Gain Concentration in PRAYER (Salah)

4. Remind yourself that engaging in Prayer offers you an opportunity to release yourself from the tensions of this world. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) has said that in Prayer was placed the comfort of his eyes. Therefore cherish the opportunity to remove the burdens of this world from your shoulders.

5. Use your Prayer to remain focused on your mission in life, which is to bring your entire being to serve only Allah.

6. Use your Prayer as a source of strength, inspiration and enthusiasm for your life and activities.

7. Fulfill all your personal needs before you commence your Prayer, for e.g. thirst, hunger and calls of nature.

8. Pray in a pure physical state. Perform your wudhu with care and perfection. Although the whole earth is a masjid or a place of worship, choose a place that is clean.

9. Pray in an environment free of noise and one where there is no distraction. Adorn yourself with clean and respectable clothes.

10. Assess your mental readiness for Prayer before its commencement, during the various postures, after each rak’ah and ultimately at the end.

11. Pray with humility both in your mental state and in your physical manner.

12. Pray with hope and awe.

13. Remind yourself continually that you are talking to the most important One in your life – your Creator and Sustainer. He is in front of you. You are facing Him and you are involved in a dialogue with Him.

14. Commence your Prayer by seeking Allah’s help and protection from the influences of Shaytaan.

15. Lower your gaze while praying and do not allow the physical environment to distract you.

16. On each occasion that you recite the Sifat or attributes of Allah in Ruku and Sajda, consider how indebted you are and how grateful you should be to Allah and express your true emotions.

17. Utilise the occasion of Sajda to make additional dua to Allah. The Prophet said: A servant is nearest to his Lord when he is in Sajda, so increase your supplication when in Sajda. (Muslim.)

18. Pray as if it is your last Prayer. 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.

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: When you stand up to pray, perform your prayer as if it were your last. (Ahmad)

19. Pray to Allah and beg Him to grant you true the joy of concentrating in your Prayer and protection against the wanderings of your mind.

20. 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.

If, in spite of your best efforts, your mind is still wandering, seek refuge in Allah and bring your mind back to Prayer and approach the Prayer with zest and passion as if it is the most important task in your life. Actually the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us that we could do nothing in this world that could ever surpass Prayer in merit and excellence.

And Allah Knows Best.