Dear Readers, As Salaamu Alaikum!
ALL PRAISES AND THANKS TO ALLAH, LORD OF THE WORLDS!!
Salah is a sort of programming towards righteousness, that we are programmed towards righteousness. And the requirement [is] that it should be repeated [a] minimum [of] 5 times a day. For example for a very healthy body, a doctor will tell you, you require [a] minimum [of] 3 meals a day. Similarly for a spiritual soul, a person is required to offer Salah 5 times a day. And the requirement is, [that] there are chances that because of the evil in the society around us, we may get de-programmed. So if we are kept on being re-programmed, there are more chances that you will remain [steadfast on the] Sirat al mustaqeem, on the straight path. Therefore it is compulsory that every Muslim should offer Salah [a] minimum [of] 5 times a day.
However, Salaah may turn pointless or unconstructive if you do not concentrate in it. What is the point praying when your mind is drifting somewhere else and you cannot concentrate on what you the Imaam is saying in the prayer ?
How do we concentrate in Salah?
Let us read some pointers which In sha Allah, help us concentrate in the prayer.
1. Before standing up for Prayer, try to deal with all the minor urgent matters which demand your attention.... If you are pressed by hunger, eat first; if you are pressed to attend to the call of nature, relieve yourself; if you are the parent of an infant, feed him or her, or keep him or her busy.
2. Perform your wudu? (ablution) well, paying due care and attention.
3. Approach the Prayer with zest and passion as if it is the last prayer in your life before dying. Actually the Prophet (SalAllahiAlaiho Wasallam) taught us that we could do nothingin this world that could ever surpass Prayer in merit and excellence.
4. Visualize that in your Prayer you are going to have a special audience with Allah, Lord of the worlds, and that you are enjoying a direct communion with Him, which, in fact, is true.
5. Think of the Prayer you are performing as if it were the last Prayer of your life. In fact, it could very well be the last one, since no one is given a guarantee that he would live to perform another Prayer.
6. Picture the scene of the Last Day when people will be lined up into two groups, one destined for Heaven, and another for Hell, and ask yourself where you would be placed.
7. Focus your mind on what you are reading in your Prayer and recite simple Surahs that you understand it's meaning and ponder on the meaning whiles u recite.
8. If, in spite of your best efforts, your mind is still wandering, seek refuge in Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) and bring your mind back to Prayer.
9. Pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) and beg Him to grant you true the joy of concentrating in your Prayer and protection against the wanderings of your mind.
10. Place your eyesight to the one spot where you will be making your sujuud while you recite and avoid taking your eyes from that spot.
May Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) protect us from the tricks of shaitan during prayers and forgive us our mistakes. Ameen
With Best Wishes
