Question Summary:
How may I perform my prayer with devotion and dedication? Question Detail:
Recently i have started to offer prayer 5 times a day(may Allah forgive me for my past). Thing is i am offering prayer as a responsibility or perhaps i am forcing myself into the prayers. I want to enjoy my prayer and be in love with it. What should i read or do to get love for prayer?
Answer :
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Hereunder are some advises on how to improve the quality of your Salah:
One Sahabi Radhiallahu Anhu approached Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alahyi Wasallam and sought some advice. Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alahyhi Wasallam advised him the following:
إِذَا قُمْتَ فِي صَلَاتِكَ فَصَلِّ صَلَاةَ مُوَدِّعٍ
“When you stand to offer Salah, offer the Salah in such a manner that it is your final Salah.”[1]
When a person is aware that he will be performing his final Salah, imagine his mindset and dedication in Salah. He will perform his wudhu thoroughly; he will make his takbir (Allahu-Akbar) with full concentration in the greatness of Allah. He will recite thana with the greatest glory of Allah instilled within him. When he will recite the Qur’an, he will feel as if he is talking to Allah. In Ruku and Sajdah, he will express the highest form of humility in front of Allah. He will be conscious throughout his Salah that this is his final Salah and he should make the best out of it.
In the following Hadith, Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam explains what should be the mindset of a person when he performs Salah:
أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ
"Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not achieve this state of devotion, then (take it for granted that) Allah sees you."[2]
If a person offers his Salah with such a mindset, he will feel the spirituality in his Salah.
A very inspiring and thoughtful incident occurred in the time of the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. Hadhrat Rifā’ah bin Rāfi’ Radhiallahu Anhu mentions:
"One day Allah's Messenger was sitting in the Masjid." Rifa'ah said: "And we were with him. Then what appeared to be a Bedouin man entered to pray, but he performed his Salat in a very brief manner. He then got up and greeted the prophet with Salam. The Prophet said (returning the greeting): 'And upon you (Wa Alaik). Go back and perform Salat, for indeed you have not prayed.' Therefore, he returned to perform Salat then came and greeted the Prophet with Salam. Therefore, he (the Prophet) said (returning the greeting): 'And upon you. Go back and perform Salat, for indeed you have not prayed.' [He did that] two or three times, each time coming to the Prophet, greeted the Prophet with Salam and the Prophet saying: 'And upon you. Go back and perform Salat, for indeed you have not prayed.' - until the people got scared and became very worried that one whose prayer was so brief had not actually prayed. Then in the end, the man said: 'Then show me, and teach me, for I am a human who has suffered and is mistaken.' So he said: 'Alright. When you stand for Salat then perform Wudu as Allah ordered you. Then say the Tashahhud, and the Iqamah as well. If you know any Quran then recite it, if not then praise Allah, mention His greatness, and the Tahlil. Then bow such that you are at rest in your bowing, then stand completely, then prostrate completely, then sit such that you are at rest while sitting, then stand. When you have done that, then you have completed your Salat, and if you leave out something, then you have made your Salat deficient.' And this was easier on them than the first matter, because if some of this was deficient, It would only reduce the reward of his Salat, it would not have gone entirely. "[3]
In the above incident, Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam emphasized on performing Salah with devotion and dedication.
Apart from the three recommendations mentioned above to enhance the quality of ones Salah, the following methods should also be exercised:
Concentrate on the meanings of the Qur’an in qiyam and the tasbeehat in ruku and sajdah. If one is unaware of the meanings, then he may simply concentrate on the words that are being recited.
When performing Salah behind the Imam in an audible tone, concentrate on the recitation of the Imam. In an inaudible qiraat, recite Surah Fathiha in one’s mind and not verbally i.e. without moving the tongue or lips. Likewise, own may also make the Zikr of Allah such as “Allah”, “Allah”, in one’s mind.
Commence the Salah with the following thought in mind: I am standing in front of Allah Ta’ala and He is watching me. It is the Day of Judgment. Reckoning is taking place. Jannah and Jahannum are before me.
