Spiritual connection with Allah (swt) in Salah is attainable through tranquility of the heart, that is, to worship Allah (swt) as if we can perceive Him.

Not stealing from the Prayer: The Prophet (saws) is reported to have once told his Companions: “[The] worst of  thieves is the one who steals his prayers.” They asked, “How does he     steal his prayer, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “He does not do ruku or sajda properly.” ~ Muwatta

Narrated Zayd bin Wahb: Hudhayfa saw a person who was not performing the bowing and prostration properly. He said to him, “You have not prayed. If you should die, you would die on a religion other than that of Muhammad.” ~ Bukhari

Standing with Humility

Imam Ahmad narrated that ‘Ammaar ibn Yaasir said: I heard the Messenger of Allah say: “A person may offer a prayer and nothing of it is recorded   for him except one tenth of it, one ninth of it, one eighth of it, one seventh of it, one sixth of it, one fifth of it, one quarter of it, one third of it, or half of it.” ~ Saheeh al-Jaami‘

Weeping in Salah

‘Ataa’ said:

“‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr and I entered upon `A’isha. Ibn ‘Umayr said to her, ‘Tell us of the most amazing thing you saw of the part of the Messenger of Allah.’

She wept and said, ‘He got up one night and said, ‘O ‘A’isha, leave me to worship my Lord.’ I said, ‘By Allah! I love to be close to you, and I love what makes you happy.’

So he got up, purified himself; then he stood and prayed. He kept weeping until his lap got wet, then he wept and kept weeping until the floor got wet.

Bilal (ra) came to tell him that it was time for prayers. When he saw him weeping, he said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! You are weeping when Allah (swt) has forgiven you all your past and future sins?’

He replied, ‘Should I not be a grateful slave? Tonight some aayaat have been revealed to me; woe to he who recites them but does not think about what is in them: ‘Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth… (Aal ‘Imraan 3:190).’” (Ibn Hibaan said, ‘This has a jayyid isnaad.’)

Reciting in a Pleasant Tones 

Beautifying the recitation of the Qur’an has a positive impact on  the hearts of the listeners. As Allah (swt) says: “… and recite the Qur’an in a slow, (pleasant tone and) style.” (Al- Muzzammil 73:4). The recitation of the Prophet was clear, with each letter pronounced distinctly.

It was reported that the Prophet would recite the longer mufassal surahs (the last seventh of the Qur’an), such as al-Waaqi’ah (56), al-Toor (52) and Qaaf  (50), and shorter mufassal surahs such as Idhaa al-shamsu  kuwwirat (al-Takweer 81),  al-Zalzalah (99), and al-Mu`wwadhatayn       (the last two surah).

It was reported that he recited al-Room (30), Yaa-Seen (36) and al-Saaffaat (37), and on Fridays he would recite     al-Sajdah (32) and al-Insaan (76) in Fajr prayers. In Zuhr, he would recite the equivalent of thirty aayaat in each of the two rak`ah, or he recited al-Taariq (86), al-Burooj (85) and idhaa yaghshaa      (al-Layl, 92).

In `Asr, he would recite the equivalent of fifteen aayaat in   each rak`ah, and he would recite the soorahs already mentioned in   connection with Salaat al-Zuhr.

In Salaat al-Maghrib, he would recite short mufassal surahs such as al-teeni wa’lzaytoon (al-Teen 95), or he recited Surah Muhammad (47), al-Toor (52), al-Mursalaat (77) and others.

In ‘Isha’ he would recite medium-length mufassal soorahs, such as al-shamsu wa duhaahaa (al–Shams  91), idhaa’l-samaa’u inshaqqat  (al-Inshiqaaq 84). He told Mu’adh to recite al-A`laa (87), al- Qalam (68) and al-layli idhaa yaghshaaha (al-Layl, 92).

In Sujud, in addition to “Subhaan Rabbi al-A’laa” he would say “Subbooh, Quddoos, Rabb u-Malaa’ikati wa’l-Rooh (Perfect, Blessed, Lord of the Angels and the Spirit).”

Allah (swt) Responds to Prayers

The Prophet said:

“Allah (swt)  said: ‘I have divided the prayer  between Myself and My slave into two halves. My slave shall  have what he asks for.”

When the slave says ‘Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,’ Allah  (swt) says, ‘My slave has praised Me.’

 When the slave says, ‘The Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy,’  Allah (swt) says ‘My slave has extolled Me.’

When the slave says, ‘Master of the Day of Judgement,’ Allah (swt) says, ‘My slave has glorified Me.’

When the slave says, ‘It is You alone we worship and       it is You alone we ask for help,’ Allah (swt)  says, ‘This is between Me and My slave, and My slave shall have what he asked for.’

When the slave says, ‘Guide us to the Straight Path, the path of those whom You have favoured, not of those who receive Your  anger, nor of those who go astray,’ Allah (swt)  says, ‘All these are for My slave, and My slave shall have what he asked for.’”

       ~ Muslim

Pointing with the forefinger during Tashahhud

The Prophet said: “It is more powerful against the Shaytan than iron” (Ahmad), i.e., pointing with the forefinger during the Tashahhud is more painful to Shaytaan than being beaten with   a rod of iron.

Conclusion

Spiritual connection with Allah (swt) in Salah is attainable through khushuu’. Khushuu’ is tranquility of the heart and calmness of the organs. That is, to worship Allah (swt) as if we can perceive Him.

May Allah (swt) grant us understanding and accept our ‘ibaadaat.

(Concluded)