Concentration in Namaaz and in the Recitation of the Qur’aan – Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahmatullah alayh)
Another Ibaadat in Salaat, particularly in Taraaweeh, and like that in Ramadhaan as well is the recitation of the Qur’aan. I will point out the nature of concentration in it as well.
See! If a Hafiz is weak in a certain ruku’, how will he recite it? He will recite it with due concentration. This is precisely the gist of concentration on the Qur’aan. Thus, just as you recite one rukoo’ with concentration recite all twenty Rakaats in this manner. This is exactly the meaning of presence of mind in Salaat.
If someone claims that I have cooked this up, I will say, “No, Shaikh Abdul Haq Muhaddith-e-Dehlwi has written on the nature of presence of mind in Salaat the same.” Now point out what difficulty is there in it?
Read your Namaaz with presence of mind. You only have to read the whole Namaaz with the thought you had at the time of niyyat. What added difficulty is there?
Recite the Qur’aan with presence of mind. It simply entails keeping your condition the same throughout the twenty Rakaats as your condition is when reading a kach-cha [not properly memorized] ruku’. After this, if someone still does not achieve presence of mind it is his own neglect.
In any case, in this discourse the islaah [reformation] of the Ahl-e-Zaahir is that they should recite the Qur’aan and perform their Namaaz mindfully. The mistake of the Ahl-e-Baatin [disciples of Tasawwuf] is that they needlessly worry about stray thoughts. This is the reality [of Zikr in our Namaaz] which I have spoken on. Don’t append to it your own ideas, for it will not endure. You may restrict yourself for a few days [with some self-imposed condition in Zikr in Salaat], but thereafter your nafs will flee like a runaway camel. Then you will never be able to bring it under control.
If you attempt to block all thoughts from your mind, for a few days you may succeed, but thereafter you will be devastated by an avalanche of stray thoughts. The reason for this is that previously [and quite correctly] they would come and go. Now, you have amassed them at the ‘door’ of the heart. Once that door opens there will be a stampede and it will take months to undo the damage. I am not putting forward some flowery speech. I am saying through experience. See for yourself. Don’t put a stopper; leave it as it is.
Extracted from:
THE ESSENCE OF TARAAWEEH (condensed)
Hakeemul Ummat Mujaddidul Millat Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi
(Quddisa Sirruhul Azeez)
