Salah is not merely the words pronounced by the tongue and the movements carried out by the body. It must be performed with Khushu` (the heart being gently humble and the mind being focused and attuned to the act of worship).
· Salah has a body and a soul. Its body is made up of the series of motions and postures that include standing, bowing, prostrating, and reciting, while its soul is made up of the presence of the heart in prayer and Khushu`. Allah, the Majestic, praises those who keep their hearts humbly focused on Him during prayer, saying:
“Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their prayers with Khushu`”
(Qur’an 23:1-2)
· Khushu` can be defined as the careful attentiveness of the mind to what is being said and done during prayer, with due consciousness of the Exalted Status of the Lord before Whom you stand and speak. This puts the heart into a state of gentleness, modesty, awe, submission, and humility before Allah’s Greatness. This inner state is manifested in the body, producing stillness of senses and calmness in movements, with total mental and emotional focus on the prayer without the mind wandering away or getting distracted.
Khushu` is the essence of Salah. Some scholars have said, “Salah without Khushu` is like a dead corpse.”
Khushu` Is of Two Kinds:
1. Khushu` of the heart, which consists of bringing the full intention and attention of the heart to prayer, with constant contemplation of what is being recited.
2. Khushu` of the body, which consists of peaceful stillness of the body and avoidance of unnecessary actions (such as yawning, fidgeting, adjusting clothes, or looking at a watch) or allowing the eye or mind to be drawn to anything outside the prayer.
