Surah Al-Baqara: Verse 45 - واستعينوا بالصبر والصلاة ۚ وإنها... - English

Khushu` خشوع : The Humbleness of Heart

Verse 45 speaks of the humble in heart. The "humbleness of heart" (Khushu خشوع `), which the Holy Qur'an and the Hadith speak of, connotes a restfulness of heart and humility arising out of the awareness of Allah's majesty and of one's own insignificance in comparison to it. This quality, once acquired, shows its spiritual fruitfulness in making the obedience to Allah and submission to Him easy and pleasant for one; sometimes it reflects itself even in the bodily posture and appearance of the man who has acquired it, for such a man always behaves in a disciplined and polite manner, is modest and humble, and seems to be "broken-hearted", that is to say, one who has lost all vanity and self-love. If a man does not bear genuine humility and fear of Allah in his heart, he does not, with all his external modesty and downcast looks, really possess the quality of Khushu خشوع ` (humbleness of heart). In fact, it is not proper even to show the signs of Khushu خشوع ` in one's behavior deliberately. On seeing a young man sitting with his head bowed down, the rightly-guided Khalifah Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ said: "Raise your head! Humbleness of heart is in the heart." Ibrahim Nakha'i has said: "Humbleness of heart does not mean wearing rough clothes, eating coarse food and keeping the head bowed down. Humbleness of heart is to treat the high and the low alike in matters of truth, and to keep the heart free to devote itself entirely to Allah and to the performance of what Allah has made obligatory for you." Similarly, Hasan (رح) of Basra has said : The Caliph ` Umar ؓ would speak loudly enough to be heard, whenever he spoke, would walk swiftly, whenever he walked, and would strike forcefully, whenever he struck a man. All the same, he undoubtedly was a man with a real humbleness of heart." In short, wearing deliberately and by one's own choice, the looks of a man who possesses the humbleness of heart is a kind of self-delusion and a ruse of Satan, and hence reprehensible. But if a man happens to manifest such signs without knowing it, he can be excused.(Qurtubi)

Let us add that there is another word - Khudu` - which is often used along with Khushu خشوع `, and which appears several times in the Holy Qur'an as well. The two words are almost synonymous. But the word Khushu خشوع `, according to its lexical root, refers to the lowering of the voice and of the glance when it is not artificial but arises out of a real modesty and fear of Allah - for example, the Holy Qur'an says: "Voices have been hushed" (20:108). On the other hand, the word "Khudu`"refers to the bodily posture which shows modesty and humility - for example, the Holy Qur'an says: "So their necks will stay humbled to it". (26:4) We must also define as to what, in the eyes of the Shari` ah, the exact position and value of Khushu خشوع ` is with regard to Salah نماز . The Holy Qur'an and the Hadith repeatedly stress its importance as in: "And perform the prayer for the sake of My remembrance." (20:14)

Obviously, forgetfulness is the opposite of remembrance and hence the man who becomes unmindful of Allah while offering Salah, is not fulfilling the obligation of remembering Allah. Another verse says: "Do not be among the unmindful." (7:205)

Similarly, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said: "The Salah نماز simply means self-abasement and humility." Says another hadith: "If his prayers do not restrain a man from immodesty and evil, he goes farther and farther away from Allah." Salah نماز offered unmindfully does not obviously restrain man from evil deeds, and consequently such a man goes farther and farther away from Allah.

Having quoted these verses and ahadith in support of other arguments in his Ihya' al-` Ulum, الاحیاء العلوم Imam al-Ghazali (رح) suggests that Khushu خشوع ` must then be a necessary condition for Salah نماز ، and that its acceptability must depend on it. He adds that, according to the blessed Companion, Mu` adh ibn Jabal ؓ and jurists as great as Sufyan al-Thawri and Hasan al-Basri, Salah نماز offered without Khushu خشوع ` is not valid.

On the other hand, the four great Imams of Islamic jurisprudence and most of the jurists do not hold Khushu خشوع ` to be a necessary condition for Salah نماز . In spite of considering it to be the very essence of Salah نماز ، they say that the only condition necessary in this respect is that while saying Allahu Akbar اللہ اکبر at the beginning of the prayers one should turn with all one's heart to Allah, and have the intention (niyyah نیت ) of offering the prayers only for the sake cif Allah; if one does not attain Khushu` in the rest of the prayers, one will not get any reward for that part of the prayers, but, from the point of view of Fiqh فقہ (jurisprudence), one will not be charged with having forsaken Salah نماز ، nor will one be liable to the punishment which is meted out to those who give up prescribed prayers without a valid excuse.

Imam al-Ghazali (رح) has provided an explanation for this divergence of view. The Fuqaha' (jurists), he points out, are not concerned with inner qualities and states of the heart (Ahwal احوال ), but only enunciate the exoteric regulations of the Shari` ah on the basis of the external actions of men's physical organs - it does not lie within the jurisdiction of Fiqh فقہ to decide whether one will get a reward for a certain deed in the other world or not. Khushu خشوع ` being an inner state, they have not prescribed it as a necessary condition for the total duration of Salah نماز ، but have made the validity of the prayers depend on the lowest degree of Khushu خشوع ` - turning, as one begins the prayers, with one's heart to Allah and having the intention of only worshipping Him.

