Will you win this Ramadan

Will You Win This Ramadan?

Did we know that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, when he saw somebody pray without khushu', he told them: "You have not prayed." There is the famous hadith of the man who was not praying properly — he went and he prayed again, and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم again said: "Go back and pray, you have not prayed yet." And the third time the man says: "Teach me to pray, because this is all I know."

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 793; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 397)

What did the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم do differently in his prayer? Only one thing, according to many scholars — he taught him how to move gracefully, slowly, with focus, with peace.

When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم says:

"Pray as you have seen me pray." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 631)

Many of us only focus on where he placed his hands. Was it here? Was it here, or was it there? Did he raise his hands here, or here, or here? But we forget that when he said "pray like I have prayed" —

Do you know how long he would stand in Salah? Do you know how much he would weep in Salah? Do you know how long his Sajda was? Do you know how long his Ruku' was? You missed all of that, and you only remembered where to place your hands.

Al-Khushu' — The Defining Quality

Al-khushu' is the definition — the defining quality — between the person who succeeds this Ramadan and the person who fails.

Al-khushu' is to experience a connection, a humility, a fear, and a love of Allah while you are standing in front of Him.