1. Key to PRAYERS 5 Mins Presentation Classical Tafseer Class Nov 2007

2. Prayers Prayers are the first component of Furoo- e-din Pillar of our Religion وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاء وَالْمُنكَرِ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ And keep up prayers; surely prayer keeps (one) away from indecency and evil. And the remembrance of Allah is the greatest. (29:45)

3. Prayer However, any act performed without true knowledge & understanding is a useless act To truly benefit from prayer, we need to work on improving our concentration in Salaat and channeling all thoughts to Allah (swt) قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُون {1} الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ {2} Surely, the believers are successful; those who are humble in prayers. (23:1-2)

4. Imam Al-Baqir (a.s) has said: The prayer that is offered by a person, sometimes half of it ascends upwards, while at other times it is only one-third, or one-fourth or one-fifth that ascends. Only that portion of the prayer which the person has offered with concentration and mindfulness of the heart is made to ascend.

5. Steps Steps To Improve Concentration in PRAYERS

6. 1. Setting Setting the Prayer Scene Away from all Distractions Burning Incense Food & Drink Ablution

7. 2. Presence of Heart Presence of Heart = Submission of Heart Strive to synchronize your limbs with your heart Each part of the body feels meek, low & submissive to Allah Remembrance of Salaat Adopting a grief-stricken, submissive demeanor Pay Attention to Fiqh of Salaat

8. 3. Understanding Recitations Adds meaning into the prayer Goes beyond being a repeated ritual but rather an action with unprecedented value Prevents mind from wondering One who offers 2 units of prayer with the knowledge of what he says therein, he does not finish them without Allah forgiving him every sin that there is between him and Allah, that He does not forgive. Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (a.s)