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Allah, The Exalted, Commands Endurance

[ALLAH’S Quran – 3:200] “O believers! Patiently endure, persevere, stand on guard, and be mindful of Allah, so you may be successful.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) has said:
[Muslim, Book #007, Hadith #3181] “Yuhannis, the freed slave of Zubair, narrated that when he was sitting with Abdullah b. ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with him) during the days of turmoil, his freed slave-girl came to him. After saluting him she said: Abu Abd al-Rahmin, I have decided to leave (Medina) for the time is hard for us, whereupon Abdullah said to her: Stay here, foolish lady, for I have heard Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: For one who shows endurance on the hardships and rigor of it (of Medina) I would be an intercessor or a witness on his behalf on the Day of Resurrection.”

Tired of Life Difficulties?

Never Despair! Allah’s Mercy Is Always There

Abu Sa`id and Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “No fatigue, nor disease, nor anxiety, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

This world is no more than a test in which all humans are bound to face some hardships and challenges that reveal their patience and steadfastness.

The forms of this test are numerous and diverse: Some people suffer poverty, some suffer physical illnesses, some live in a state of insecurity, some are deprived of their cherished and beloved ones, and still others suffer psychiatric disorders. Referring to this fact, Allah says:

{And surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the patient, Who says, when afflicted with calamity: “To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return”: They are those on whom (descend) Blessings from Allah and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance.} (Al-Baqarah 2:155-157)

In another verse, He Almighty says: {He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.} (Al-Mulk 67:2)

Since trials and hardships are inevitable, Islam does not let them pass by without instructing Muslims on the best course of action or by guiding them to the safest and most appropriate attitude. The Hadith reveals one dimension of Islam’s recipe for successfully dealing with life’s challenges.

In order to balance the negative effects posed by afflictions, Islam draws our attention to their expected fruit. Problems and troubles serve as means to expiate sins and elevate the believer’s rank in the Hereafter.

This optimistic and positive approach safeguards one from falling prey to despair and grief. Here, it is fitting to cite some Prophetic hadiths that emphasize this concept:

Abu Yahya Suhaib bin Sinan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “How wonderful is the case of a believer; it is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is good for him” (Muslim).

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “He whom Allah intends good, He makes him suffer from some affliction” (Al-Bukhari).

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “A Muslim, male or female, continues to remain under trial in respect of his life, property, and offspring until he faces Allah, the Exalted, with no sin record” (At-Tirmidhi).

The above hadiths should not be mistaken for a call to fatalism and defeatism. The message the hadiths convey is that every Muslim should expect hardships and prepare to weather them. This point makes a distinction between one who trusts in Allah and believes in His mercy and one who feels that he is alone in this world, that he faces its formidable challenges isolated from any source of support or assistance.

So, these hadiths are meant to infuse Muslims with hope and vigor and drive away the destructive thoughts of failure and hopelessness. To get a better understanding of them, they should be considered the light of the following hadiths:

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “A strong believer is better and dearer to Allah than a weak one, and both are good.

Adhere to that which is beneficial for you. Keep asking Allah for help and do not refrain from it.

(If you are afflicted in any way), do not say: ‘If I had taken this or that step, it would have resulted into such and such,’ but say only: ‘Allah so determined and did as He willed.’ The word ‘if’ opens the gates of satanic (thoughts)” (Muslim).

In line with this hadith comes the Prophet’s advice to his cousin Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) to know that with patience comes victory, with distress, comes relief, and with hardship comes ease.

In this respect, one idea may be a source of worry and disturbance. How can we approach afflictions with such optimism when they are clear signs of Allah’s wrath and manifestations of His punishment? Has not Allah said,

{Whatever misfortune happens to you, is because of the things your hands have wrought, and for many (of them) He grants forgiveness} (Ash-Shura 42:30)?

Actually, these questions haunt many people, especially the practicing ones when they are afflicted with a calamity, deprived of a cherished person, or plagued with an illness. The problem is that in many cases this thought becomes a source of frustration and depression.

