Physical Preparation
Be sure to observe the prayers at their prescribed times, aiming for the earliest opportunity rather than delaying them until near the time of the next prayer. Treating the prayer as less important than the other concerns of life is a sure way to lose the feeling of value when you do stand up to pray.
Strive to perfect your ablution, using it as an opportunity to reflect on what you are about to do, namely, stand in front of the Lord of the worlds. Put on good clothes, perhaps selecting something special to make you feel that these moments are unlike any other.
Choose a place that is as free from distractions as possible. We may not always have a choice, for example, when we are at work, but it is preferable to be in surroundings that help you remember Allah, especially the peaceful environment of a mosque.
Mental Preparation
A large part of experiencing the inner dimensions of the prayer consists in understanding the words that you are reading. Since we perform this formal worship in Arabic, those who do not understand the language may miss out on reflecting on the meanings.
Study a translation of Surat Al-Fatihah (the opening chapter) and other chapters that you tend to recite, as well as learning the meanings of the phrases and supplications in the various parts of the prayer. Try to reflect on their significance, and this will make it all the more meaningful when you stand to pray.
For example, think about the meaning of Allahu akbar, (God is Greater) which we say at numerous points, including the start of the prayer. We put our hands up, saying “Allah is greater”, which means He is greater than anything and everything, including the concerns of our daily life. It is as though at this moment you have thrown the worldly worries behind you, if just for a while.
Spiritual Preparation
The prayer is an essential part of the daily cycle, which washes away sins like a flowing river washes away dirt. We need to pay attention to our spiritual state at other times of the day too, in order to feel the significance of those moments standing in front of our Lord.
This means increasing in His remembrance (dhikr), striving to realize that He sees us at every moment, and abandoning the sins and bad habits that hold us back in life and earn His displeasure.
Servants of Allah who are keenly aware of their personal flaws will feel their hearts overflowing with remorse, as well as love and hope in their Cherisher, when they stand to pray.
Think back to a time when you really felt how much you needed Allah, for Allah to help you, guide you, and relieve you of some affliction. Then, realize that you need Him just as much at every moment.
Imagine that you had only ten minutes to live, and these are the last moments you can use to worship Allah before you go to the grave to wait for the Final Judgment. Then realize that every prayer could very well be the last you get to perform.
During the Prayer
Don’t rush. Tranquility, by which we mean taking the time needed to perform each component of the prayer sufficiently, is essential. People often have a tendency to fidget, but try and maintain stillness as much as possible.
When you recite Surat Al-Fatihah, pause between each verse and the next, and reflect on what it means.
[All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.] (Al-Fatihah 1:2)
What am I praising and thanking Him for today?
[The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.] (Al-Fatihah 1:3)
How dearly I long for His mercy!
You get the idea.
When you come to a verse concerning Divine mercy, let your heart respond with hope. When it mentions punishment, respond with fear and seek refuge in Allah. When it tells you to glorify Allah, praise Him, ask His forgiveness, respond as the Quran instructs. This goes back to what I advised before about learning the meanings of what we recite.
Since we often lack the time to really focus on our prayer, I suggest making use of the best time of the day to perform the optional prayer, namely the last third of the night.
This prayer is called Tahajjud, or Qiyam Al-Layl(optional late night prayer). You can pray two rakahs (units) or more, and this is the most peaceful time when we can work on developing sincerity and devotion to Allah, free from the hustle and bustle of the day.
After the Prayer
On a related note, it is worth mentioning the importance of the Sunnah prayers which come before and after the various prayers, as explained by Sheikh Sayyid Sabiq in Fiqh us-Sunnah:
“Supererogatory prayers have been legislated to make up for any deficiencies left in the performance of obligatory prayers.” (Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 2: Supererogatory Prayers, last accessed on Jan 25, 2010)
Finally, among the supplications the Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged us to recite after every prayer is the following, which I think has great relevance to the question you have raised:
O Allah, help me to remember You, to thank You and to worship You well. (Abu Dawud)
Thank you for your question and we hope the response will be of practical benefit to you. Please keep in touch.
By Sohaib Saeed
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