12 TIPS FOR BOOST YOUR SALAH

Tips to enhance your prayer, give you a fresh
perspective on the world of Salaah, and make you
love your prayer like never before. In Shaa ALLAH!
ALLAH ( Subhana Wa Ta'la ) advises: "And seek
help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is
difficult except for the humbly submissive to
ALLAH."
[Quran 2:45]
1. When starting throw your hands up to the
standing position saying "ALLAHUAKBAR" and
throwing the world behind you.
Why do we start our Prayer with "ALLAHUAKBAR
(ALLAH is the Greatest)" not with "Subhana ALLAH
(Glory be to ALLAH)"?
Realise that when you say "ALLAHUAKBAR" you
affirm that the one before whom you are standing
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 "ALLAHUAKBAR"
while raising your hands you are throwing all of
that behind you!
2. Visualize the veil.
When you stand to pray, ALLAH (Subhana Wa
Ta'la ) commands:
Raise the veils from between Me and My servant!
As soon as you say "ALLAHUAKBAR" and start
your Prayer, ALLAH sets His beautiful face to
yours and doesn't turn away from you, unless you
do. When your thoughts or 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 "ALLAHUAKBAR"
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 pressed against
you, it is time to salute the King. Imagine standing
in front of ALLAH ( Subhana Wa Ta'la ) as you
utter this beautiful salutation and feel each word :
"Soob-haa-nakAllah hoom-ma wa bi-ham-dika,
wa ta-baara-kasmooka wa ta'aalaa jad-dooka, wa
laa ilaahaa ghayrook."
(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 worshipped except
You.)
Realize that only the parts of Salaah you are
mindful of are being accepted and that Shaytan
does his very best to steal every sweet moment
you have with ALLAH ( Subhana Wa Ta'la ).
4. Feel each Ayah ( verse) of Surah Al-Faatihah is
answered. You are now ready to enter the essence
of it all:
Surah Al-Faatihah, the Greatest Surah (chapter) of
the Quran, without which your prayer is nullified.
Know that ALLAH (Subhana Wa Ta'la ) Himself
answers back when you recite of Surah Al-
Faatihah, so add a short pause after each verse;
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 you to stand here right now? It is your
love and longing to be with ALLAH
( Subhana Wa Ta'la ). 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 "Bis-mil-
lahir-Rah-maanir Raheem" soothing your heart as
it gently rolls off your lips.
6. Stand still at: "The Lord of the worlds."
The Prophet ( SalAllahu Alayhi WaSalam ) told us,
"Alhamdulillah" fills the scale"
Abu Malik at-Ash'ari reported: The Messenger of
Allah (may peace be upon him) said: ""Cleanliness
is half of faith and al-Hamdu Liliah (Praise be to
Allah) fills the scale, and Subhan Allah (Glory be to
Allah) and al-Hamdu Liliah (Praise be to Allah) fill
upwhat is between the heavens and the earth....."
(Sahih Muslim, Book #002, Hadith #0432)
Really feel gracefulness when you say
"Alhamdulillah".
Have you see in those documentaries where they
zoom out from the cells of plants leaf all the way
to the planets and galaxies? Now instead of the
leaf, start the zoom out process with the image of
yourself standing before ALLAH(Subhana Wa
Ta'la ).
The zoom back down, back through the universe,
to the place you are standing in Prayer. The next
time you pray view yourself from above and far
away and truly taste the meaning of "Rab-bil
Aalameen (Lord of the worlds)".
7. Reflect on "Ar-Rah-maanir Raheem" before
"Maalik yawmid-Deen" Have you ever wondered
why ALLAH's names "Ar-Rahmaanir" and "Ar
Raheem" come before "Maalik yawmid-Deen"(Ma
ster of the Day of Judgement)?
Be reminded that it is the "Most Gracious" and
"Most Merciful" Who will judge us on the Day of
Judgement! So feel empowered and comforted
when you say "Ar-Rahmaanir Raheem" and then
remember at "Maaliki yawmid-Deen", realising the
horrors of that Day.
