5 Ways to Deal with Prayer Distractions

 

How to Get Rid of Negative Thoughts in Prayer

Regarding the negative thoughts that come to your mind while praying, The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) taught us how to deal with it. Uthman b. Abu al-‘As reported that he came to Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) and said:

Allah’s Messenger, the Satan intervenes between me and my prayer and my reciting of the Qur’an and he confounds me. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) said: That is the doing of  Satan who is known as Khinzab, and when you perceive its effect, seek refuge with Allah from it and spit three times to your left. I did that and Allah dispelled that from me. [Sahih Muslim]

So, do try this next time you get prayer distractions and just continue normally.

If you get distracted still that you forget parts or get confused inside the prayer, then here is what you need to do as prescribed in the hadith. It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said:

“Satan comes to anyone of you while he is praying and comes between him and his soul until he does not know whether he as added something or omitted something. If that happens, then he should prostrate twice before the Salam, then he should say the Salam.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]

Dhikr and Quran to Ward off The Devil and his Whispers

In addition to that, to keep the negative thoughts away, it is highly recommended that you devotedly recite the morning and evening adhakar because they protect from the devil and his whispers.

Also, if you managed to recite Surat Al Baqarah at home that would help greatly as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) says:

“Do not turn your houses into graveyards. Satan runs away from the house in which Surat Al-Baqarah is recited.” [Muslim]

And always seek refuge in Allah from the evil whispers saying ‘a’udhu biAllahi min asShaitan asRajeem‘ (I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed devil).

Negative thoughts are from Satan and Satan’s plots are always weak when we seek the help of Allah the All-Powerful, The Master of everything, and everyone in the heavens and the earth. 

Contemplating on the Powerful Conversation in Prayer

To help you focus on prayer, remember that when you recite Al Fatiha (The Opening Chapter) you immediately enter into a conversation between you and Allah, The King of the Universe. The Prophet [saw] explained how this conversation goes:

He [saw] said that Allah the Exalted had said:

“I have divided the prayer into two halves between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks. When the servant says: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe, Allah the Most High says: My servant has praised Me. And when he (the servant) says: The Most Compassionate, the Merciful, Allah the Most High says: My servant has lauded Me. And when he (the servant) says: Master of the Day of judgment, He remarks: My servant has entrusted (his affairs) to Me. And when he (the worshipper) says: You alone we worship and of You alone do we ask help, He (Allah) says: This is between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for. Then, when he (the worshipper) says: Guide us to the straight path, the path of those to whom You has been Gracious not of those who have incurred Your displeasure, nor of those who have gone astray, He (Allah) says: This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for.” [Sahih Muslim]

The Thought of Sin & Allah’s Mercy

On thinking about sinning, narrated Abu Huraira, The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said,

“Allah forgives my followers those (evil deeds) their souls may whisper or suggest to them as long as they do not act (on it) or speak.” [Sahih Al Bukhari]

5 Ways to Deal with Prayer Distractions

Allah won’t hold us accountable for those evil thoughts if we don’t act on them. But do try to purify your thoughts and ward off those negative thoughts about sinning by busying yourself with healthy, productive activities.

To say goodbye to prayer distractions, make a productive plan for your day that includes:

1- Marinating your adhkar & prayers.

2- Listening to lectures that have beneficial knowledge and reminder.

3- Engaging in volunteering and helping others for the sake of Allah.

4- Being among groups of righteous companions who aid one another in doing good works.  

5- Studying the meaning of the Quran. It’s very powerful and keeps your heart and mind engaged and ward off the thoughts of sin. 

Made a Mistake? Repent and do a Good Deed to Wipe out the Bad Deed

Most importantly, if you make a mistake, then immediately repent and do a good deed to wipe out the bad deed.

“And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.” (Qur’an 11:114)

Don’t give up or lose hope ever. Remember Allah says:

“‘O son of adam, I forgive you as long as you pray to Me and hope for My forgiveness, whatever sins you have committed. O son of ‘Adam, I do not care if your sins reach the height of heaven, then you ask for my forgiveness, I would forgive you. O son of ‘Adam, if you come to Me with an earth load of sins, and meet Me associating nothing to Me, I would match it with an earth load of forgiveness.”‘ [At- Tirmidhi].

