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Thirty Three Ways of developing Khushoo’ in Salaah
Writer: Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
8
Thinking about the aayaat and adhkaar being recited during the prayer and interacting with them
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The Qur’aan was revealed to be pondered over. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “(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]. No one can ponder over its verses unless he has some knowledge of the meaning of what he is reciting, so that he can think about it and be moved to tears by it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And those who, when they are reminded of the aayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of their Lord, fall not deaf and blind thereat.” [al-Furqaan 25:73]. Thus the importance of studying Tafseer (Qur’aanic commentary) is quite clear. Ibn Jareer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “I am astonished at people who read the Qur’aan and do not know what it means. How can they enjoy reading it?” (Muqaddimat Tafseer al-Tabari by Mahmood Shaakir, 1/10. For this reason it is important for the reader of Qur’aan to look at a Tafseer, even if it is abridged, when he is reading. For example, he could read Zubdat al-Tafseer by al-Ashqar, which is abridged from the Tafseer of al-Shawkaani, and the Tafseer of al-‘Allaamah Ibn Sa’di, entitled Tayseer al-Kareem al-Rahmaan fi Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan. At the very least he could consult a book explaining the unusual words such as al-Mu’jam al-Jaami’ li Ghareeb Mufradaat al-Qur’aan by ‘Abd al-‘Azeez al-Seerwaan, which is a compilation of four books of unusual words used in the Qur’aan).
Another way of helping oneself to ponder over the meanings is to repeat aayaat, because this will help one to think deeply and look again at the meanings. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to do this. It was reported that he spent a night repeating one aayah until morning came. The aayah was (interpretation of the meaning): “If you punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” [al-Maa’idah 5:118]. (Reported by Ibn Khuzaymah, 1/271 and Ahmad, 5/149; Sifat al-Salaah, p. 102). [Translator’s note: Shaykh al-Albaani’s book Sifat al-Salaah is available in English under the title The Prophet’s Prayer described by Shaikh Muhammad Naasir-ud-Deen al-Albaani, translated by Usama ibn Suhaib Hasan, Al-Haneef Publications, Ipswich, UK, 1993]
Another way of helping oneself ponder over the meanings is to interact with the aayaat. Hudhayfah said: “ I prayed with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) one night… he was reciting at length. If he recited an aayah that mentioned tasbeeh, he would say Subhaan Allaah; if it mentioned a question, he would ask a question; if it mentioned seeking refuge with Allaah, he would seek refuge with Allaah.” (Reported by Muslim, no. 772). According to another report, [Hudhayfah] said: “I prayed with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and if he recited an aayah that mentioned mercy, he would ask for mercy; if he recited an aayah that mentioned punishment, he would seek refuge with Allaah, and if he recited an aayah that mentioned deanthropomorphism of Allaah, he would say Subhaan-Allaah.” (Ta’zeem Qadr al-Salaah, 1/327). This was reported concerning qiyaam al-layl (prayer at night).
One of the Sahaabah – Qutaadah ibn al-Nu’maan (may Allaah be pleased with him) – prayed qiyaam at night and did not recite anything but Qul Huwa Allaah Ahad, repeating it and not adding anything more. (Al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 9/59; Ahmad, 3/43) Sa’eed ibn ‘Ubayd al-Taa’i said: “I heard Sa’eed ibn Jubayr leading them in prayer during the month of Ramadaan, and he was repeating this aayah (interpretation of the meaning): ‘… they will come to know, when iron collars will be rounded over their necks, and the chains, they shall be dragged along, in the boiling water, then they will be burned in the Fire.’ [Ghaafir 40:70-72].” Al-Qaasim said: “I saw Sa’eed ibn Jubayr praying qiyaam al-layl and reciting (interpretation of the meaning): ‘And be afraid of the Day when you shall be brought back to Allaah. Then every person shall be paid what he earned…’ [al-Baqarah 2:281], and repeating it twenty-odd times.” A man of Qays who was known by the kunyah Abu ‘Abd-Allaah said: “We stayed with al-Hasan one night, and he got up to pray qiyaam al-layl. He prayed and did not stop repeating this aayah until just before dawn (interpretation of the meaning): ‘… and if you count the Blessings of Allaah, never will you be able to count them…’ [Ibraaheem 14:34]. When morning came, we said, ‘O Abu Sa’eed, you did not recite any more than this one aayah all night.’ He said, ‘I learn a great deal from it: I do not glance at anything but I see a blessing in it, but what we do not know about Allaah’s blessings is far greater.’” (Al-Tidhkaar li’l-Qurtubi, p. 125).
Haroon ibn Rabaab al-Usaydi used to get up at night to pray Tahajjud, and he would repeat this aayah until daybreak (interpretation of the meaning): “… ‘Would that we were but sent back (to the world)! Then we would not deny the aayaat (signs, verses) of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!’” [al-An’aam 6:27], and weeping until daybreak.
Another way of helping oneself to ponder over the meanings is to memorize Qur’aan and various adhkaar to be recited during different parts of the prayer, so that one may recite them and think about their meanings.
There is no doubt that these actions – thinking about the meanings, repeating and interacting with the words – are among the greatest means of increasing khushoo’, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And they fall down on their faces weeping and it adds to their humility [khushoo’]’” [al-Isra’ 17:109].
The following is a moving story that illustrates how the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had khushoo’, as well as explaining how it is obligatory to think of the meaning of the aayat. ‘Ataa’ said: “ ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr and I entered upon ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) and Ibn ‘Umayr said to her, ‘Tell us of the most amazing thing you saw on the part of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).’ She wept and said, ‘He got up one night and said, “O ‘Aa’ishah, leave me to worship my Lord.” I said, “By Allaah, I love to be close to you, and I love what makes you happy.” So he got up and purified himself, then he stood and prayed. He kept weeping until his lap got wet, then he wept and kept weeping until the floor got wet. Bilaal came to tell him that it was time to pray, and when he saw him weeping, he said, “O Messenger of Allaah, you are weeping when Allaah has forgiven you all your past and future sins?” He said, “Should I not be a grateful slave? Tonight some aayaat have been revealed to me; woe to the one who recites them and does not think about what is in them (interpretation of the meaning): ‘Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth…’” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:190… or al- Baqarah 2:164].’” (Reported by Ibn Hibaan. He said in al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, no. 68: this is a jayyid isnaad).
One example of interacting with the aayaat is to say “Aameen” after al-Faatihah, which brings a great reward. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If the imaam says ‘Aameen,’ then say ‘Aameen’ too, for whoever says ‘Aameen’ and it coincides with the ‘Aameen’ of the angels, will have all his previous sins forgiven.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 747). Another example is responding to the imaam when he says “Sami’ Allaahu liman hamidah (Allaah hears the one who praises Him)”; the members of the congregation should say, “Rabbanaa wa laka’l-hamd (O our Lord, to You be praise).” This also brings a great reward. Rifaa’ah ibn Raafi’ al-Zirqi said: “One day we were praying behind the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). When he raised his head, he said, ‘Sami’ Allaahu liman hamidah,’ and a man behind him said, ‘Rabbanaa wa laka’l-hamdu hamdan katheeran tayyiban mubaarakan fih (Our Lord to You be much good and blessed praise).’ When he finished, he said, ‘Who is the one who spoke?’ The man said, ‘Me.’ He said, ‘I saw thirty-odd angels rushing to see who would write it down first.’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 2/284).
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