8. Know what "Iy'yaaka na'budu, wa iy-yaaka
nasta'een" really means, "You alone we worship,
and unto You alone we turn for help."
Let this remind you to make ALLAH alone you
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 verse. One of pious
predecessors was once praying in Makkah. His
friend went ahead and did the Tawaaf (Circulate
the Kaa'bah) when he returned to him, he was still
at this verse, repeating it and crying until the sun
came up.
9. Say "Aameen" as if your life depended on it.
The most comprehensive supplication you can
make is, "ih-dinas-siraatal-moostaqem (Guide us
to the straight path)".
See how you followed the proper etiquettes 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 "Aameen" you'll pronounce
now will have to come from the bottom of your
heart.
"Aameen" means: My Lord, grant or answer (my
prayers). Say "Aameen" as if you are pleading for
pardon, begging with passion.
10. Feel the bond with your Lord. When you say
"Soobhaana Rab-bi-yal- 'atheem (How perfect My
Lord is, The Supreme)" in Rooko (bowing)", focus
on the pronoun that means MY (in Rabbee). It
adds that element of bonding: He is MY Lord, Who
raised ME in His care and Who is nurturing ME.
Know the Prophet ( SalAllahu Alayhi WaSalam )
and the Companion(May ALLAH be pleased with
them) to be in the bowing position as long as he
would be in the standing segment of Salaah. One
Companions said that he recited Surahs; Al
Fatihaah, then Al Baqarah, Ali Imran, An-Nisaa and
Al Ma'ida, and the companion Abdullaah ibn Al
Zubair was beside him, still in his ruku.
11. Win the grand finale your Sujood (prostration).
Your sujood is the ultimate symbol of complete
submission to your Creator. The Prophet
( SalAllahu Alayhi WaSalam ) said:
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (may
peace be upon him) said: The nearest a servant
comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating
himself, so make supplication (in this state).
(Sahih Muslim, Book #004, Hadith #0979)
Imagine you are being raised one level in Paradise
with each Sujood and a sin falls of you with each
prostration. Prostrate with body, heart and soul
and taste the sweetest feeling in the world.
12. Supplicate before the Tasleem saying of "As
salaamu-alaykum wa Rah-matool-laah" to indicate
the end of prayer.
After the words of the Tash-ah-hood (sitting
position at the end of prayer) and before the
saying of Tasleem, there is a precious moment
many waste.
When the Prophet ( SalAllahu Alayhi WaSalam )
taught Abdullah ibn Mas' ood ( RadiAllahu Anhu )
the tashahud he said:" Then let him choose
whatever supplications he wishes"
Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported: We were sitting with
the Apostle (may peace be upon him) in prayer,
and the rest of the hadith is the same as narrated
by Mansur He (also said): After (reciting tashahud)
he may choose any prayer.
(Sahih Muslim,Book #004, Hadith #0796)
Just before you say Tasleem make at least three
heartfelt Du'aas to benefit from this treasure chest
instead of rushing to say "As salaamu alaykum wa
Rah-matool-laah".
Remember this the sweetness of this life lies in
remembering ALLAH, the sweetness of the next life
lies in seeing ALLAH. The next time you proceed for
prayer, go because you Love ALLAH, go because
you Miss ALLAH and long to be with ALLAH
( Subhana Wa Ta'la ). Feel your heart flutter. Only
then, will you be on your way to attaining that
inner peace and comfort. Salaah was prescribed
for.
[Mishary Al-Kharraz]
Salaah is the Me'raaj (Going up to ALLAH ) of a
Believer. The key to a good Salaah is to Remember
ALLAH much in it.
Sh Asif Farooqui mentions, the Best Fasts, the Best
Charity, the Best Salaah are the ones in which
there is # Dhikr of ALLAH
( Subhana Wa Ta'la ) in katheer (Abundance).
Ameen!