Similarly,
the
prayers
were
made
obligatory
upon
the
Prophet
Muhammad
(peace
be
upon
him)
during
his
ascension
to
heaven.
Furthermore,
when
Allah
praises
the
believers,
such
as
in
the
beginning
of
surah
al-Muminoon,
one
of
the
first
descriptions
He
states
is
their
adherence
to
the
prayers.
[Successful
are
the
believers,
those
that
offer
their
Salah
with
all
earnestness
and
full
obedience]
-
Al
Mu’minoon
23/1-2
The
importance
of
prayer
is
demonstrated
in
many
of
the
Prophet’s
statements.
For
example,
the
Prophet
(peace
be
upon
him)
said,
"The
first
matter
that
the
slave
will
be
brought
to
account
for
on
the
Day
of
Judgment
is
the
prayer.
If
it
is
sound,
then
the
rest
of
his
deeds
will
be
sound.
And
if
it
is
bad,
then
the
rest
of
his
deeds
will
be
bad."
[Recorded
by
al-Tabarani.
According
to
al-Albani,
it
is
sahih.
Al-Albani,
Sahih
al-Jami,
vol.1,
p.
503.
In
reality,
when
the
prayer
is
performed
properly
–
with
true
remembrance
of
Allah
and
turning
to
Him
for
forgiveness
–
it
will
have
a
lasting
effect
on
the
person.
After
he
finishes
the
prayer,
his
heart
will
be
filled
with
the
remembrance
of
Allah.
He
will
be
fearful
as
well
as
hopeful
of
Allah.
After
that
experience,
he
will
not
want
to
move
from
that
lofty
position
to
one
wherein
he
disobeys
Allah.
Allah
mentioned
this
aspect
of
the
prayer,
"Verily,
the
prayer
keeps
one
from
the
great
sins
and
evil
deeds"
(al-Ankaboot
45).
However
amongst
our
community
of
Musalleen
(those
who
perform
Salah)
we
find
some
hazy
actions
that
need
to
be
brought
back
into
focus.
- Some
do
not
concentrate
on
what
they
are
saying.
- Some
speed
when
they
pray·
- Some
wander
with
their
gaze
during
Salah,
- The
number
of
raka’aat
performed
is
constantly
forgotten.
- For
some,
the
Dunya
hugs
their
hearts
during
Salah
and
clouds
their
minds.
- Sometimes,
before
the
Imam
says
Allahu
Akbar,
some
in
the
congregation
are
already
in
the
next
prostration.
Compare
this
to
those
that
came
before
us:
People
used
to
think
that
ar-Rabee'
bin
Khaitham,
due
to
his
constant
lowering
of
his
gaze
and
keeping
his
head
low
(in
Salah),
was
blind.
He
used
to
live
behind
the
house
of
Abdullaah
ibn
Mas'ood
for
twenty
years
and
when
his
servant
girl
used
to
see
him
she
would
say:
Your
blind
friend
is
coming,
and
Abdullaah
used
to
laugh
at
her
speech.
In
Bukhari
and
Muslim,
from
Abu
Hurayrah
-
Radi
Allahu
Anhu,
a
man
entered
the
Masjid
and
the
Messenger
of
Allah
-
Sal
Allaahu
alayhi
wa
Sallam
-
was
sitting.
The
man
prayed
(2
raka’)
and
then
came
to
the
Prophet
-
Sal
Allaahu
alayhi
wa
Sallam
-
and
said
salam.
The
Prophet
-
Sal
Allaahu
alayhi
wa
Sallam
-
replied
the
salam
and
then
said,
“Go
back
and
pray
for
you
have
not
prayed.”
So
the
man
went
back,
prayed
(2
raka’)
like
he
did
the
first
time
and
then
came
back
and
repeated
the
salam.
The
Prophet
-
Sal
Allaahu
alayhi
wa
Sallam
-
replied
the
salam
and
then
said,
“Go
back
and
pray
for
you
have
not
prayed.”
