Part 9

Allah, Glorious and Most High, informs us that it is these who

Ibn Taymiyyah on The Ruling of Khushi‘ in Prayer

will inherit Firdaws thereby showing that others will not do so; as such, this proves the obligation of having the qualities mentioned therein. This is because, were they recommendations, Firdaws could still be attained without them, since Paradise can be attained by the performance of obligatory deeds without the recommended. It is for this reason that only obligations are mentioned in these verses.

Khushi‘ is obligatory and comprises quietude and humility. In this respect is the saying of ‘Umar (radiyAllabu ‘anhu) when he saw a person fidgeting in his prayer, “If the heart of this person was humble, so too would his limbs be,” meaning they would be stilled and submissive.

Allah, Most High, says,

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“Among his Signs is that you see the earth laid bare and then when We send down water on it, it quivers and swells.”

Here, He informs us that after having had AAbusha’, the earth quivers and swells, i.e. raises (with vegetation), this then proves that its Abusha‘ was stillness and lowness.

‘48 Fiyssilat (41): 39

humbled to You,” as recorded by Muslim.'* Here he described himself with £4usha‘ because the one bowing is still and in a posture of humility...

Khusha‘is obligatory, as such the one who pecks on the ground like a crow when prostrating has not displayed Abusha‘ therein. Similarly, one who does not fully return to (the standing posture) from bowing, before going down for prostration, has not been calm and still. Calmness (swk#n) is the exact same thing as tranquility (twma’ninah). The person who was not calm in his bowing or his prostration has not shown &huashd in them, The person who does not have khushi‘ is sinful as we have just explained.

Ibn Taymiyyah on The Ruling of Khushu' in Prayer

Ibn Sirin said, ‘The Messenger of Allah (4g) would look up in prayer and when Allah, Mighty and Magnificent, revealed,

Chat ee aed Ted c a caer tes Ci pss oa AMOS ALIS “It is the believers who are successful: those who are humble in their prayer...”"

his sight never left the place of his prostration.’ This was recorded by Ahmad, a/-Nasikh wa'l-Mansikh. Now, because raisiny, ones sight to the sky goes against khusha‘, the Prophet (4) prohibited it and threatened the one who did it.

There is no harm in looking around if there is a need to do so. Abi Dawid records on the authority of Sahl ibn Hanzaliyyah,

"2 GlMu‘iminun (23): 1-2 ‘S Bukhari #751-3291 ' Ahmad #21508, Aba Dawid #909, Nasa’i #1196

It was ruled sahih by ibn Khuzaymah #481-482, Hakim #862 with Dhahalu agreeing, and hasan by Albani, Sahih a/-Targhib #554.

‘The igamabh was called for prayer - i.e. the morning prayer - and the Messenger of Allah (4) commenced praying, and kept looking at the mountain path.’ Aba Dawid said, ‘He had sent a horseman there to keep guard by night.”

5 Aba Dawid #916

' Aba Dawid #918 on the authority of Aba Qatadah.

'” Aba Dawid #922

‘Ss Bukhari #917 and Muslim #44-45

‘” Ahmad #3926 on the authority of ibn Mas‘tid with a da‘if isnad.

Bukhari #461-4808 and Muslim #541 record a similar hadith on the authority

‘! Aba Dawid #921

‘4 Aba Dawid #943

Ibn Taymiyyah on The Ruling of Khushi‘ in Prayer”

are done for a need. If, however, they are done without need, they would be regarded as mere fidgeting which negates khushi‘ and is prohibited in prayer.

'" Aba Dawad #999

were the tails of headstrong horses. When one of you says the salam, \et him face his neighbour and not motion with the hand."

Here the Prophet (3g) ordered calmness in the prayer, the whole prayer, and calmness cannot come about without tranquility. Whoever is not tranquil is not calm, and the command for calmness accords to Allah’s command for khushi‘...

Ibn Taymiyah also said,

With regards to the report in which ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab said, ‘I make plans for the army whilst I am praying,’ this was because ‘Umar was commanded to engage in Jihad and, since he was the leader of the believers, he was also the leader of Jihad. Therefore, in some respects, he was like the one who prays the prayer of fear when the enemy has been sighted, regardless of whether actual fighting is happening or not. He was commanded to pray and to engage in Jihad, so he had to carry out both duties to the best of his ability. Allah says,

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‘O you who believe! When you meet a troop, stand firm and remember Allah repeatedly so that hope-

Lbn Taymiyyah on The Ruling of Khushu’ in Prayer

fully you will be successful.”

It is known that one cannot achieve the same tranquillity of heart during Jihad as attained at times of peace and security, so 1! it happens that a person’s prayer is lacking because of Jihad, this does not impute the completion of a persons prayer or Obed ence.

For this reason, prayer at times of danger is lighter than prayct at times of peace. When Allah mentioned the prayer at times of danger, He said,

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‘... but when you are safe again, perform prayer

in the normal way. Verily, the prayer is prescribed for the believers at specified times.’”!

Hence the one who is commanded to establish prayer at times of peace is not commanded to do so in the same manner at times

Moreover, people are of varying levels in this regard. If a person’s faith is strong, he will have the proper presence of mind when he prays, even if he thinks of other matters. Allah had placed the truth firmly in ‘Umar’s heart and on his tongue, and he was one who was inspired, so there is nothing strange in a person of his calibre making plans for the army whilst, at the same time,

focusing on his prayer. He was able to do this, whilst others are not, but undoubtedly when he did not have these concerns to think about, his focus on the prayer would be greater. Likewise, no doubt the prayer of the Prophet (8), in terms of outward actions, at times of safety was more perfect than at times of danger. If, in the prayer of fear, Allah has made allowances with regard to some of the outward obligations of the prayer, what then about the internal aspects?