There is another explanation for not making Khushu خشوع ` a necessary condition for the total duration of the prayers. In certain other verses, the Holy Qur'an has clearly enunciated the principle which governs legislation in religious matters: nothing is made obligatory for men that should be beyond their endurance and power. Now, except for a few gifted individuals, men in general are incapable of maintaining Khushu خشوع ` for the total duration of the prayers; so, in order to avoid compelling men to a task they cannot accomplish, the Fuqaha' have made Khushu خشوع ` a necessary condition only for the beginning of the prayers, and not for the whole duration.

In concluding the discussion, Imam al-Ghazali (رح) remarks that in spite of the great importance of Khushu خشوع ` one can depend on the infinite mercy of Allah, and hope that the man who offers his prayers unmindful will not be counted among those who give up the prayers altogether, for he has tried to fulfill the obligation, has turned his away from everything to concentrate his attention on Allah even for a few moments, and has been mindful of Allah alone at least while forming his intention for the prayers. Offering one's prayers in this half-hearted manner has, to say the least, the merit of keeping one's name excluded from the list of those who habitually disobey Allah and forsake the prescribed prayers altogether.

In short, this is a matter in which hope and fear both are involved - there is the fear of having incurred punishment as well as the hope of being ultimately forgiven. So, one should try one's best to get rid of one's laziness and indifference. But it is the mercy of Allah alone which can help one to succeed in this effort.

The Support that comes with Patience and Prayer

Allah commanded His servants to use patience and prayer to acquire the good of this life and the Hereafter. Muqatil bin Hayan said that this Ayah means, "Utilize patience and the obligatory prayer in seeking the Hereafter. As for patience (here), they say that it means fasting." There are similar texts reported from Mujahid. Al-Qurtubi and other scholars commented, "This is why Ramadan is called the month of patience," as is mentioned in the Hadith literature. It was also said that `patience' in the Ayah means, refraining from evil, and this is why `patience' was mentioned along with practicing acts of worship, especially and foremost, the prayer. Also, Ibn Abi Hatim narrated that `Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "There are two types of patience: good patience when the disaster strikes, and a better patience while avoiding the prohibitions of Allah." Ibn Abi Hatim said that Al-Hasan Al-Basri was reported to have said similarly.

Allah then said,

(And As-Salah (the prayer).)

The prayer is one of the best means of assistance for firmly adhering to Allah's orders, just as Allah said;

(Recite (O Muhammad ) what has been revealed to you of the Book (the Qur'an), and perform As-Salah. Verily, As-Salah (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahsha' (i.e. great sins of every kind), and Al-Munkar and the remembrance of (praising) of (you by) Allah is greater indeed) (29:45).

The personal pronoun in the Ayah,

(And truly, it is extremely heavy and hard) refers to prayer, as Mujahid is reported to have said, and it was also the choice of Ibn Jarir. It is possible that the pronoun might be referring to the advice - to observe patience and the prayer - mentioned in the same Ayah. Similarly, Allah said about Qarun (Korah),

(But those who had been given (religious) knowledge said: "Woe to you! The reward of Allah (in the Hereafter) is better for those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and this, none shall attain except As-Sabirun (the patient).") (28:80).

Also, Allah said,

(The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better then verily he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend. But none is granted it (the above quality) except those who are patient ـ and none is granted it except the owner of the great portion (of happiness in the Hereafter and) in this world.) (41:34-35) meaning, this advice is only implemented by those who are patient and the fortunate. In any case, Allah's statement here means, prayer is `heavy and burdensome',

(except for Al-Khashi`in.)

Ibn Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on this Ayah, "They (Al-Khashi`in) are those who believe in what Allah has revealed."

Allah's statement,

(They are those who are certain that they are going to meet their Lord, and that unto Him they are going to return.) continues the subject that was started in the previous Ayah. Therefore, the prayer, or the advice to observe it is heavy,

(except for Al-Khashi`in. (They are those) who are certain (Yazunnuna) that they are going to meet their Lord,) meaning, they know that they will be gathered and face their Lord on the Day of Resurrection,

(and that unto Him they are going to return.) meaning, their affairs are all subject to His will and He justly decides what He wills. Since they are certain that they will be returned to Allah and be reckoned, it is easy for them to perform the acts of obedience and refrain from the prohibitions. Ibn Jarir commented on Allah's statement;

(Yazunnuna that they are going to meet their Lord)

Ibn Jarir said; "The Arabs call certainty as well as doubt, Zann. There are similar instances in the Arabic language where a subject as well as its opposite share the same name. For instance, Allah said,

(And the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists, sinners), shall see the Fire and Zannu (apprehend) that they have to fall therein)"(18:53).

It is recorded in the Sahih that on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will say to a servant, "Have I not allowed you to marry, honored you, made the horses and camels subservient to you and allowed you to become a chief and a master" He will say, "Yes." Allah will say, "Did you have Zann (think) that you will meet Me" He will say, "No." Allah will say, "This Day, I will forget you, just as you forgot Me." If Allah wills, we will further elaborate on this subject when we explain Allah's statement,

(They have forgotten Allah, so He has forgotten them) (9:67).