So
the
man
went
back,
prayed
(2
raka’)
like
he
did
the
first
time
and
then
came
back
and
repeated
the
salam.
The
Prophet
-
Sal
Allaahu
alayhi
wa
Sallam
-
replied
the
salam
and
then
said,
“Go
back
and
pray
for
you
have
not
prayed.”
He
said
it
three
times
until
–
on
the
third
time
the
man
said,
“By
He
who
sent
you
with
the
truth
O
Messenger
of
Allah,
I
do
not
know
any
better
than
this.
Teach
me.”
The
Prophet
-
Sal
Allaahu
alayhi
wa
Sallam
-
then
said,
“If
you
stand
up
for
Salah
say
‘Allahu
Akbar.’
Then
read
what
comes
easy
for
you
from
the
Quran.
Then
bow
until
you
are
comfortable
in
your
ruku’.
Then
stand
up
until
you
are
standing
up
straight.
Then
prostrate
until
you
are
comfortable
in
your
Sujood.
Then
sit
until
you
are
comfortable
in
your
Juloos.
Then
prostrate
until
you
are
comfortable
in
your
Sujood.
And
do
this
in
your
entire
Salah.”
Let’s
go
back
and
do
our
Salah
again.
This
is
our
topic
for
today.
- Why
do
we
come
to
the
Masjid,
why
do
we
perform
Salah?
We
do
it
in
application
of
the
command
of
our
Creater
Subhaanahu
wa
Ta’aala.
Why
should
we
then
lose
the
blessing
and
reward
because
of
a
wandering
heart
and
an
itchy
hand?
Concentration
is
the
soul
of
our
Salah.
Concentration
is
the
fruit
of
our
Eeman.
Yet
regardless
of
this
understanding,
people
still
leave
their
Salah
and
only
a
small
portion
of
it
is
written
for
them
because
of
their
imperfection
of
it.
The
Prophet
-
Sal
Allaahu
alayhi
wa
Sallam
-
said,
“Verily,
a
man
will
leave
from
(his
Salah)
and
only
a
tenth
of
his
Salah
is
written
for
him,
a
ninth,
an
eighth,
a
seventh,
a
sixth,
a
fifth,
a
forth,
a
third,
half.”
–
Abu
Dawood
and
Tirmidhi.
Uthman
ibn
Abi
Dahshah
said,
“I
have
never
prayed
a
Salah
that
I
have
not
asked
Allah
Subhaanahu
wa
Ta’aala
to
forgive
for
my
shortcomings
in
that
Salah.”
- Someone
who
short
changes
his
Salah
is
a
thief.
The
Prophet
-
Sal
Allaahu
alayhi
wa
Sallam
-
said,
“The
evilest
thief
is
he
who
steals
from
his
Salah.”
They
asked,
“O
Messenger
of
Allah,
how
does
he
steal
from
his
Salah?”
He
-
Sal
Allaahu
alayhi
wa
Sallam
-
said,
“He
does
not
perfect
it’s
ruku’
and
Sujood.”
–
authentic
- Because
of
the
speed
some
apply
to
their
Salah,
it
is
as
if
they
are
pecking
up
and
down
like
a
bird.
Narrated
Ahmad,
Abu
Dawood
and
others,
the
Prophet
-
Sal
Allaahu
alayhi
wa
Sallam
-
forbade
that
someone
should
peck
(in
Salah)
like
a
crow…”
Umar
-
Radi
Allahu
Anhu
-
once
stood
on
the
pulpit
and
addressed
the
community
with
a
loud
powerful
voice,
“A
man
may
grow
old
in
Islam
and
never
have
completed
to
Allah
a
single
Salah!”
They
said,
“How
is
this?”
He
said,
“He
does
not
perfect
his
concentration,
nor
his
humbleness,
nor
his
focus
on
Allah
-
Azza
wa
Jall.”
Once,
Ma’roof
Al-Karkhee
–
Rahimahu
AllahimahUllah
–
stood
amongst
some
of
his
students
and
one
said
to
the
other,
“Please
lead
the
Isha
Salah.”
