kubrā authored by Muftī Muhammad Irshād Qāsmī hafizahullāh.
  • Uswae Rasūle Akram sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, authored by Hadrat Dr. Abdul Hayy ‘Ārifī rahimahullāh.

One effective method of learning is to allocate a time of the day wherein we will learn the Sunnah. Fixing a time will ensure that we do not fall into the trap of deferring this important task. For example, allocate a time to study after supper or before going to sleep. If we can also involve our family and study the Sunnah together that will be far better, as not only will the Sunnah become a part of our lives, it will also come into the lives of our family. We do not need to allocate a lengthy period of time; if we merely aim to learn one Sunnah a day with the intention of practicing upon it, inshā’allāh, very soon we will begin to emulate the life of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam. Therefore, start immediately to learn and practice one new Sunnah a day.

Bringing into Practice

After learning the Sunnah, make a concerted effort to bring this Sunnah into our lives. The following three points will assist in bringing the Sunnah into practice:

a. Increase the love for Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam by reading and contemplating about his features and excellences. Ponder over his efforts, sacrifices and favours upon the Ummah.

b. Associate with and sit in the company of those whose lives are in accordance with the Sunnah, as this will have a positive effect on our lives.

c. Make du‘ā to Allāh ta‘ālā to assist and grant us the ability to practice. If we are struggling to bring a particular Sunnah into practice, turn to Allāh saying that you are weak and feeble and unable to make that genuine effort needed, however, He is all powerful and He is able to change this.

By making an effort in this manner it will surely bear fruit inshā’allāh and very soon we will be able to see a transformation in our lives. 

May Allāh ta‘ālā grant us all the ability to practice. Āmīn.

© Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 24 No. 9, Sep 2015)

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

A Simple Step to Success

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

As believers, we all have the responsibility to lead our lives according to the commands set out by Allāh ta‘ālā. While some are guiltier than others, from time to time we all find ourselves in breach of His laws.

While advising the friends who had joined me in I’tikāf during the last ten days of Ramadān this year (1428AH), a thought came to my mind which I strongly felt would be helpful to a believer in keeping within the bounds of Allāh’s set commands. I would like to share this with my dear readers too.

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

Actions are judged on the final outcome (death). (Al-Bukhārī)

In light of this hadīth, every individual should imagine, before carrying out any action, that this may be his/her final action. If we carry out this exercise with full conviction, it will prove sufficient to keep us steadfast in abstaining from sins and fulfilling the commands of Allāh ta‘ālā. Furthermore, it will improve the quality of our good deeds and help us refrain from evil deeds.

Let us take an example to understand this better:

When a person stands for salāh, if he imagines that it could be his final action and that he may not get an opportunity to perform another salāh, he will be able to concentrate to a greater degree and develop greater sincerity. When another person, who intended to miss salāh out of laziness, imagines that these are his final moments, it will encourage him to perform his salāh.

Whenever an opportunity arises to sin, be it casting evil glances, backbiting, adultery or taking intoxicants, it should be imagined that these are one’s final moments. One should ask oneself: what if I was to die whilst in this state of sin? Rasūlullah sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said that every person will be resurrected in the condition in which he/she died, so how will I be able to face my Creator?

Inshā’allah, this exercise will prove helpful in keeping us on the path of Allah ta‘ālā’s pleasure and keeping us away from His displeasure.

© Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 16 No. 10/11, Oct/Nov 2007)