Instead of being an incentive to hasten to Allah and drawing closer to him, the idea serves sometimes as a dispiriting factor. So, let’s see how the Companions viewed the above verse and how they took it positively and optimistically.

In his comment on this verse, Imam Al-Qurtubi reports that `Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “This verse is the most hopeful one in the Quran; if my sins are to be expiated through afflictions and calamities, and in addition to that, Allah forgives many other sins, then what will remain after such expiation and forgiveness?”

True, life’s disasters leave hearts broken and loved ones deprived, but the bright believer knows how to turn them into a source of determination and a fountain of strength.

I conclude with the beautiful authentic hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) tells us that the people who face the harshest trial (bla’) are the prophets, then those next to them (in faith and devotion), and then the next. Everyone will be tried according to his level of faith; one who has strong faith will undergo a harsh trial and one who is of weak faith will receive a weak trial. And the affliction will encompass one until he becomes free of sins altogether.

Life Difficulties Are Rewarding 

A person’s life in this world is not stable. One passes through alternating periods of happiness and dismay, strength and weakness, wealth and poverty, health and sickness, etc. A true believer is one who maintains a clear level of faith throughout worldly fluctuations. He continues to remember Allah and ascribe the bounties to Him, and he turns to Him in submission, asking for relief from his affliction. This is described by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), who said:

“Indeed amazing are the affairs of a believer! They are all for his benefit. If he is granted the ease of living he is thankful, and this is best for him. And if he is afflicted with a hardship, he perseveres; and this is best for him.” (Muslim)

And Allah said: {Certainly, We shall test you with fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits; but give glad tidings to the patient—those who, when afflicted with calamity say, “Truly to Allah we belong, and truly to Him shall we return.” It is those who will be awarded blessings and mercy from their Lord, and it is those who are the guided ones.} (Al-Baqarah 2:155–157)

Thus, a believer shows gratitude and thankfulness for all the wonderful blessings that Allah grants him. And he displays patience and submission during sickness and hardships, hunger, or other afflictions.

Hardships Benefit the Believer
Allah has decreed that, in this life, hardships and disasters strike both believers and non-believers. For a non-believer, they are inconveniences that hinder him from proceeding with his normal involvement in worldly life. For a believer, on the other hand, they are instances of test and remembrance, tests that promise great rewards, and indications of atonement and expiation of sins.

Regardless of how little the harm strikes a believer, it carries with it good news of forgiveness and elevated rank in Paradise. The Righteous Predecessors used to be pleased when hardship afflicted them, seeing it as a token of Allah’s forgiveness and benevolence.

Expiations of Sins
1. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet said, “Hardships continue to befall a believing man and woman in their body, family, and property until they meet Allah burdened with no sins” (At-Tirmidhi).

Sign of Allah’s Love
2. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whenever Allah wills good for a person, He subjects him to adversity” (Al-Bukhari and others).

Sign of Faith
3. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) and Ka`b ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The parable of a believer is that of a fresh and moist plant; the wind tilts it this way and that way; and so is the believer; he continues to be subject to affliction.

And the parable of a hypocrite is that of a firm cedar tree; it does not shake—until it is uprooted all at once.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Sign of Righteousness
The prophets and righteous people are afflicted the most, and their rewards are the highest.

4. Sa`d (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The most in their suffering among the people are the prophets, then the best, then the (next) best. One is afflicted in accordance with his faith. If his faith is firm, his affliction is hard, and if his faith is weak, his affliction is light.

Indeed, one would be so much subjected to adversity until he walks among the people without any sins.” (Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi)

Early Punishment
5. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When Allah wills good for a servant of His, He expedites his punishment in this life; and when He wills retribution for a servant of His, He holds his sins for Him to judge him by them on the Day of Resurrection.” (At-Tirmidhi)

Multiplication of Rewards
6. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The amount of reward is in accordance with the amount of suffering. When Allah loves some people, He tries them (with affliction). He who then is content (with Allah’s decree) has achieved the acceptance (of Allah), and he who is dissatisfied (with Allah’s decree) will attain the anger (of Allah).” (At-Tirmidhi)

Rewards for Sickness
One should not look to sickness as a gloomy episode but should remember the great good in it. It is one form of affliction with which Allah tests His servants, giving them a chance to acquire rewards, as was explained above, as is further emphasized below.

