Salāh without khushū‘ - What can I do?

Assalaamu alaykum, 🌷 What to Do Series 🌷 by Asma bint Shameem ❓ QUESTION ❓ I don’t have khushū‘ in my Salāh. What should I do? 🌿 ANSWER 🌿 Khushū‘ means the heart being truly present during an act of ʿibādah. When your heart is fully focused on what you’re saying and hearing, and everything else fades away, that’s real khushū‘. TIPS TO INCREASE KHUSHŪ‘ 🍃 General tips: 1. Learn how the Prophet ﷺ prayed and try to follow the Sunnah as closely as you can. 2. Learn the meanings of the sūrahs, du‘ās and adhkār you normally recite in Salāh. 3. Memorize new sūrahs and understand what they mean. 4. Learn different adhkār for rukū‘, sujūd, tashahhud, etc. There’s more to rukū‘ than just “Subḥāna Rabī al-ʿAẓīm” and more to sujūd than a single phrase. Also the opening du‘ā of Salāh has various authentic options (Hisn al-Muslim is a good resource). 5. Improve your tajwīd so you pronounce the words correctly in recitation. 6. Keep away from major sins. The further one is from Allāh, the harder it is to find khushū‘. 7. Avoid things that harden the heart or distract you, like excessive time on music, TV dramas, wasting time, or being overly absorbed in the dunya. 🍃 Preparation BEFORE Salāh: 1. Wait for the prayer in the true sense: prepare yourself mentally and don’t rush into it. 2. Respond to the adhān and say the Sunnah du‘ā after it to set your mind for the prayer. 3. Make wudū’ carefully, concentrating on each part - good wudū’ helps increase khushū‘. 4. Use the siwāk or ensure you smell clean and fresh. 5. Wear clean, presentable clothes - not just pajamas. We wouldn’t meet someone important in crumpled clothes, so we shouldn’t stand before our Lord like that. 6. Find a quiet spot free from disturbing noises. Turn off the TV, put away your phone, and remove other distractions. 7. If you’re going to the masjid, arrive early and occupy yourself with dhikr, Qur’ān, or nawāfil while waiting. 8. Avoid overly bright or busy prayer mats if they distract you. You don’t actually need a patterned mat - the Prophet ﷺ didn’t use one. 9. Pray on time. If you wait until the last minute you’ll rush and won’t achieve khushū‘. 🍃 During the Salāh: 1. Clear your mind as you say Allāhu Akbar. 2. Reflect on your state: standing with hands folded, head bowed - a sinful, small servant standing before the Lord of the Heavens and Earth. 3. Contemplate the meanings of Allāhu Akbar, your recitation, your tasbīḥ and tashahhud. Say them with your heart, not only your tongue. 4. Vary what you recite: change sūrahs, adhkār and du‘ās. Variety helps focus. 5. Recite slowly and beautifully, paying attention to tajwīd. 6. Move your lips and tongue so you can slightly hear your recitation and stay attentive to what you’re saying. 7. Change positions calmly and deliberately; don’t rush. Wait until your bones settle before starting the dhikr in the new position. 8. Try to be still and avoid unnecessary movements. 9. Make sure your postures are correct: hands on knees in rukū‘, a straight back, and in sujūd prostrate firmly on the seven bones. 10. Lengthen your sujūd. You are closest to your Rabb in prostration - make sincere du‘ā there. 11. If Shayṭān distracts you, say a‘ūdhu billāh, spit lightly to your left and refocus. 🍃 AFTER the Salāh: 1. Don’t stand up immediately after the salam. Remain sitting and say the adhkār from the Sunnah at this time. 2. Reflect on what you’re reciting and say it sincerely. 3. Honestly assess your Salāh: note when you lost khushū‘ and why, and work on fixing those moments next time. 4. Practice and perseverance are key. You won’t reach your ideal khushū‘ overnight. Keep practicing, refocusing, and training your mind to think of nothing but Allāh until you improve, bi-idhni Allāh. May Allāh grant us khushū‘ in our Salāh and accept our ʿibādah. And Allāh knows best.