The short answer
Khushu means humble, present-hearted prayer, and the Quran ties success to it. The Prophet ﷺ taught practical help: pray as though you see Allah, remember that He answers your Fatiha line by line, avoid looking around, do not pray while hungry for food in front of you or needing the toilet, and when Shaytan distracts you, seek refuge in Allah.
"Certainly will the believers have succeeded: They who are during their prayer humbly submissive" 1. That humility is khushu, and Allah admits it is not easy: prayer "is difficult except for the humbly submissive" 2. So struggling to focus is normal; the goal is to keep coming back.
Change how you see the prayer. The Prophet ﷺ defined ihsan as worshipping Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot, knowing that He sees you 3. Allah also said that when you recite al-Fatiha, He responds to each line: "My servant has praised Me... My servant has glorified Me... this is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for" 4. Knowing the meaning turns recitation into a conversation.
Expect the distraction, and answer it. The Prophet ﷺ said that once the prayer begins, Shaytan comes and whispers to a person, reminding him of things he had not thought of before, until he forgets how much he has prayed 5. When a Companion complained of this, the Prophet ﷺ named that devil (Khinzab) and told him to seek refuge with Allah and spit lightly three times to his left; he did so and it went away 6.
Remove what pulls you away. Looking around in prayer is "a way of stealing by which Satan takes away (a portion) from the prayer" 7, so keep your gaze down. And the Prophet ﷺ said no prayer is properly offered when food is served, or when one needs to relieve oneself 8; deal with those first.
Small steps help too: make wudu calmly, learn the meaning of what you recite, pause in each position, and make your own dua in sujud.
Successful are the believers who are humbly submissive in their prayer.
قَدۡ أَفۡلَحَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ١ ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ فِي صَلَاتِهِمۡ خَٰشِعُونَ ٢
1 Certainly will the believers have succeeded 2 They who are during their prayer humbly submissive
Prayer is hard except for the humbly submissive.
وَٱسۡتَعِينُواْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِۚ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلۡخَٰشِعِينَ ٤٥
And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah]
Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, knowing that He sees you.
Narrated Abu Huraira: One day while the Prophet (ﷺ) was sitting in the company of some people, (The angel) Gabriel came and asked, "What is faith?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, 'Faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, (the) meeting with Him, His Apostles, and to believe in Resurrection." Then he further asked, "What is Islam?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "To worship Allah Alone and none else, to offer prayers perfectly to pay the compulsory charity (Zakat) and to observe fasts during the month of Ramadan." Then he further asked, "What is Ihsan (perfection)?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must consider that He is looking at you." Then he further asked, "When will the Hour be established?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "The answerer has no better knowledge than the questioner. But I will inform you about its portents. 1. When a slave (lady) gives birth to her master. 2. When the shepherds of black camels start boasting and competing with others in the construction of higher buildings. And the Hour is one of five things which nobody knows except Allah. The Prophet (ﷺ) then recited: "Verily, with Allah (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour--." (31. 34) Then that man (Gabriel) left and the Prophet (ﷺ) asked his companions to call him back, but they could not see him. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "That was Gabriel who came to teach the people their religion." Abu 'Abdullah said: He (the Prophet) considered all that as a part of faith
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو حَيَّانَ التَّيْمِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَارِزًا يَوْمًا لِلنَّاسِ، فَأَتَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ فَقَالَ مَا الإِيمَانُ قَالَ " الإِيمَانُ أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ وَبِلِقَائِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ، وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْبَعْثِ ". قَالَ مَا الإِسْلاَمُ قَالَ " الإِسْلاَمُ أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُشْرِكَ بِهِ، وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلاَةَ، وَتُؤَدِّيَ الزَّكَاةَ الْمَفْرُوضَةَ، وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ ". قَالَ مَا الإِحْسَانُ قَالَ " أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ ". قَالَ مَتَى السَّاعَةُ قَالَ " مَا الْمَسْئُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ، وَسَأُخْبِرُكَ عَنْ أَشْرَاطِهَا إِذَا وَلَدَتِ الأَمَةُ رَبَّهَا، وَإِذَا تَطَاوَلَ رُعَاةُ الإِبِلِ الْبُهْمُ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ، فِي خَمْسٍ لاَ يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ ". ثُمَّ تَلاَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم {إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ} الآيَةَ. ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ فَقَالَ " رُدُّوهُ ". فَلَمْ يَرَوْا شَيْئًا. فَقَالَ " هَذَا جِبْرِيلُ جَاءَ يُعَلِّمُ النَّاسَ دِينَهُمْ ". قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ جَعَلَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ.