And Allah knows best.

- aboutislam.net

About Dina Mohamed Basiony

Dina Mohamed Basiony is a writer based in Cairo, Egypt. She specializes in Islam and spirituality. Dina holds an MA and BA in Journalism and Mass Communication from the American University in Cairo.

Are Women Allowed to Laugh in Public in Islam?

 

If men are allowed to laugh in public why shouldn’t women? Who are we to legislate for women? Legislation in Islam is the exclusive right of Allah and His messenger. There is no text in the Qur’an putting such a restriction on women.

Therefore, this is at best an example of misogyny and Islam is innocent of it. It is clear from the Qur’an that women are free to speak and express themselves even as men do; they are not to use sexually enticing mannerisms or expressions even as men are not allowed to do.

Allah Almighty knows best.

- aboutislam.net

About Sheikh Ahmad Kutty

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty is a Senior Lecturer and an Islamic Scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Should We Do Good Only for Reward?

 

Imagine that there really is no afterlife.

In that case, your life ends once and for all with your death.

All the good deeds you have done simply vanish with your death.

But Allah the All Merciful does not want the good deeds of any of us to go to waste. 

Indeed, the afterlife is a logical conclusion to this life, whatever may be our ideas about good deeds. 

The Quran answers the question how there can be a life after death:

{[…] He gives life to the earth after it had been lifeless! Verily, this Selfsame [God] is indeed the One Who can bring the dead back to life: for He has the power to will anything!} (Quran 30:50)

If God can send down rains to revive the completely lifeless land, why can’t we see that it is possible for Him to revive humans after their death? 

After all, it is He Who created us in the first place.

Action and Intention

Psychologists tell us that even in our most natural expressions and actions, there are hidden motives. Or consider the theory that all the actions of people are motivated by self-interest even when they appear to be otherwise.

For instance, a soldier who risks his life to save his companions might be moved by a secret desire to be honored a hero.

This does not mean that there cannot be an action that is free from self-interest. Yet, it would be difficult to determine whether a particular action of a particular person is free from self-interest.

After all, the goodness or badness of a deed is determined by the intention or motive of the doer.

It is possible for you to care for others merely for the sake of caring for others; or you can show kindness to people, as kindness is a great value.

But in these cases, your self-interest is in disguise; as you are pampering your own ego, as you delude yourself into believing that you are a cut above others by being selfless.

In this world, there are persons who are motivated to do good deeds because of the promise of rewards, and there are persons who do good deeds to make themselves feel like they are good, and there are the few who do good for an ideal greater than these self-interests.

And it is obvious that an overwhelming majority of people belong to the first two categories.

So, the rewards-punishments scheme would work better for our workaday world than for the idealist scheme. 

Human psychology is such and Allah Who created all of us knows this and His scheme is the best.

Reward from Allah

Your supposition about reward is that if someone wants any reward from Allah for his good deeds, he doesn’t love Allah.

That is, the real test for one’s love for Allah is not asking for any reward.

But Allah Almighty Himself says in the Quran that He bestows the greatest rewards to those who believe in Him and strive in His Way:

{[But,] verily, as for those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds – the gardens of paradise will be there to welcome them.} (Quran 18:107)

Such is Allah’s Mercy that His rewards far outweigh our feeble efforts. But when we imagine that we can do without His generosity or mercy, it is not a good attitude.

One point to remember is that if you do not want anything from Allah, it is not a generosity to Allah Almighty. Because you cannot do any favor to Allah or lessen the least bit of His treasures by taking any gift from Him.

Certainly, you can be content with whatever you have; and Allah will reward you for that. But you take the position that you don’t want any reward from Allah even when Allah generously offers it.

Besides, your arguments for acting out of higher ideals imply that these are better than what Allah has commanded in His Quran!

Allah has given us everything; and even those things we give to the poor or the needy are really His gift to them. And as we have chosen to be a channel for that gift, we get reward.

If we reject that reward, it is somewhat of a rebellion against God.