Removal of Sins and Elevation in Ranks
7. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whenever a Muslim is afflicted by harm from sickness or other matters, Allah will drop his sins because of that, like a tree drops its leaves” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

8. Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “A Muslim is not afflicted by hardship, sickness, sadness, worry, harm, or depression—even if pricked by a thorn—but Allah expiates his sins because of that” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

9. Sa`id said, “I was with Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) when he visited a sick man in Kindah (in Persia), and he said to him, “Expect good because Allah makes a believer’s sickness an expiation (for his sins) and a period of rest. However, when a disbeliever falls sick, he is like a camel whose owner ties it then lets it loose—it does not understand why it was tied nor why it was freed.” (Al-Bukhari)

10. `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that once some pain afflicted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) causing him to suffer and turn about in his bed. She said, “Had one of us done this, you would have blamed him.” He (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: “An ailment is intensified for the righteous. Whenever a believer is afflicted by a hardship, whether it is a thorn or more, a sin is taken off from him because of it, and he is elevated by one rank (in Paradise).”(Ahmad)

Retaining Rewards for Deeds Before Sickness
Usually, when a believer falls sick, he would not be able to do the same amount of good (prayer, fasting, helping Muslims, etc.) that he used to do when he was well. But Allah, out of His great mercy, continues to record for him the good deeds that he was forced to stop because of his sickness.

11. Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “For a traveling or sick person, his deeds will be recorded in accordance with what he used to do when he was resident or well.” (Al-Bukhari)

How to Beat Hard Times
12. `Abdullah ibn `Amr reported that the Prophet said, “No (believing) person gets sick, but (his deeds) will be recorded for him in accordance with what he used to do when he was well.” (Al-Bukhari)

13. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“No Muslim body is afflicted by Allah, but He will record (his deeds) for him in accordance with what he used to do when he was well—as long as he is sick. Thus, if He takes his life, He forgives him; and if He cures him, He washes him (from sins).” (Al-Bukhari)

Reason for the Reward
14. `Atta ibn Rabaah reported that Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) told him, “Do you want to see a woman from the people of Paradise?”

He said, “Yes.”

He said, “It is this black woman. She came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying, ‘I have (epileptic) seizures, and I get exposed, so supplicate to Allah for me.’ He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘If you wish, be patient and you will attain Paradise; or if you wish, I will ask Allah to cure you.’

She replied, ‘I will be patient! But my body gets exposed (because of the fall), so supplicate to Allah for me that I do not become exposed.’ And he (peace and blessings be upon him) did.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Scholars have differed in opinion as to whether a sick person will be rewarded for the sickness itself or for being patient during it. The correct opinion is that if he is patient and submits to Allah’s will, as in the above hadith, he would be rewarded for both the submission and the sickness; otherwise, he would not be rewarded at all because he resented Allah’s decree. This is what should be understood from Ibn Hajar Al-`Asqalani’s words:

“The authentic hadiths are clear in that the rewards are recorded once affliction strikes a Muslim. As for patience and acceptance, they are virtues for which a person may get additional rewards over those for the affliction.”

15. `Abdullah ibn `Amr reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “If a Muslim is pricked by (as little as) a thorn in the worldly life, and he seeks its reward from Allah, some of his sins will be removed, because of it, on the Day of Judgment.” (Al-Bukhari)

Taken from ‘The Inevitable Journey: Sickness, Death, and the Grave’, Quran and Sunnah Society of North America.
Sheikh Salim Al-Hilali is a Scholar of Hadith. He studied under the prominent Hadith Scholar Al-Albani.

By Salim Al-Hilali
A Scholar of Hadith

The Importance Of Saying “Assalaamu ‘Alaykum” And Returning The Greeting

All people have the custom of greeting one another, and every group has its own distinctive greeting that distinguishes them from other people.

