Salah is Allah’s (SWT) most favourite form of ibaadah that He Himself has prescribed for us. The aim of Salah is to be ever conscious of our Lord, Creator and Sustainer of all things, as it is indeed one of the most comprehensive forms of ‘dhikr’. Perhaps, it is for this reason Allah (SWT) mentions in hadith Qudsi:
Out of all the ways through which my servant gets closer to Me, Salah is the dearest to Me (Bukhari).
Salah is one of the fundamental blocks of Islam that leads to success in this world and the hereafter. Undoubtedly, if we are steadfast in our prayers, everything else in life also falls into place. We should, therefore, concentrate on achieving ‘khushu’ into our daily salah. The execution of khushu lies in the level of submissiveness, humility, longing, and tranquility within the heart due to the conscious awareness of Allah’s(SWT) Greatness and Magnificence during the daily act of standing in front of Him.
It is thus, imperative, that we consciously improve the quality of our daily salah, not for Allah’s sake, but for our own. What better way is there to connect with Him through salah? We’ve compiled a few tips below.
Focus and Concentrate
Be sure to focus on every step of your salah and concentrate on every transitional position that you are in. For example, be aware of your posture while going in ruku and then sujood. In essence, try to execute the positions as accurately as you can. Moreover, take your time with each and every part of the prayer. There is no prayer dearer to our Lord than that which is said whole-heartedly.
Understand What you Recite
To establish a deeper connection with the Almighty, we should make an effort to understand the actual meaning of the verses, so we are able to connect our hearts to it. Through understanding the meaning of what we are reciting during our daily prayers, we will notice a new found depth and sweetness in our salah and hence, it will draw us closer to Allah(SWT).
Pre-Salah Preparation
Try to keep a working schedule that integrates all five prayers and make it a point to be punctual. Purify yourself by doing wazu with great care. Find a quiet and clean place to offer salah, preferably at the masjid, with minimum distractions and noise. Make sure to adorn clean and modest clothing for the meeting with your Creator.
Realise and Avoid Shaytan’s Attempt to De-track You
As soon as a believer starts his/her prayer, shaitan whispers in his/her ear to create distraction and to fill his/her mind with anything and everything but the thoughts of Allah. Shaytan is well aware that the remembrance of Allah brings you closer to Him, so he tries endlessly to disengage your mind and heart from your prayer. If you ever feel your mind wandering, do not give satan the power to disrupt your salah and actively seek refuge with Allah from it during the rest of the prayer.
Continuously make 'Dua'
Dua is one of the most powerful tools that the believer is equipped with. Dua grants you a direct passage to Allah, where nothing except you and your Creator exists. Take every salah as an opportunity to converse with Allah(SWT). If you’re facing hardships in life, call upon Him. If you don’t know which road to take in life, ask Him. If you feel a void in your heart, request Him to fill it. If you feel blessed and content in life, make dua and thank Him for all His bounties and for giving us the blessing to be able to perform salah and pray to Him despite our many faults. We should make it a point to pray every salah as if it is our last prayer on earth, as Allah(SWT) mentions in the Quran:
“So remember Me, I will remember you…” (Surah Baqarah:152).
Perform your daily salah in a satisfactory way and it will surely lead to a positive change in your life.
Allah(SWT) has time to listen; do you have time to pray?