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Du'aas

Du’aa for those who fear anxiety or nervousness

 ONE:
أَبُو الْحَسَنِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدَانَ ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الصَّفَّارُ ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْحَمِيدِ بْنُ صَالِحٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبَانَ ، عَنْدَرْمَكِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ ، عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ ، أَنَّ رَجُلًا شَكَا إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْوَحْشَةَ ، فَقَالَ : ” أَكْثِرْ مِنْ أَنْ تَقُولَ : سُبْحَانَ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ ، رَبِّ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ ، بِالْعِزَّةِ جَلَّلْتَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ” . فَقَالَهَا الرَّجُلُ ، فَأَذْهَبَ اللَّهُ وَحْشَتَهُ
Baraa’ (Allah be pleased with him) reported a man complained to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about anxiety. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, Recite abundantly
سُبْحَانَ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ ، رَبِّ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ ، بِالْعِزَّةِ جَلَّلْتَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ
The man said, “Allah took away my anxiety.”
 IMG-20170831-WA0055.jpg
TWO:
 عن خالد بن الوليد رضى الله عنه قال: كنت أفزع بالليل, فأتيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقلت: إني أفزع بالليل فآخذ سيفي فلا ألقى شيئاً إلا ضربته بسيفي, فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم” ألا أعلمك كلماتٍ علّمني الروح الأمين؟))فقـلت: بـلى,
فقال قل”أعوُذُ بكلماتِ الله التَّامَّاتِ التي لا يجاوزُهن برٌ ولا فاجرٌ, من شرِّ ما ينـزُل من السماءِ وما يعرجُ فيها, ومن شرِّ
فتن الليـلِ والنّهارِ, ومِنْ كلّ طارقٍ, إلا طارق يطرُقُ بخيرٍ, يا رحمان
Khalid Ibn Waleed (Allah be pleased with him) narated, I used to feel uneasy at night. So I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and I said, “I feel disturbed at night and I end up striking my sword on anything I see.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Shall I not teach you the phrases taught to me by Ruhul-Ameen (Jibreel)?”
I said, “Of course!”
He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Say
أعوُذُ بكلماتِ الله التَّامَّاتِ التي لا يجاوزُهن برٌ ولا فاجرٌ, من شرِّ ما ينـزُل من السماءِ وما يعرجُ فيها, ومن شرِّ فتن الليـلِ والنّهارِ, ومِنْ كلّ طارقٍ, إلا طارق يطرُقُ بخيرٍ, يا رحمان
Ismail Ibn Nazir Satia
13 Dhul Qadah 1436
مسند احمد
الدعوات الكبير للبيهقي
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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Seven Important and Precious Advices


22nd Rabi’ul Awwal 1436 AH ~ Tuesday 13th January 2015 

Seven Important and Precious Advices
regarding Recent Events

by Shaykh-ul-Hadith, Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullah

During these critical times, when the Prophet Muhammad sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam is abused and ridiculed the Muslims should observe the following:

1. With love and reverence, carefully study the beautiful life of our beloved Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam from authentic reliable sources.

2. Frequently make mention of this beautiful life to both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

3. Distribute leaflets and booklets which cover aspects of this great life far and wide.

4. Give place to his illuminating teachings in your daily life so that others can appreciate the greatness of his exemplary conduct.

5. Send salutations and greetings upon him in abundance.

6. Supplicate to Allāh ta‘ālā, beseeching Him to pardon our sins and to grant us assistance and protection from all evil.

7. Exercise patience and remain within the boundary set by our beloved Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam.

http://www.idauk.org/publications/leaflet61.html

Download the above above advices in poster format in the following languages:
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Poems

An Ode to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

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اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلى سَيِّدِنَا وَنَبِيِّنَا وَ شَفِيْعِنَا وَحَبِيْبِنَا وَ سَنَدِنَا وَ مَوْلَانَا  مُحَمَّدٍ وَ بَارِكْ وَ سَلِّم 

May The Choicest Blessings and the Mercy of God Be Upon Muhammad – A Mercy To Mankind.

Year 570 CE you were born in the holy city of Makkah,

Wherein lies the beauty built by Ibraheem (AS) and Ismaeel (AS) – the exalted Ka’bah.

It had been 600 years since the Prophet Eesa (AS), this period is also known in the Qur’an as ‘Fatrah’.

You came at a time when the world was in darkness, people were lost, misguided and swimming in ignorance.

How auspicious that moment was for us all,

When the beloved Aminah (RA) conceived and gave birth to such a blessed soul.

The world was illuminated brightly, and the 1000-year-old fire was extinguished suddenly.

The extravagant castles of Shaam could be seen, Oh, what a time this must have been.

The shadow of your father, the honourable Abdullah (RA), had already left this world.

This was the just the start of your hardships, through which you were tumbled and turned.

It was at the tender age of six, your mother’s gentle touch was no longer felt,

Heart-wrenching. Heartbreaking. Heart left to melt.

Then came along the gallant Abdul Muttalib who took you into his care,

Oh, Muhammad! Such an upbringing of pain and grief is seldom and very rare.

But Allah gives the most difficult of battles to those,

Who are selected by Him and for his mission He chose.

After a year or two Abdul Muttalib met his Lord – ache upon ache.

Such pain left you lonely and full of tears,

But this was part of Allah’s plan; to make you strong and without fears.

Now you stayed with your uncle, an orphan, aged eight,

Abu Talib was his name, he loved you and the affection he showed was great.

You herded sheep and became a shepherd,

You became known for truthfulness and honesty – a man of his word.