The Arabs used to greet one another with the words An’im sabaahan or An’imu sabaahan [equivalent to Good morning], using words derived from al-ni’mah, which means good living after the morning. The idea was that because the morning is the first part of the day if a person encounters something good in the morning, the rest of the day will be good too.

When Islam came, Allah prescribed that the manner of greeting among Muslims should be Assalaamu alaykum [not salam or salams or whatever] and that this greeting should only be used among Muslims and not for other nations. The meaning of salaam (literally, peace) is harmlessness, safety, and protection from evil and from faults. The name al-Salaam is a Name of Allah, may He be exalted, so the meaning of the greeting of salaam which is required among Muslims is, May the blessing of His Name descend upon you. The usage of the preposition ala in alaykum (upon you) indicates that the greeting is inclusive.

Ibn al-Qayyim said in Badaa’i’ al-Fawaa’id (144): Allah, the Sovereign, the Most Holy, the Peace, prescribed that the greeting among the people of Islam should be al-salaam Alaykum, which is better than all the greetings of other nations which include impossible ideas or lies, such as saying, May you live for a thousand years, or things that are not accurate, such as An’im sabaahan (Good morning), or actions that are not right, such as prostrating in greeting. Thus the greeting of salaam is better than all of these because it has the meaning of safety which is life, without which nothing else can be achieved. So this takes precedence over all other aims or objectives. A person has two main aims in life: to keep himself safe from evil, and to get something good. Keeping safe from evil takes precedence over getting something good.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made spreading salaam a part of faith. Al-Bukhaari (12, 28 and 6236), Muslim (39), Ahmad (2/169), Abu Dawood (5494), al-Nisaa’i, (8/107), and Ibn Hibbaan (505) narrated from Abd-Allah ibn Umar that a man asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): What is the best thing in Islam? He said, Feeding others and giving the greeting of salaam to those whom you know and those whom you do not know.?

Ibn Hajar said in al-Fath (1/56): i.e., do not single out anybody out of arrogance or to impress them, but do it to honor the symbols of Islam and to foster Islamic brotherhood.

Ibn Rajab said in al-Fath (1/43): The hadeeth makes the connection between feeding others and spreading salaam because this combines good actions in both word and deed, which is perfectly good treatment (ihsaan). Indeed, this is the best thing that you can do in Islam after the obligatory duties.

Al-Sanoosi said in Ikmaal al-Mu’allim (1/244): What is meant by salam is the greeting between people, which sows seeds of love and friendship in their hearts, as does giving food. There may be some weakness in the heart of one of them, which is dispelled when he is greeted, or there may be some hostility, which is turned to friendship by the greeting.

Al-Qaadi said in Ikmaal al-Mu’allim (1:276): Here the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was urging the believers to soften their hearts. The best Islamic attitude is to love one another and greet one another, and this is achieved by words and deeds. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) urged the Muslims to foster love between one another by exchanging gifts and food, and by spreading salaam, and he forbade the opposite, namely forsaking one another, turning away from one another, spying on one another, seeking out information about one another, stirring up trouble and being two-faced.

Love is one of the duties of Islam and one of the pillars of the Islamic system. One should give salaams to those whom one knows and those whom one does not know, out of sincerity towards Allah; one should not try to impress other people by giving salaams only to those whom one knows and no one else. This also entails an attitude of humility and spreading the symbols of this ummah through the word of salaam.

Thus the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) explained that this salaam spreads love and brotherhood. Muslim (54), Ahmad (2/391), and al-Tirmidhi (2513) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you about something which, if you do it, you will love one another Spread salaam amongst yourselves.

