How Can I Concentrate In Salah?

[Mysterious Uk]

I find it so hard to concentrate when i am praying, my mind wonders and i forget what i'm doing so i end up starting all over again. I keep my eyes at the place of sujood and concentrate on what i am saying but then a few minutes later i start thinking about other things like when i'm going to pray next etc so i have to start all over again.

Anyone have tips 2 help me concentrate?

[Soulja Girl]

:sl:

Erm, the title says it all...I find it very difficult to concentrate whilst praying Salah and my mind often wonders else where...What can I do to improve my concentration? Help would be appreciated. :)

:w:

[chacha_jalebi]

salaam

recite longer surahs

and when your reciting if you know what it means like think of the translation, like take a pause after each ayah and then remember what it means in english.

also one thing that also helped me improve moi concentration in salaah was this saying by Hadhrat Abu Bakr (ra)

"when your praying imagine Allah (swt) is right in front of you, and if you cant think that then remember can see you"

[ikaj]

I recently found this website:
http://www.quranexplorer.com/
You can hear the quran recitation in arabic and immediately the meaning in english. For me, it helped to understand the meaning of what I was saying and remembering that these are the directlly the words of Allah i'm reciting (not someone's translation/interpretation etc.) to help me concentrate during prayer. I hope this post is helpful to someone!

Hey there! Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.

When you create an account, you can participate in the discussions and share your thoughts. You also get notifications, here and via email, whenever new posts are made. And you can like posts and make new friends.
Sign Up

[UmmSqueakster]

I just recently read an excellent piece of advice on this, although I can't remember where it's from:

If you're doing something worldy in the 5 minutes before prayer, you're going to think about it while you pray. So, 5, 10, 15 minutes before salat, put away what you're doing, sit down in a quiet place and do something islamic - read quran, make dhikr, anything, to get your mind focused in the right place. Then, when you're ready to make salat, think, wow, I'm standing in from of my Lord, the Most Merciful, Most Compasionate, etc etc etc.

[adeeb]

the only way to concentrate during salah is :

you have to know what the meaning of what you read, you can read through quran with translation... and find out about the tafseer of the ayah...

you will feel very sad and afraid when u read about qiyamah and the end of the world..:cry::cry::cry:

also you will feel happy when you read about paradise and the garden :smile::smile::smile:

May Allah make us easy to meet Him every time (muroqoba= the feeling that Allah alaways watching u all the time) especially in salah...

[Uthman]

:sl:

Click here. :)

:w:

[Soulja Girl]

:sl:

Jazakallah Khair for all the help, really appreciate it, I'll keep all this in mind when I pray my Salah now, inshallah. :)

:w:

[Maimunah]

salaam.

When Hatim al Asamm was asked about his prayer, he said, "When it is near the time of prayer, I perform a perfect Wudu and go to where I am going to pray and sit down there until I become fully attentive to what I am about to do. I then stand up and pray, imagining that the Ka`bah is in front of my eyes, Paradise to my right, Hellfire to my left and the Angel of Death behind me. I imagine that it is the last prayer I am about to perform, stand up in hope (in Allah, His Paradise and rewards) and fear (from Allah's torment in Hellfire) and recite the Takbir while having full attention. I recite the Qur'an calmly, make Ruku` humbly, go into Sujud with Khushu and then sit on my left leg, with the left food laid on the floor and the right food raised up, all the while praying with sincerity. Afterwards, I do not know (nor feel certain) if that prayer was accepted from me!"


[Al Ihya 1/179]



inshaAllah read this book.

33 Ways of developing Khushoo’ in Salaah
English Translation
Book by Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

here is the link: http://www.islamworld.net/khushoo.htm

:w:

[umm-sulaim]

I found this whilst on another site, hope it helps Inshaa'Allaah:

"How to gain Khushu in Salat

What is Khushuu’?

Khushuu’ during Salaat is misunderstood by some people as crying and weeping. Rather, it is the presence of the heart during an act of ‘ibadah. When a person’s heart is fully occupied of what he says or hears, he is in a true state of khushuu’. The concept of Khushuu’ in Salaat is very essential.
1- It is a vital factor in making a person successful in this life and in later life.
“Indeed, the believers, who have khushuu’ in their Salaat, are the winners.”
قد أفلح المؤمنون الذين هم في صلاتهم خاشعون
2-It is a contributing factor for the acceptance of Salaat.
3- It is a way to gain more rewards from the Almighty Allah; the more the
khushuu’ a person has, the more rewards he gets.
4- Without Khushuu’ the heart cannot easily be purified.

Ways to Gain Khushuu’
A. Pre-Salaat
1- A Muslim should know his Lord very well. Knowing whom one worships makes a person a better worshipper. Having clear and authentic knowledge about Allah increases His love in our hearts. Consequently, faith also increases.
2- Avoiding major and minor sins is very helpful in gaining Khushuu’, as the heart becomes more receptive to the words of Allah during and after Salaat.
3- Reciting the Qur’an frequently and consistently softens the hearts and prepares it for Khushuu’. Hard hearts do not gain Khushuu’.
4- Minimize attachment to worldly matters. Gearing one’s intentions towards the Afterlife helps against the temptations of life.
5- Avoid excessive laughter and useless arguments as they harden the heart and lead to heedlessness.
6- Stop working as soon as you hear the Azaan. When you listen attentively to the call of Salaat repeat after the muˆz-zin then offer the relevant supplication. This prepares you for a smooth transition from the business with worldly matters to the business with Salaat.
7- Performing wuduuˆ immediately after hearing the Azaan prepares you for the pending Salsat. Wuduuˆ also works as a buffer zone before engaging in Salaat.
8- Going to the mosque early for praying and continuing mention of Allah drives Satan away and help gain concentration.
9- The waiting time for the congregational Salaat helps create a buffer zone between the state of mind before Salaat and the state of during Salaat.