You later grew into a fine man and started to trade,

Which attracted the attention of Khadeejah (RA) – whose husband you were later made.

You lived happily and had six children,

Four blessed daughters; two beloved sons who died as infants.

Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthoom, Fatimah (RA),

Little Qasim, and how can we forget Abdullah? (RA)

As time went by, and evil began to spread,

A lot of thoughts started going through your head.

You looked at people, as they worshipped idols carved from their own hands,

And over trivial issues, how a clan would fight with other clans.

The people of Arabia mercilessly buried their baby daughters alive,

And they did not ever fulfil the rights of their children and wives.

People deprived the poor and didn’t give the weak their rights,

Men merrily drank wine and gambled throughout the night,

Shedding blood and killing was prevalent,

The sanctity of human life had become totally irrelevant.

Little did they know how their lives were about to be turned,

As the light of Prophethood shone, glimmering bright, like a lantern you burned.

One day in Mount Hira as you were meditating,

An angel descended and started communicating.

“Read! O Muhammad, Read!” Were the first words said,

You were scared and frightened and quickly rushed ahead.

Upon reaching home, sweating and panicking you screamed,

“O Khadeejah! Wrap me quick”; a large blanket, warm and thick.

Alarmed, petrified and terrified, as any wife would be,

She obeyed instantly, as she was first the believer (in Islam) to be.

(To be cont…)

Ismail Ibn Nazir Satia (One who is in dire need of Allah’s Forgiveness, Mercy and Pleasure).

12th Rabiul Awwal 1436 – Written in memory of the Beloved (Sal Allahu Alayhi Wasallam) on the date of His SAW demise.

The eyes weep, the heart bleeds, but our love for you, O Rasool Ullah SAW will never die. In Sha Allah. Muhammad (peace be upon him) is always in our hearts and on our mind. His SAW’s remembrance keeps our tongues moist.

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Spirituality

Khushoo’ – An extinct element of Salah

musalla

All lofty and high praise be to Allah, The Most Honoured and The Majestic. Peace and blessings be upon the leader of the pious, the chief of al-Kha’shioon, Muhammad Ibn Abdullah, the Messenger of Allah, and on all his family and companions.

I begin by thanking Allah (Subhanahu WaTa’aala) for enabling me to shed a bit of light on the given topic. Salah is certainly not something taken lightly in the religion of Islam.

“The first thing of your religion that you will lose is Khushoo’, and the last thing that you will lose of your religion is Salah. There may be a person praying who has no goodness in him, and soon you will enter the masjid and not find anyone who has khushoo’.”

Salah is a pillar out of the five pillars of Islam.

Salah is a conversation with Our Lord.

Salah is a Mi’raaj for the Muslims.

Salah will increase our Iman and lead to Jannah. Discarding it will decrease our Iman and lead to Jahannam.

Allah (Subhanahu WaTa’aala) says, “And stand before Allah with obedience.” (2:238)

Regarding Salah, the Qur’an mentions, “And truly it is extremely heavy and hard except for al-Khashi’oon.” (2:45)

Salah is the greatest of the practical pillars of Islam and Khushoo’ in prayer is required by Shari’ah. When Iblis, the enemy of Allah, vowed to mislead and tempt the sons of Adam (peace be upon him) he said, “Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left.” (7:17)

One of the most significant plots became to divert people from Salah by all means possible and to whisper to them during their prayer so as to deprive them of the joy of this worship and cause them to lose the reward for it.

“Successful indeed are the believers, those who offer their Salah with all solemnity and full submissiveness.” (23:1-2) Khushoo’ means calmness, serenity, tranquillity, dignity and humility. What makes a person have this Khushoo’ is fear of Allah (Subhanahu WaTa’aala) and the sense that He is always watching.

Hudhayfah (Allah be pleased with him) used to say, “Beware of the khushoo’ of hypocrisy.”  He was asked, “What is the Khushoo’ of Hypocrisy?” He said, “When the body shows Khushoo’ but there is no Khushoo’ in the heart.”

Fudhayl ibn Ayadh (Allah have mercy upon him) said, “It was disliked for a man to show more Khushoo’ than he had in his heart.” One of them saw a man showing Khushoo’ in his shoulders and body, and said, “O so and so, Khushoo’ is here” – and he pointed to his chest, “not here” – and he pointed to his shoulders. (Al-Madarij)

Ibnul Quyyim (Allah have mercy upon him) who is known to be the ‘spiritual’ heart doctor said, explaining the difference between the Khushoo’ of true faith and the Khushoo’ of hypocrisy, “The Khushoo’ of true faith is when the heart feels aware and humble before the greatness and glory of Allah, and is filled with awe, fear and shyness, so that the heart is utterly humbled before Allah and broken, as it were, with fear, shyness, love and the recognition of the blessings of Allah and its own sins. So no doubt the Khushoo’ of the heart is followed by the Khushoo’ of the body. As for the Khushoo’ of hypocrisy, it is something that is put on with a great show, but there is no Khushoo’ in the heart.”