Al-Qaadi Ayaad said in al-Ikmaal (1/304): This is urging us to spread salaam, as mentioned above, among those whom we know and those whom we do not know. Salaam is the first level of righteousness and the first quality of brotherhood, and it is the key to creating love. By spreading salaam the Muslim’s love for one another grows stronger and they demonstrate their distinctive symbols and spread a feeling of security amongst themselves. This is the meaning of Islam.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also explained the reward earned by the one who says salaam, as was reported by al-Nisaa’i in Aml al-yawm wa’l-laylah (368) and al-Bukhaari in al-Adab al-Mufrad (586) and by Ibn Hibban (493). They reported from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man passed by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) whilst he was sitting with some others and said Salaam Alaykum (peace be upon you). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, [He will have] ten hasanaat (rewards). Another man passed by and said Salaam Alaykum wa rahmat-Allah (peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, [He will have] twenty hasanaat. Another man passed by and said Salaam Alaykum wa rahmat-Allahi wa barakaatuhu (peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, [He will have] thirty hasanaat.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded us to return salaams, and made it a right and a duty. Ahmad (2/540), al-Bukhaari (1240), Muslim (2792), al-Nisaa’i in al-Yawm wa’l-Laylah (221), and Abu Dawood (5031) all reported that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The Muslim has five rights over his fellow Muslim: he should return his salaams, visit him when he is sick, attend his funeral, accept his invitation, and pray for mercy for him [say Yarhamuk Allah] when he sneezes.

It is clear that it is obligatory to say salaam and return salaams because by doing so a Muslim is giving you safety and you have to give him safety in return. It is as if he is saying to you, I am giving you safety and security, so you have to give him the same so that he does not get suspicious or think that the one to whom he has given salaam is betraying him or ignoring him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us that if Muslims are ignoring or forsaking one another, this will be put to an end when one of them gives salaam. Al-Bukhaari (6233) reported that Abu Ayyoob (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: It is not permissible for a Muslim to forsake his brother for more than three days, each of them turning away from the other if they meet. The better of them is the first one to say salaam.

Amazing Tips To Love Your Prayer Like Never Before!

Why Can’t We Always Be Close to Allah?

It just doesn’t feel the same . . . I lost it . . . How can I get it back?

Get ready for the ultimate Salah booster; a set of amazing productivity tips to enhance your prayer, give you a fresh perspective on the world of Salah, and make you love your prayer like never before, Insha’Allah!

Allah advises and seeks help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive (to Allah). (Quran 2:45)

Below are productivity tips based on a summary of the beautiful :

How to taste the true beauty of the Salah series by Mishari AlKharraz:

1. Say Allahu Akbar and throw the world behind you
Did you ever think: why do we start our prayer with Allahu Akbar, not with Subhan Allah? Realize that when you say Allahu Akbar you affirm that the one before whom you are about to stand is greater than anything occupying you at that moment—greater than your sleep, your families, your bills, and your worries. Just imagine that when you say Allahu Akbar while raising your hands you are throwing all of that behind you!

2. Visualize the veil
When you stand to pray, Allah commands: Raise the veils from between Me and my servant! As soon as you say Allahu Akbar and start your prayer, Allah sets His beautiful face to yours and doesn’t turn away from you, unless you do.

When your thoughts your sight drifts off, He orders the veils to be drawn back down.

Visualize these veils being lifted to keep concentrated with your heart and body. Are you still drifting? This is why you repeat the great words, Allahu Akbar, as you move into each position; it’s a reminder and a new chance again and again to focus!

3. Salute the King
Imagine walking into a palace, how would you recognize the servants of the king?

Probably by their humble position: looking down. As you lower your gaze to the place of your prostration and place your hands right over left and close to your chest it is time to salute the King.

Imagine standing in front of Allah as you utter this beautiful salutation and feel each word: SubhanakaAllahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabaaraka ismuka wa ta’alaa jadduka (How perfect You are O Allah, and I praise You. Blessed be Your name) and lofty is your position and none has the right to be worshiped.
Realize that only the parts of Salah you are mindful of are being accepted and that Satan does his very best to steal every sweet moment you have with Allah!

4.Feel Each Ayah of Surah Al-Fatihah is Answered
You are now ready to enter the essence of it all: SurahAl-Fatihah, the greatest chapter of the Quran. Know that Allah Himself answers back when you recite surah Al-Fatihah, so add a short pause after each ayah, feeling this amazing dialogue. How can you ever drift off in this part of the prayer?