The
first
student
accepted
but
said,
“I
shall
lead
the
Isha’
Salah
on
condition
that
you
lead
the
Fajr
Salah
and
not
me.”
Ma’roof
Al-Karkhe
was
shocked
at
what
he
said
and
commented,
“By
Allah,
if
you
think
that
you’ll
be
alive
at
Fajr
then
–
by
Allah
–
you
have
not
yet
perfected
your
Salah.”
Part
II
-
How
to
Concentrate
in
Salah
Al
Qaasim
ibn
Muhammad
-
Rahimahu
Allah
-
said,
“I
went
out
one
day,
and
whenever
I
would
go
out
I
would
always
pass
by
Aisha
-
Radi
Allahu
Anha
-
and
give
her
my
Salam.
That
day
I
went
out
and
when
I
found
Aisha
she
was
praying
Salat
al-Duha,
reciting
over
and
over
the
verse
of
Allah
[Saying:
‘Aforetime
we
were
afraid
with
our
families
(from
the
Punishment
of
Allah).
But
Allah
was
gracious
on
us
and
saved
us
from
the
torment
of
the
Fire.”]
–
At
Toor
52/26-27
She
was
crying
and
invoking
Allah
-
Subhaanahu
wa
Ta’aala
-
and
repeating
the
verse.
I
stood
there
waiting
until
I
got
tired,
she
remained
as
I
found
her.
When
I
saw
this
I
said
to
myself,
‘let
me
go
to
the
market,
do
what
I
have
to
do
and
come
back.’
So,
after
I
had
finished
what
I
needed
to
do
at
the
market,
I
returned
to
Aisha
-
Radi
Allahu
Anha.
She
was
as
I
left
her,
repeating
the
verse,
invoking
Allah,
and
crying.
How
do
we
concentrate
in
Salah?
From
the
Sunnah,
the
Prophet
–
Sal
Allahu
Alayhi
wa
sallam
–
taught
the
following:
- Come
early
for
Salah
and
prepare
yourself
to
concentrate.
Repeat
what
the
Adhan
after
the
Mu’adhdhin,
and
after
the
adhan
say
the
prescribed
supplication.
Between
the
Adhan
and
Iqamah
make
dua’.
Do
Wudu
properly,
cleanse
your
mouth,
and
wear
your
finest
clothes.
- Aim
to
get
the
entire
reward
of
your
Salah.
Abu
Bakr
ibn
‘Iyaash
said,
“I
saw
Habeeb
ibn
Thabit
in
Sujood.
If
you
saw
him
you
would
think
he
was
dead
(by
how
long
he
held
his
Sujood).”
- Contemplate
the
aayaat
and
adhkaar
being
recited
during
the
prayer.
Think
about
the
meanings
of
the
verses
that
you
are
reciting.
Isn’t
is
disheartening
that
someone
may
perform
Salah
for
decades,
day
after
day,
and
he/she
still
does
not
know
what
they
are
saying?
The
Qur’aan
was
revealed
to
be
pondered
over!
Allaah
revealed:
“(This
is)
a
Book
(the
Qur’aan)
which
We
have
sent
down
to
you,
full
of
blessings
that
they
may
ponder
over
its
Verses,
and
that
men
of
understanding
may
remember.”
[Saad
38:29].
- Pray
in
congregation.
Allah
Subhaanahu
wa
Ta’aala
commands
[And
perform
Salah,
give
Zakah,
and
bow
with
those
that
bow.]
(Qur'an
2/43)
- Never
miss
your
Nafl
Salah,
especially
those
that
the
Prophet
-
Sal
Allaahu
alayhi
wa
Sallam
-
used
to
pray
constantly,
especially
Witr
and
the
sunnah
of
Fajr
- Do
not
speed
up
your
Salah.
Take
your
time
and
do
not
allow
your
Salah
to
become
the
most
invaluable
action
of
your
day.
Ibn
Wahb
said,
“I
saw
Ath-Thowree
at
the
Ka’bah.
