Cii Radio| Ayesha Ismail| 01 September 2016| 13 Zhul Qadha 1437
Salaah is one of the 5 pillars of Islam. A muslim is required to perform salaah 5 times a day with total concentration. Salah can be considered as a priceless gift from Allah. It enables us to put forward all our needs in front of Allah and request whatever we need from Him. Though Salah is a blessing which cannot be given a value, yet many Muslims still tend to neglect it.
But how many of us very often find our mind wandering during salaah and sometimes even making mental notes during?
This common problem which arises during Salah is due to the loss of concentration. Instead of focusing on Almighty Allah we tend to focus on unwanted elements.
Here are some suggestions that will help you Increase concentration on Allah alone during Salah:
–Pray 2 Rakaths Before Every Fardh Prayer
Pray at least 2 Rakaths before every fardh (Obligatory) prayer. Sunnah prayers can be used as a practice to concentrate on Salah. The more you pray the more practice you get. Thus you will be able to concentrate more on your salah and practice will make perfect inshallah.
-Learn The Meaning Of The Surahs Which You Recite In Salah
The Quran is a unique book. It has got the ability to attract anyone, due to its beauty and cadence. Yet it is essential to know the meaning. The Qur’an is a unique book, a guide for our lives and by learning the meaning of each surah and focusing on it, we will never get distracted from our salaah.
-Try To Recite A New Surah
By reciting a Surah which you do not recite often, you’ll be able to concentrate on more your salah, because you should focus solely on the Surah to remember it. On the contrary, if you keep on reciting the same Surah you will not pay attention to it as you are familiar with the Surah.
-Offer your Salah as if it’s your last
Think of the prayer you are performing as if it is your last and the final salaah in your life. Life is short, and it might very well be your last one because no one is guaranteed that he will live to perform another prayer.
-Complete All Your Needs Before Offering Salah
Make sure that you fulfill all your needs before offering salaah. For example; if you are hungry or thirsty, eat and drink well before praying so that you needn’t worry about these things while praying. This will help you to focus on your salah.
-Iron Out Distractions
Find out all the reasons which disturb or distract you during salaah and eliminate them. For example if it’s the sound, choose a place where there is no sound to offer your salah. Likewise, eliminate all other distractions by choosing a suitable place to pray.
– Always Offer Your Salah In Congregation
When you offer salah individually Shaytan will be able to take away your concentration easily. But when you pray in congregation you feel a sense of togetherness and at the same time you will not easily get misled. This can be evinced by this saying of prophet Muhammad (PBUH),”Be attached to a Jamaah for verily the wolf catches the lonely sheep. Likewise, Shaytan misleads the one who lives in solitude”. Men should perform salaah in the masjid and women at home.
-Remember That You Are Standing In Front Of Allah! The Lord Of The Worlds
Always keep in mind that during salaah you are directly communicating with Allah-The lord of the universe. Never forget, that even though Allah’s mercy is far more than his anger yet his punishment is unbearable. And performing salah in a wrong manner is one reason why He gets angry. We should also dress comfortably, hygienically and appropriately for salaah. We are after all standing before our creator, the King of Kings. By wearing a clean dress and applying perfume you will get a feeling of being well prepared to face your lord. Therefore, it gives you an excellent chance to focus on your prayer with a peaceful mind.
-Ask For Help From Allah
Last but not least ask help from Allah to rectify your Salah. Even if you follow all the methods mentioned above, yet nothing is possible without the help of Allah and Dua is indeed the weapon of the believer.
May Allah grant us the ability to be able to rectify our errors and may he grant us khushoo in our salaah and accept it from us, inshallah.
Extracts – Muslim village
