[DenisMoor]

sister,

Subhan'Allah, you've probably just described a condition which affects majority of the Muslim population today. Masha'Allah, recognizing this issue and trying to do something about it is Insha'Allah a great means of reward in itself.

You can google things like "how to improve salat" and "khushu in salah", etc, and Insha'Allah you will find many tips to do so. Entire books upon books have been written on this subject, so I won't attempt to give you any 'tips', because I'm in desperate need of these tips myself.

Alhamdulillah, what's been helping me lately is reading the "Virtues of Salat" section from the "Faizal-e-amal" book (which is commonly used at masajid to read from during taleem, and heavily used by tablighi jamat). This section basically contains many different ahadith on salat, how the salat of the sahabah was, etc. What helps is simply reading at least a few of these daily (preferably read each hadith about 3 times to really let it sink into your head), pondering upon them, and then trying to remember what you learned from them (or any inspiration you gained from them) when you're about to make salat. Insha'Allah you will notice a difference.

Here's a link to this book:

http://www.central-mosque.com/sunnah/fazaile_namaz.pdf

Remember to always, always make dua to Allah after each salat and just all the time, to accept our broken salat and to teach us how to really make salat which He will be pleased with, and which will be of benefit to us in this life and in the hereafter. It is only Allah who can teach us and give us the tawfeeq to understand and implement what we learn. We are nothing without His help.

Salah of a Few Eminent Sahabah

Mujahid, describing the salah of Abu Bakr (radiyallahu anhu) and that of Abdullah Ibn Al-Zubayr (radiyallahu anhu) says: "They stood in salah motionless like pieces of wood stuck in the ground."

Ulama agree that Abdullah Ibn Al-Zubayr (radiyallahu anhu) learnt to say his salah from Abu Bakr (radiyallahu anhu) who in turn learnt it direct from Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam).


It is said about 'Abdullah Ibn Al-Zubayr that he remained in sajdah for so long, and kept so motionless, that birds would come and sit on his back. He would sometimes remain in sajdah or ruku all night long. During an attack against him, a missile came and hit the wall of the masjid wherein he was saying his salah. A piece of masonry flew from the wall and passed in between his beard and throat. He neither cut short his salah, nor was he the least perturbed.

Once he was saying his salah while his son Hashim was sleeping near him. A snake fell from the ceiling and coiled round the child. The child woke up and shrieked, and the whole household gathered round him. They killed the snake after a great hue and cry. Ibn Al-Zubayr, clam and quiet, remained engaged in his salah all the while. When he had finished it , he said to his wife: "I heard some noise during my salah, what was that?"

His wife said: "May Allah Ta'ala have mercy on you! The child's life was in danger, and you took least notice of it."

His answer was: "Had I turned my attention to anything else, what would have remained of the salah."


Umar (radiyallahu anhu) was stabbed at the close of his career, and this same wound caused his death. He bled profusely and remained unconscious for long intervals. But when he was told that it was time for salah, he would perform it in that very condition, and say: "There in no portion in Islam for the person who discards salah."


Usman (radiyallahu anhu) would remain in salah all night long, finishing the whole of the Quran in one rak'ah. It is reported about Ali (radiyallahu anhu) that he would turn pale and tremble at the time of salah. Somebody asked him the reason, and he said: "It is the time to discharge that trust which Allah Ta'ala offered to the skies and the earth and the hills, but they shrank from bearing it, and I have assumed it."


Somebody asked Khalf Ibn Ayyub: "Do not the flies annoy you in your salah?" His answer was: "Even the sinful persons patiently bear the lashes of the government, to boast of their patience afterwards. Why should I be made to move about by mere files when standing in the presence of my Sustainer?"


When Muslim Ibn Yasar would stand up for salah, he would say to his family: "Keep on talking, I shall not hear what you say." Once he was saying his salah in the main masjid of Basrah. A Part of the masjid wall fell down with a crash' and everybody ran pell mell for safety, but he never even heard the noise.


Somebody asked Hatim Al-Asamm as to how did he say his salah. He replied: "When the time for salah comes, I perform my wudu and go to the place where I have say my salah. I sit down for some time, till all the parts of my body are relaxed. Then I stand up for salah, visualising the Ka'bah in front of me, imagining my feet upon the bridge over jahannam, with jannah to my right, and jahannam to my left, and 'Izrail' (the angel of death) close behind me, and think that it may be my last salah. Then I say my salah with full sincerity and devotion. And in finish my salah between fear and hope about its acceptance." May Allah bless us all with true khushu and khuzu in our salat. Ameen.