Allah responds to each line of al-Fatiha as the servant recites it.
Abu Huraira reported:The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) said: If anyone observes prayer in which he does not recite Umm al-Qur'an, It is deficient [he said this three times] and not complete. It was said to Abu Huraira: At times we are behind the Imam. He said: Recite it inwardly, for he had heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) declare that Allah the Exalted had said: I have divided the prayer into two halves between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks. When the servant says: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe, Allah the Most High says: My servant has praised Me. And when he (the servant) says: The Most Compassionate, the Merciful, Allah the Most High says: My servant has lauded Me. And when he (the servant) says: Master of the Day of judg- ment, He remarks: My servant has glorified Me. and sometimes He would say: My servant entrusted (his affairs) to Me. And when he (the worshipper) says: Thee do we worship and of Thee do we ask help, He (Allah) says: This is between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for. Then, when he (the worshipper) says: Guide us to the straight path, the path of those to whom Thou hast been Gracious not of those who have incurred Thy displeasure, nor of those who have gone astray, He (Allah) says: This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for. Sufyan said: 'Ala b. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Ya'qub narrated it to me when I went to him and he was confined to his home on account of illness, and I asked him about it
وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَنْظَلِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ صَلَّى صَلاَةً لَمْ يَقْرَأْ فِيهَا بِأُمِّ الْقُرْآنِ فَهْىَ خِدَاجٌ - ثَلاَثًا - غَيْرُ تَمَامٍ " . فَقِيلَ لأَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ إِنَّا نَكُونُ وَرَاءَ الإِمَامِ . فَقَالَ اقْرَأْ بِهَا فِي نَفْسِكَ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى قَسَمْتُ الصَّلاَةَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي نِصْفَيْنِ وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ فَإِذَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ { الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ} . قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى حَمِدَنِي عَبْدِي وَإِذَا قَالَ { الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ} . قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَثْنَى عَلَىَّ عَبْدِي . وَإِذَا قَالَ { مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ} . قَالَ مَجَّدَنِي عَبْدِي - وَقَالَ مَرَّةً فَوَّضَ إِلَىَّ عَبْدِي - فَإِذَا قَالَ { إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ} . قَالَ هَذَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ عَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ . فَإِذَا قَالَ { اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ * صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ} . قَالَ هَذَا لِعَبْدِي وَلِعَبْدِي مَا سَأَلَ " . قَالَ سُفْيَانُ حَدَّثَنِي بِهِ الْعَلاَءُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ مَرِيضٌ فِي بَيْتِهِ فَسَأَلْتُهُ أَنَا عَنْهُ .
Shaytan whispers during prayer, making a person remember other things and forget how much he prayed.
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "When the Adhan is pronounced Satan takes to his heels and passes wind with noise during his flight in order not to hear the Adhan. When the Adhan is completed he comes back and again takes to his heels when the Iqama is pronounced and after its completion he returns again till he whispers into the heart of the person (to divert his attention from his prayer) and makes him remember things which he does not recall to his mind before the prayer and that causes him to forget how much he has prayed
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلاَةِ أَدْبَرَ الشَّيْطَانُ وَلَهُ ضُرَاطٌ حَتَّى لاَ يَسْمَعَ التَّأْذِينَ، فَإِذَا قَضَى النِّدَاءَ أَقْبَلَ، حَتَّى إِذَا ثُوِّبَ بِالصَّلاَةِ أَدْبَرَ، حَتَّى إِذَا قَضَى التَّثْوِيبَ أَقْبَلَ حَتَّى يَخْطُرَ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَنَفْسِهِ، يَقُولُ اذْكُرْ كَذَا، اذْكُرْ كَذَا. لِمَا لَمْ يَكُنْ يَذْكُرُ، حَتَّى يَظَلَّ الرَّجُلُ لاَ يَدْرِي كَمْ صَلَّى ".