Judged on Beliefs

Allah Almighty has this to say about those who do (supposedly) good deeds, which have no weight with Allah:

{Say: “Shall we tell you who are the greatest losers in whatever they may do? [It is] they whose labor has gone astray in [the pursuit of no more than] this world’s life, and who none the less think that they are doing good works; it is they who have chosen to deny their Sustainer’s messages and the truth; that they are destined to meet Him.” Hence, all their [good] deeds are in vain, and no weight shall We assign to them on Resurrection Day.} (Quran 18:103-105)

That is to say, for our good works to have any weight with Allah, we should believe in the final meeting with Him, when all of our good works will be weighed, and their rewards determined against our bad deeds.

Indeed, the criteria for judging which work is good, which is bad, come from Allah.

Our own criteria for judging our works are erratic, unreliable; and can be easily influenced.

You suggest that the beliefs of people are not to be taken into consideration, for the reason that they may be sometimes mistaken. But you think that the intentions behind actions can be considered.

In fact, the intentions of people are based on their beliefs.

For instance, a person who believes in Islam has the intention of going for Umrah next month. Thus, the intentions of people can be seen to be based on their beliefs.

You suppose that Allah may leave a person with the good intention of trying to find truth, in a state of misguidance. Allah will not leave them in the lurch. He will certainly reward them on the basis of their intention and efforts.

Allah’s judgment is faultless. Never does He do injustice to anyone.

- aboutislam.net

About Professor Shahul Hameed

Professor Shahul Hameed is an Islamic consultant. He also held the position of the President of the Kerala Islamic Mission, Calicut, India. He is the author of three books on Islam published in the Malayalam language. His books are on comparative religion, the status of women, and science and human values.

5 Major Historical Changes Happened in Rajab (Infographic)

 

Rajab is the first of the four Sacred Months in the Islamic calendar.

It’s the month of peace, during which fighting is prohibited.

It’s the month that preludes Sha’ban and Ramadan.

Allah says:

Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them, four are Sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein. (Quran 9:36)

When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) sighted the moon of Rajab he used to supplicate:

“O Allah, make the months of Rajab and Sha’ban blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramadan (i.e. prolong our life up to Ramadan, so that we may benefit from its merits and blessings).”

Discovering Islam team prepared this infographic to shed light on some important events that took place in the history of Islam during the sacred month of Rajab.

Historical Events That Happened in Rajab

- aboutislam.net

Responding to Hostility with Good Manners

 

Everyone is faced with hostility at some point or another. The reasons vary, whether it has to do with your identity as a Muslim or a secular shortcoming that others perceive.

As an American convert to Islam I have faced the worst kind of hostility at times, which was in regards to my choice of Islam as my religion.

I grew up in a family that was Christian, but I never really saw anyone practicing the religion.

My mother took me to church maybe once or twice that I can recall. And the only contact I had with the Bible was when I was doing chores. It was basically a religious “prop” and kept on the coffee table to gather dust.

You Are Going Straight to Hell!

So when I announced to my mother that I was embracing the Islamic faith almost 16 years ago, her reaction was shocking given that she had never been particularly religious my whole life. Her gaze of disbelief and anger were the worse. And her bitter declarations of:

“You are going straight to Hell!”, “All Muslims are evil!” and “You better leave that religion before it is too late!” came in a close second. I have also faced similar reactions from other family members and even close friends.

Through it all, I have found that meeting hostility with good manners is the best means of discourse.

By definition, hostility is “Hostile behavior; unfriendliness or opposition.” Hostility is either verbal or physical. Someone who makes rude or incendiary remarks is engaging in verbal hostility.

This type of hostility can easily spiral out of control if you respond with anger or similarly offensive remarks. Physical hostility is when someone invades your space and touches any part of your body, such as pushing your chest or grabbing your arm.

Again, this type of hostility can easily morph into a dangerous altercation especially if your response is to also get physical.

When looking for ways to combat hostility, one has to look no further than the Sunnah of Muhammad (peace be upon him). By the grace of Allah, Exalted is He, Muslims have been given the perfect example of grace under fire. Allah Almighty says in Quran:

Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow. (Al-Ahzab 33:21)

Our beloved Prophet was tormented consistently when he declared his prophethood to his community and for several years to come after that.