Khushoo’ is obligatory in prayer, and this includes calmness, meaning submission and humility. Whoever pecks like a crow in his Sujood (prostration) does not have Khushoo’, and whoever does not raise his head fully from Ruku (bowing) and pause for a while before going down into Sujood is not calm, because calmness implies doing things at a measured pace, so the person who does not do things at a measured pace is not calm. Whoever is not calm does not have Khushoo’ in his Ruku or Sujood, and whoever does not have Khushoo’ is a sinner…

Shaykhul Islam ibn Taymiyyah (Allah have mercy upon him) explained the things that help us to have Khushoo’, “Two things help us to develop Khushoo’, a strong desire to do what is obligatory, and weakness of distractions. With regards to the first, the strong desire to do what is obligatory; (this means that) a person strives hard to focus on what he is saying and doing, pondering upon the meaning of the Qur’an recitation, dhikr, duas, and keeping in mind the fact that he is speaking to Allah as if he sees Him SWT, for when he is standing in prayer, he is talking to his Lord. Ihsan means that you worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot see Him, surely He can see you.”

The more the slave tastes the sweetness of Salah, the more attracted he will be to it, and this has to do with the strength of his Iman. The means of strengthening Iman are many, and this is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say, “In your world, women and perfume have been made dear to me, and my joy is in prayer.”

According to another Hadith he (peace be upon him said), “Let us find comfort in prayer, O Bilal.” He (peace be upon him said), did not say, “Let us get it over and done with.”

With regard to the second, weakness of distractions, this means striving to push away all distractions that make you think of something other than the prayer itself, and warding off thoughts that keep your mind off the purpose of the prayer. This is something which differs from one person to another, because the extent of waswasah (evil thoughts) has to do with the extent of one’s doubts and desires and the heart’s focus and dependence on what it loves, and its efforts to avoid what it dislikes.

After having read thus far, I hear some of you say, “well how does one go about acquiring this Khushoo?” One of the most important things one needs to remember is preparing oneself ‘properly’ for Salah. A lack of this or preparing inadequately is the greatest cause for deficiency in Khushoo’. We should be preparing from the moment we hear the Adhan, repeat the words the Muaddhin says, then recite Durood and the dua after the Adhan. We normally perform our Wudhu at this stage, again, this must be done thoroughly. One must ensure each part is rubbed correctly and fully not leaving a single area dry nor any hair left out (where applicable). Start Wudhu with Bismillah and Alhumdu Lillah, and ending it with the prescribed dua in the Sunnah. A forgotten Sunnah in Wudhu is using the Siwak/Miswak, it is actually Sunnah Muakkadah (emphasised sunnah) to utilise the Miswak whilst performing Wudhu, i.e. it should not be left out.

When one starts Salah it should not be rushed and he/she should move from one position to another slowly and calmly. Abu Qatadah (Allah be pleased with him) said, “The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The worst type of thief is the one who steals from prayer.’ He asked. ‘O Messenger of Allah, how can a person steal from his prayer?’ He (peace be upon him) said, ‘By not doing rukoo and sujood properly.’ (Ahmad and alHakim)

Hammad ibn Salamah (Allah have mercy upon him) said, “I have never stood up for prayer once without imagining that the fire of Hell is before my eyes.”

Just like in worldly affairs we think of different strategies and techniques to boost our business, to make our lives easier and comfortable, similarly we must plan ways to rectify our Salah. Here is one prescribed in the Sunnah:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Remember death in your prayer, for the man who remembers death during his prayer will surely pray properly, and (also) pray the prayer of a man, who does not think that he will pray any other prayer (after this).”

Lastly, Abu Ayyub (Allah be pleased with him) was advised by the Prophet (peace be upon him);

“When you stand up to pray, pray a farewell prayer.”

O Allah! Grant us all the ability to pray Salah daily with Khushoo’ and devotion. And make Salah the coolness of our eyes. Ameen.

Ismail Ibn Nazir Satia (In dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure).

1st Muharram 1436