5. Utter His Name with Pure Love
What has brought us to stand here right now? It is your love and longing to be with Allah. And when you meet up with your beloved, what do you first say? The sweet sound of the beloved’s name, the name that blesses everything it falls upon! Feel the bismillaahir-rahmaanir-raheem soothing your heart as it gently rolls off your lips…

6. Stand Still at: “the Lord of the Worlds.”
The Prophet told us, “Alhamdulillahfills the scale!” (Muslim)

Really feel grateful when you say Alhamdulillah. Did you see those documentaries where they zoom out from the cells of a plant’s leaf all the way to the planets and galaxies?

Now instead of that leaf, start the zoom-out process with the image of yourself standing before Allah. Then zoom back down, through the universe, to the place you are standing in prayer. The next time you pray view yourself from above and faraway and truly taste the meaning of Rabbil al-alameen(Lord of the worlds)!

7. Reflect on Ar-Rahmaanir Raheem before MaalikiYawm-Deen
Have you ever wondered why Allah’s names Ar-Rahman and Ar-Raheem come before Maalikiyawmid-Deen (Master of the Day of Judgment)? Be reminded that it is the Most Gracious and Merciful who will judge us on the Day of Judgment! So feel empowered and comforted when you say Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem and then pause a moment at Maaliki yawm-Deen, realizing the horrors of that Day.

8.Know what “Iyyaaka Na’budu wa Iyyaaka Nasta’een” ReallyMeans
You alone we worship, and unto You alone, we turn for help.

Let this remind you to make Allah alone your focus, not the people. So when you are asked, why did you do this or that (deed), you can firmly answer: for Allah!

Feel this ayah by knowing that the companions used to weep for hours reciting it. One of them was once praying in Mecca. His friend went ahead and did the tawaf and when he returned him, he was still at this verse, repeating it and crying, until the sun came up.

9. Say Ameen As if Your Life Depended on it
The most comprehensive supplication you can make is: ihdinas-sirat-al-mustaqeem(Guide us to the straight path). See how you followed the proper etiquette of how to ask Allah.

You started glorifying and praising Him and then you make your request: Guide us. Now realize that your entire existence depends on this supplication. The Ameen you’ll pronounce now will have to come from the bottom of your heart. Ameen means my lord, grant or answer (my prayers). Say Ameen as if you have been sentenced to death and are pleading for pardon, begging with passion.

10. Feel the Bond with Your Lord
When you say subhanaRabbiyya- al-‘adheem (How perfect My Lord is, The Supreme)in ruku’, focus on the pronoun that means my (in Rabbi). It adds that element of bonding: He is My Lord, who raised me in His care and who is nurturing me. Know the Prophet and the companions used to be in the bowing position as long as he would be in the standing segment of Salah.

One companion said that he recited Al Fatihah, then Al Baqarah, Ali Imran, An-Nisaa’, and AlMa’idah, and the companion Abdullah Ibn Al Zubair was beside him, still in his ruku’!

11. Win the Grand Finale: Your Sujood
Your Sujood is the ultimate symbol of complete submission to your Creator. The Prophet said: The closest that a servant is to his Lord is when he is in prostration. (Muslim)

And: Prostratemuch because there is no Muslim that prostrates to Allah except that Allah raises him one degree in Paradise by it and forgives for him a sin. (Ahmad)

Imagine you are being raised one degree in Paradise with each sujood and a sin falls off you with each prostration. Prostrate with body, heart, and soul and taste the sweetest feeling in the world!

12. Supplicate Before the Tasleem
After the words of the tashahhud (sitting position at the end of prayer) and before the tasleem (saying salaam to indicate the end of prayer), there is a precious moment many wastes! When the Prophet taught Abdullah ibn Mas’ood the tashahhud he said: … Then let him choose whatever supplications he wishes. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Remember this: the sweetness of this life lies in remembering Him, and the sweetness of the next life lies in seeing Him! The next time you proceed for prayer, go because you love Him, go because you miss Him and long to be with Him… Feel your heart flutter. Only then, will you be on your way to attaining that inner peace and comfort Salah was prescribed for?[Mishari Al-Kharraz]

Republished from Understand Quran.
Courtesy: Khawlah Bint Yahya
Compiled, edited, and adapted by Khalid Latif