His detractors called him a “mad man” and abused him whenever the opportunity presented itself. They put animal feces in his cooking pots, threw garbage on him, and even put the entrails of a camel on his head while he was prostrating during prayer.

And who could forget the attack on our beloved Prophet in Taif when his shins were beaten so severely that his sandals filled up with blood?

Each and every time, regardless of the harm inflicted, the Prophet responded to the hostility with good manners and even made du’a for his abusers. The Prophet Muhammad once said:

“I have only been sent to perfect good manners.” (Al-Bukhari)

And in another hadith we find that he was so keen to have good manners that he prayed for them:

“O Allah, You have made my outward form beautiful so make my attitude good too.” (Narrated by Ibn Hibban)

When faced with hostility there are several ways to not only rise above the situation but also to calm it to avoid a physical altercation that will assuredly cause more harm than good.

Control Your Anger

When someone is hostile towards you, anger is a natural response. However, just because you have been provoked gives you no excuse to react in a hostile manner.

There is great wisdom in controlling anger, as succumbing to it can lead to a host of negative scenarios that are difficult to extricate yourself from. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

“The strong man is not the one who can wrestle (fight); the strong man is the one who controls himself at the time of anger.” (Al-Bukhari)

Our Prophet even gave us the advice to either sit or lay down as a means of controlling anger. And while you may not always be in a position to sit or lay down when angry, you can create a mental image of yourself in such a position to help alleviate anger.

Be Mindful of Body Language

You may not be uttering a word, but your body is doing all the talking. When faced with hostility, you might cross your arms as a defensive mechanism to somewhat close yourself off from the situation.

This sends the message to the antagonist that you don’t care about what he is saying, which may infuriate him even more. Rolling your eyes or making faces must also be avoided as it can further escalate the anger. Instead, put on a neutral facial expression and keep your arms comfortably at your side.

Make Sound Arguments

Whether the source of the hostility is a misunderstanding in the work place or is solely based on the fact that you are a Muslim, make sound arguments filled with facts to defend yourself from the negative onslaught.

When speaking, use a neutral tone of voice devoid of emotion. Shouting or screaming will not allow your voice to be heard and will ignite the hostility further.

For example, if you find that the hostility is due to a stereotype about Islam use your Islamic knowledge to not only dispel the label but to also bring knowledge to your adversary. An added bonus is that anyone in the vicinity will also pick up a bit of Islamic knowledge in the process.

Simply Walk Away

When all else fails, one of the most noble and smart things you can do is to simply walk away. There is no point in arguing with someone who is behaving irrationally and has the potential of inflicting harm either verbally or physically.

Walking away removes your physical self from the situation. In an ideal situation this would be enough to bring an end to the hostility.

However, in reality, the aggressor may follow you as you try to make an exit or even physically assault you. In this event, you have an absolute right to protect yourself from harm.

Seek Council Through Prayer

As with all matters in life, we must turn to Allah, exalted is He, in sincere prayer and supplication, or du’a, to relieve the distress and bring comfort by His leave.

The Islamic prayer brings a sense of peace during even the most difficult of times. Seek the council of Allah Almighty and open your heart to release troubles or worries.

Remain steadfast with your prayers and duas in the hopes of relief and reward in this life as well as the Hereafter. Allah Almighty says in the Quran:

Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors. (Al-A’raf 7:55)

Never doubt the power of the Islamic prayer and sincere duas in alleviating even the most stressful situations.

- aboutislam.net

About Sumayyah Meehan

Sumayyah Meehan reverted to Islam over 23 years ago. She is a Waynesburg University graduate with a BA in Criminal Justice. Sumayyah is a journalist, marketer and freelance graphic designer. She is also a single-mother residing in North Carolina with her children.

Dua for the Month of Rajab

 

Here is an important dua recited by Saad Al-Qureshi which was also recited by Prophet Mohmmad (SAW) for the month of Rajab whenever he sighted the moon before Ramadan. - aboutislam.net

How to Motivate Ourselves?

 

Oftentimes, the most difficult challenge to improving our lives is finding out how to motivate ourselves.

What stops us from making a change, or implementing a plan? It’s not always easy to take the first step toward a goal and then to remain constantly motivated.

