Purity of Niyyah (Intention)

AlKhushoo’ means being completely solemn, submissive and humble to Allah during our performance of Prayer. 

Muslims should at no time make their prayers ritualistic. However, the sad thing is that most of us have unconsciously fallen prey to this. The following narration will help us to understand this. Jubair bin Nufair narrates from `Aus ibn Maalik that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) looked towards the sky and said: 

“It is now the time when knowledge shall be raised up.” 

So a man from the Ansaar called Ziyaad ibn Labeed said: 

“O Messenger of Allah! Will knowledge be raised up, when it has been established and the hearts have stored it?” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “I used to regard you as the best man of understanding among the people of Madinah; did the Jews and the Christians not have the Tauraat and the Injeel? So what benefit did this bring them?” [AnNasa`i, Ahmad, Al‐Haakim, Ibn Hibbaan] 

After reporting the Hadeeth, Jubair said, I later met Shaddaad ibn `Aus, so he said: “`Aus has spoken truthfully. Shall I not inform you of the first part of the knowledge that will be taken up?” I said: “Of course.” He said: Khushoo’ (humility and consciousness) in prayer, until you will not see one attentive worshipper.” 

It is when the external and the internal aspects of the Salaah are properly combined that it manifests itself through the personality of the one performing the Salaah as is stated by Allah, the AllKnowing: 

“Verily, Salaah (Prayer) prevents from AlFahshaa (i.e. illegal sexual intercourse) and AlMunkar (disbelief, polytheism or every kind of wicked and evil deed).” [Al ’Ankaboot 29:45] 

The above ayah clearly declares that the person who prays should not find within himself any of these two characteristics. This is so because when someone performs Salaah with consciousness and humility, then this Salaah works as a check for him, and in turn helps him to keep away from doing evil deeds.