B. During Salaat
1- The Iqaamah itself is a final signal to the mind to be well prepared for performing the actual Salaat. Remember what the messenger of Allah said to Bilal (ra) “Let us enjoy the comfort of the Salaat.”
2- When you stand facing the Qiblah remember the following:
a. It might be the last Salaat in your life. There is no guarantee to live longer to catch the next Salaat.
b. You are standing between the hands of Allah, the Lord of the worlds. How can you be busy with something else?
c. The angel of death is chasing you.
3- Do not forget to make isti’azah. It wards off Satan’s whispers.
4- Keep your eyes focused on the place of sujuud. This helps you gain more concentration.
5- When reciting the Fatiha, try to recall the response of Allah to you after every ayah you say. (When you say: ”al-hamdu lillahi rab-bil ‘alamin) Allah responds: “My servant praised me.” etc. This feeling of speaking to Allah puts you in the right mood of khushuu’.
6- Beautifying the recitation of the Qur’an has a positive impact on the heart.
7- Recite the Qur’an slowly and reflect upon its meaning deeply.
8- It is recommended to change the suras that your recite from time to time to avoid the mechanic-like state of repetition.
9- Alternate between the various authentic sunan such as proclaiming a different opening supplication in every Salaat.
10- Undoubtedly, understanding Arabic helps you focus on the intended meaning.
11- Interact with the recited aayahs;
a. if you hear an ayah about Allah, glorify Him by saying “Subhaana Allah”;
b. If you hear an ayah about Hellfire, say “a’uuthu billaahi mina-n-naar”.
c. If you hear a command to make istighfaar, do it.
d. If you hear an ayah that requests tasbiih, make tasbiih.

12- These forms of interactions are very helpful in keeping you focused.
13- When you prostrate, remember that this position brings you closer to Allah. Seize the opportunity to make sincere du’aaˆ. Invest these moments in making sincere supplications.

C- Post-Salaat
e. When you make tasliim, make istighfaar to Allah as you might have made during Salaat.
f. When you praise Allah, thank Him from the bottom of your heart that you have experienced the beauty of Salaat in your heart. Getting used to this habit prepares your for the next Salaat, as you will always be eager to focus in your prayer.
g. One perfection leads to another perfection. If some one perfects his Salaat once, he would be self-motivated to continue on the same level.


May Allah fill our hearts with khushuu’ - Aameen."

[PersianPrince]

:sl:

I have a similar kind of issue, except that I am usually in full concentration until someone interrupts, either by opening my door or putting/taking things from my room.

I actually become a little angry as to why that person is breaking my concentration. I lose the plot and have to start over again.

I feel so bad for feeling angry during my prayer. I have faith that my prayer is still accepted as I have asked for forgiveness.

[aadil77]

:sl:

same here the point is to concentrate, and whilst in jamaat i doze away thinking about what stuff i gotta do afterwards,

sometimes when i pray alone i even forget the namaaz is four rakats long so i end up praying two and say salam:ooh:

[Omari]

Sister, Usualy the main problem is the distraction the prayer mat causes. Im serious. If you have a very graphic prayer mat that somtimes you are compelled to look at it often makes the mind run into different things. And somtimes your hands [personal experience] draw shapes on the prayer matt which will distract you even more. Try getting somthing that is blank and avoid wool.

Hope it helps
Omari

[sur]

I find it so hard to concentrate when i am praying, my mind wonders and i forget what i'm doing so i end up starting all over again. I keep my eyes at the place of sujood and concentrate on what i am saying but then a few minutes later i start thinking about other things like when i'm going to pray next etc so i have to start all over again.

Anyone have tips 2 help me concentrate?

Erm, the title says it all...I find it very difficult to concentrate whilst praying Salah and my mind often wonders else where...What can I do to improve my concentration? Help would be appreciated.

Like Adeeb said;Only one thing can make us concentrate;

knowing meaning of what we r saying. & know it as u know ur mother tongue so that it become part of our REFLEXES & we don't have to translate it in our minds.

[inayah]

This always happens to me buh 1 thing which helps me is i always think that when im on the prayer mat the shaytan is on your left trying to distract you so always think the shaytan is trying to distract you but, allah is in front of you or the kabah is in front of you then surley u wont be distracted
becuase allah is the greatest

[Intisar]

:salamext: This happens to everyone, it's just the whispers (waswas) of the shaytaan, and what I always do to concentrate in prayer is that I repeat in my head (whilst simulataneously reading a surah), ''A'oothubillahi minaa shaydaan rajiim'' (I seek refuge in thee from the accursed shaydaan) and alhamdulilah it goes away. Also, ten minutes before salah try to read a surah or something, or surround yourself with something concerning the deen so that when you're actually your into prayer you won't think of anything else.

[FatimaAsSideqah]

As Salaam Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu

MashaAllah! JazaakAllah Khair to Advisers for very benefical advises!

Keep it going on!

Don't forget Allah Ta'ala is All-Seer and All-Hearing!

Peace be upon you!

Allah Hafiz
Sister Fatima

[sur]

Like Adeeb said;Only one thing can make us concentrate;

knowing meaning of what we r saying. & know it as u know ur mother tongue so that it become part of our REFLEXES & we don't have to translate it in our minds.

There's another well tested method to remain Attantive during prayer.

Pray in Mosque. It really helps.