For distraction by the devil Khinzab, seek refuge in Allah and spit lightly three times to the left.
Uthman b. Abu al-'As reported that he came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said:Allah's Messenger, the Satan intervenes between me and my prayer and my reciting of the Qur'an and he confounds me. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:, That is (the doing of a) Satan (devil) who is known as Khinzab, and when you perceive its effect, seek refuge with Allah from it and spit three times to your left. I did that and Allah dispelled that from me
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ خَلَفٍ الْبَاهِلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي، الْعَلاَءِ أَنَّ عُثْمَانَ بْنَ أَبِي الْعَاصِ، أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ قَدْ حَالَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ صَلاَتِي وَقِرَاءَتِي يَلْبِسُهَا عَلَىَّ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " ذَاكَ شَيْطَانٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ خِنْزِبٌ فَإِذَا أَحْسَسْتَهُ فَتَعَوَّذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنْهُ وَاتْفِلْ عَلَى يَسَارِكَ ثَلاَثًا " . قَالَ فَفَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ فَأَذْهَبَهُ اللَّهُ عَنِّي .
Looking around in prayer is a theft by which Shaytan takes from the prayer.
Narrated `Aisha:I asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about looking hither and thither in prayer. He replied, "It is a way of stealing by which Satan takes away (a portion) from the prayer of a person
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَشْعَثُ بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ الاِلْتِفَاتِ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَقَالَ " هُوَ اخْتِلاَسٌ يَخْتَلِسُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنْ صَلاَةِ الْعَبْدِ ".
No prayer is properly offered when food is present or when one needs to relieve oneself.
Ibn Atiq reported:Al-Qasim was in the presence of 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) that I narrated a hadith and Qasim was a man who committed errors in (pronouncing words) and his mother was a freed slave-girl. 'A'isha said to him: What is the matter with you that you do not narrate as this son of my brother narrated (the ahaditb)? Well I know from where you picked it up. This is how his mother brought him up and how your mother brought you up. Qasim felt angry (on this remark of Hadrat 'A'isha) and showed bitterness towards her. When he saw that the table had been spread for 'A'isha, he stood up, 'A'isha, said: Where are you going? He said: (I am going) to say prayer. She said: Sit down (to take the food). He said: I must say prayer. She said: Sit down, ) faithless, for I have heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: No prayer can be (rightly said) when the food is there (before the worshipper), or when he is prompted by the call of nature
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبَّادٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَاتِمٌ، - هُوَ ابْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ - عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عَتِيقٍ، قَالَ تَحَدَّثْتُ أَنَا وَالْقَاسِمُ، عِنْدَ عَائِشَةَ - رضى الله عنها - حَدِيثًا وَكَانَ الْقَاسِمُ رَجُلاً لَحَّانَةً وَكَانَ لأُمِّ وَلَدٍ فَقَالَتْ لَهُ عَائِشَةُ مَا لَكَ لاَ تَحَدَّثُ كَمَا يَتَحَدَّثُ ابْنُ أَخِي هَذَا أَمَا إِنِّي قَدْ عَلِمْتُ مِنْ أَيْنَ أُتِيتَ . هَذَا أَدَّبَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَأَنْتَ أَدَّبَتْكَ أُمُّكَ - قَالَ - فَغَضِبَ الْقَاسِمُ وَأَضَبَّ عَلَيْهَا فَلَمَّا رَأَى مَائِدَةَ عَائِشَةَ قَدْ أُتِيَ بِهَا قَامَ . قَالَتْ أَيْنَ قَالَ أُصَلِّي . قَالَتِ اجْلِسْ . قَالَ إِنِّي أُصَلِّي . قَالَتِ اجْلِسْ غُدَرُ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " لاَ صَلاَةَ بِحَضْرَةِ الطَّعَامِ وَلاَ وَهُوَ يُدَافِعُهُ الأَخْبَثَانِ " .
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