Have you given some thought to what motivates you? What gets you going when there are constant distractions?

When your intellectual and emotional energy levels are low, how do you turn things around?

Or when you are working on a project that is taking lots of your time, how do you stay focused and motivated to keep going until it’s completed? These are not questions with easy answers.

However, during the teenage years, it is important that you at least begin to explore the topic of motivation and come to some understanding about how you can motivate yourself.

Although your preferences and inclinations about what motivates you might change as you grow older, you will be much better prepared for college and other goals you intend to pursue.

Start With Your Intentions

No matter what activity or goal you wish to pursue, there must be an effort to set an intention, to think clearly about what it is you are about to undertake and for what reason.

It is narrated by `Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions, and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended” (Al-Bukhari).

Working on your intentions right at the outset also serves the purpose of helping to develop a clear objective.

Do your best from now on to articulate your intention; if needs be, take a moment to write down your thoughts.

Keep your intentions clear, and check back with yourself should your motivation level starts to decline.

Develop a Plan

Starting off on a project without having a clear sense of the resources or the estimated time needed to complete it is not recommended.

Develop a plan of action right at the outset, incorporating milestones and checkpoints so that you can pace your progress, as well as appropriate break times so that you do not suffer from burnout.

It is never advisable to overwork oneself or to expect that one can remain consistently and constantly motivated over the same thing.

The beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was presented with such a question by Abu Bakr As-Siddiq and Hanzhalah (may Allah be pleased with them). In a narration by Hanzhalah, we read:

I met Abu Bakr. He said, “How are you?” I replied, “Hanzhalah has turned into a hypocrite.” Abu Bakr said, “Hallowed be Allah, what are you saying?”

Thereupon he said,

“I say that when we are in the company of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him), we ponder over Hell-Fire and Paradise as if we are seeing them with our very eyes, and when we are away from Allah’s Messenger, we attend to our wives, our children, our businesses; most of these things (i.e. pertaining to the afterlife) slip out of our minds.”

Abu Bakr said, “By Allah, I also experience the same.“

So I and Abu Bakr went to Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said to him, “Allah’s Messenger, Hanzhalah has turned into a hypocrite.”

Thereupon Allah’s Messenger said, “What has happened to you?“

I said, “Allah’s Messenger, when we are in your company, we are reminded of the Hell-Fire and Paradise as if we are seeing them with our own eyes, but whenever we go away from you and attend to our wives, children, and businesses, much of these things go out of our mind.”

Thereupon Allah’s Messenger said,

“By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if your state of mind remains the same as it is in my presence and you are always busy in remembrance (of Allah), the angels will shake hands with you in your beds and in your paths; but, Hanzhalah, time (should be devoted to worldly affairs) and time (should be devoted to prayer and meditation).” He said this thrice. (Muslim)

The advice of our beloved Prophet has timeless value since he reminds us that it is an integral part of human nature that the level of our motivation fluctuates depending on the type of activity in which we are engaged.

To be constantly motivated in the remembrance of Allah, as the Prophet reminds us, would be worthy of salutations from the angels.

Final Thoughts: The Power of Supplication

The hopelessness that follows a loss of motivation can be transformed into optimism by turning to Almighty Allah and seeking His assistance and guidance.

Rather than making supplications to Allah for help, it is tempting to languish in self-pity, to rationalize the lack of planning, and to recast intentions.

The danger clearly is that the more you suffer from low levels of motivation and the more you become distant from Allah, a cycle begins to form, and it seems as though you can never break that cycle.

Sitting down to seek a private audience with Allah and appealing to Him for His assistance and guidance must become second nature to you.

Why? Because there is no more powerful means of restoring high levels of motivation than by turning to Allah and coming to terms with the weak state of our faith and our focus.

It is when we intentionally turn to Allah during a state of helplessness that we realize that focus, motivation, and success in human endeavors are blessings from Allah that we should not take for granted.

In the Qu’ran, Almighty Allah tells us

[Remember Me, I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not reject Faith. O you who believe, seek help with patient perseverance and prayer; for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.](Al-Baqarah 2:152-153).

- aboutislam.net