After
Maghrib,
he
got
up
to
pray
and
then
prostrated.
He
did
not
come
out
of
that
prostration
until
the
Adhan
for
Isha’
was
given.”
- Know
that
Allaah
responds
to
your
prayer.
The
Prophet
(peace
and
blessings
of
Allaah
be
upon
him)
said:
“Allaah,
the
Blessed
and
Exalted
has
said:
‘I
have
divided
the
prayer
between
Myself
and
My
slave,
into
two
halves,
and
My
slave
shall
have
what
he
has
asked
for.”
When
the
slave
says
‘Praise
be
to
Allaah,
Lord
of
the
Worlds,’
Allaah
says,
‘My
slave
has
praised
Me.’
When
the
slave
says,
‘The
Most
Merciful,
the
Bestower
of
Mercy,’
Allaah
says,
‘My
slave
has
extolled
me.’
When
the
slave
says,
‘Master
of
the
Day
of
Judgement,’
Allaah
says,
‘My
slave
has
glorified
me.’
When
the
slave
says,
‘It
is
You
alone
we
worship
and
it
is
You
alone
we
ask
for
help,’
Allaah
says,
‘This
is
between
Me
and
My
slave,
and
My
slave
shall
have
what
he
asked
for.’
When
the
slave
says,
‘Guide
us
to
the
Straight
Path,
the
path
of
those
whom
You
have
favoured,
not
the
path
of
those
who
receive
Your
anger,
nor
of
those
who
go
astray,’
Allaah
says,
‘All
these
are
for
My
slave,
and
My
slave
shall
have
what
he
asked
for.’”
(Saheeh
Muslim,
Kitaab
al-Salaah,
Baab
wujoob
qiraa’at
al-Faatihah
fi
kulli
rak’ah).
- Pray
with
a
barrier
(sutrah)
in
front
of
you
and
pray
close
to
it.
Another
thing
that
will
help
one
to
have
khushoo’
is
paying
attention
to
the
matter
of
having
a
sutrah
and
praying
close
to
it,
because
this
will
restrict
your
field
of
vision,
protect
you
from
the
Shaytaan
and
keep
people
from
passing
in
front
of
you,
which
causes
a
distraction
and
reduces
the
reward
of
the
prayer.
The
Prophet
(peace
and
blessings
of
Allaah
be
upon
him)
said:
“When
any
one
of
you
prays,
let
him
pray
facing
a
sutrah,
and
let
him
get
close
to
it.”
(Reported
by
Abu
Dawood,
no.
695,
1/446;
Saheeh
al-Jaami’,
no.
651).
- Seeking
Refuge
in
Allah
from
the
Shaytaan.
The
Prophet
(peace
and
blessings
of
Allaah
be
upon
him)
taught
us
the
following
methods
of
combatting
the
whispers
of
Shaytaan.
Abu’l-‘Aas
(may
Allaah
be
pleased
with
him)
reported
that
he
said,
“O
Messenger
of
Allaah,
the
Shaytaan
interrupts
me
when
I
pray,
and
I
get
confused
in
my
recitation.”
The
Messenger
of
Allaah
(peace
and
blessings
of
Allaah
be
upon
him)
said,
“That
is
a
shaytaan
whose
name
is
Khanzab.
If
you
sense
his
presence,
seek
refuge
with
Allaah
from
him,
and
spit
[dry
spitting]
towards
your
left
three
times.”
[Abu’l-‘Aas]
said:
“I
did
that
and
Allaah
took
him
away
from
me.”
(Reported
by
Muslim,
no.
2203)
- Pray
as
if
you
were
told
that
after
Salah
you
would
be
going
back
to
Allah.
Abu
Bakr
Al-Muzanee
said,
“If
you
want
your
Salah
to
benefit
you,
then
say,
‘I
shall
die
after
this
Salah!’”
Sermon
or
Khutbah
Go
Back
and
Pray,
For
You
Have
Not
Prayed!
By:
Muhammad
Al-Shareef
Home Page 