Prior to performing the Salah, learn the translation of the last couple Surahs of the Quran. Thereafter, when you recite these Surahs in Salah, ponder over the meaning of each verse that is being recited.[4]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
AbdulMannan Nizami
Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, IL, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net
[1] حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا الْفُضَيْلُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ خُثَيْمٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي عُثْمَانُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ، مَوْلَى أَبِي أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ، قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ عَلِّمْنِي، وَأَوْجِزْ، قَالَ: «إِذَا قُمْتَ فِي صَلَاتِكَ فَصَلِّ صَلَاةَ مُوَدِّعٍ، وَلَا تَكَلَّمْ بِكَلَامٍ تَعْتَذِرُ مِنْهُ، وَأَجْمِعِ الْيَأْسَ عَمَّا فِي أَيْدِي النَّاسِ»
[سنن ابن ماجه، ج٢، ص١٣٩٦]
[2] صحيح البخاري (1/ 19) دار طوق النجاة
أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ
[3] حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ خَلاَّدِ بْنِ رَافِعٍ الزُّرَقِيِّ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، عَنْ رِفَاعَةَ بْنِ رَافِعٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَيْنَمَا هُوَ جَالِسٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ يَوْمًا، قَالَ رِفَاعَةُ وَنَحْنُ مَعَهُ: إِذْ جَاءَهُ رَجُلٌ كَالبَدَوِيِّ، فَصَلَّى فَأَخَفَّ صَلاَتَهُ، ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ، فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: وَعَلَيْكَ، فَارْجِعْ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَلِّ، فَرَجَعَ فَصَلَّى، ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: وَعَلَيْكَ، فَارْجِعْ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَلِّ، فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا، كُلُّ ذَلِكَ يَأْتِي النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَيُسَلِّمُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَيَقُولُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: وَعَلَيْكَ، فَارْجِعْ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَلِّ، فَخَافَ النَّاسُ وَكَبُرَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يَكُونَ مَنْ أَخَفَّ صَلاَتَهُ لَمْ يُصَلِّ، فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ فِي آخِرِ ذَلِكَ: فَأَرِنِي وَعَلِّمْنِي، فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ أُصِيبُ وَأُخْطِئُ، فَقَالَ: أَجَلْ إِذَا قُمْتَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ فَتَوَضَّأْ كَمَا أَمَرَكَ اللَّهُ، ثُمَّ تَشَهَّدْ فَأَقِمْ أَيْضًا، فَإِنْ كَانَ مَعَكَ قُرْآنٌ فَاقْرَأْ، وَإِلاَّ فَاحْمَدِ اللَّهَ وَكَبِّرْهُ وَهَلِّلْهُ، ثُمَّ ارْكَعْ فَاطْمَئِنَّ رَاكِعًا، ثُمَّ اعْتَدِلْ قَائِمًا، ثُمَّ اسْجُدْ فَاعْتَدِلْ سَاجِدًا، ثُمَّ اجْلِسْ فَاطْمَئِنَّ جَالِسًا، ثُمَّ قُمْ، فَإِذَا فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ تَمَّتْ صَلاَتُكَ، وَإِنْ انْتَقَصْتَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا انْتَقَصْتَ مِنْ صَلاَتِكَ، قَالَ: وَكَانَ هَذَا أَهْوَنَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الأَوَّلِ، أَنَّهُ مَنْ انْتَقَصَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ شَيْئًا انْتَقَصَ مِنْ صَلاَتِهِ، وَلَمْ تَذْهَبْ كُلُّهَا.
وَفِي البَابِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، وَعَمَّارِ بْنِ يَاسِرٍ.
حَدِيثُ رِفَاعَةَ بْنِ رَافِعٍ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ.
وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ رِفَاعَةَ هَذَا الحَدِيثُ مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهٍ
[سنن الترمذي ت بشار، كتاب الصلاة، باب ما جاء في وصف الصلاة، ج١، ص٣٩١، دار الغرب الاسلامي]
[4] [اصلاح اخلاق، حكيم اختر]
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