Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Like all, I am eager in concentration in prayers and try my best to do so. By the Grace of Almighty, I am present in the mosque for Fajr, the rest depends where I am during the day time, but I try my best for congregational prayer all five times.

During the prayer, my thoughts do wander. I have heard that at least during the Sajdah, if the person loses his concentration, let alone the other movements, the benefit of the prayer will be lost and it will be only for namesake. Also by His Grace, he has provided us with voluntary prayers where we have a valuable opportunity to compensate in case of failing to concentrate during the obligatory prayer. Though not purposely, my thoughts wander and during the same prayer, I make up my mind to compensate during the voluntary prayer. Will I be rewarded as I am not doing it on purpose? 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Thoughts in prayer

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 45-46:

45 Nay, seek (Allah's) help with patient perseverance and prayer: it (prayer) is indeed hard, except to those who bring a lowly spirit.

46 Who bear in mind the certainty that they are to meet their Lord and that they are to return to Him.

Allah Subhanah Himself Declares in His Glorious Quran that the proper fulfilling of the duty of prayer is indeed hard, but not for those who bring a sincere and lowly spirit, who bear in mind the certainty that they are One Day to meet their Lord. May Allah Subhanah bless and increase yours and our zest in our worship to Him, and bestow upon you and us sincerity, humility, and ‘khushu’ in our prayers. Ameen.

Your Statement: During the prayer, my thoughts do wander. I have heard that at least during the Sajdah, if the person loses his concentration, let alone the other movements, the benefit of the prayer will be lost and it will be only for namesake.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.89

Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "When the call to prayer (adhaan) is made, the Shaytaan takes to his heels... and when it is finished, he returns. He flees again when the iqamah is made and when it is finished, he returns until he comes between the man and his thoughts, saying: 'Remember this and remember that,' which he had not recalled, until the person does not know how much he has prayed, [i.e.,] three or four rak'at. Then, he makes two prostrations while sitting."

Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Dear and Beloved Brother, nothing hurts and despairs the accursed Shaytaan more than when a believer prostrates in worship to The Lord Most High; thus the accursed Shaytaan, if he is not able to convince the believer to leave his prayer, will strive his utmost to at least steal something away from the believer’s prayer! In his effort to steal something away from the believers’ prayers, he thus comes between the believer and his prayers and recitation, tries to confuse him, and tries to make him think of worldly matters.

Ammar ibn Yasir said that he heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: "A man may complete the salah and only have recorded for himself one-tenth, or one-ninth, or one-eighth, or one-seventh, or one-fifth, or one-fourth, or one third, or one-half."

Related by Au Dawud, an-Nasa'i, and Ibn Hibban.

As soon as one realizes that the Shaytaan has made his thoughts wander during his prayers, he should immediately seek refuge in Allah from him and ‘spit’ out three times on their left side; it is expected that Allah Subhanah will protect them from the whisperings of the Shaytaan.

Uthman ibn Abi al-'Aas said: "O Messenger of Allah (saws), the Shaytaan comes between me and my prayers and my recitation, confusing me therein!" The Prophet (saws) said: "That Shaytaan is called Khanzab. If he affects you seek refuge in Allah from him and 'spit out' on your left side three times."

Related by Muslim.

Your Question: Though not purposely, my thoughts wander and during the same prayer, I make up my mind to compensate during the voluntary prayer. Will I be rewarded as I am not doing it on purpose? 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 21 Surah Anbiyaa verse 47:

47 We shall set up Scales of Justice for the Day of Judgment so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it (to account): and enough are We to take account.

Dear and Beloved Brother, rest assured that no good deed, even if it be as insignificant as the weight of a mustard seed, will be recorded and be brought to account in the Majestic and Supreme Presence of the Lord Most Gracious. Allah is our witness brother, no deed that is done to earn the Pleasure of Allah will go unrewarded in His Majestic and Supreme Presence!

Al-Bazzar records from Ibn 'Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Allah, the Glorious, said: 'I accept the salah of one who humbles himself during it to My Greatness; and who does not perform the salah just for show; and who does not spend the night in disobedience to Me; and who spends the day remembering Me; and who is merciful to the poor, the wayfarer and the widows; and who is merciful to one who is suffering from an infliction. He has a light like the light of the sun. I protect him by My Glory and the Angels guard over him. I give him light in darkness and sobriety in the presence of ignorance. And his similitude in My creation is like al-Firdaus in Paradise."'

My dear and beloved brother, when the accursed Shaytaan looses hope of taking a believer away from his prayers, when even after trying his best to come between the believer and his prayers and putting wandering thoughts in his mind he is unable to make the believer miss his prayers…the absolute last ploy the accursed Shaytaan employs is to whisper in his heart that his prayers are useless and Allah Subhanah would not accept nor reward him for his worship! Allah is our witness brother, the Shaytaan is a confirmed liar and is only trying to despair the believer in his untiring efforts to make the believer unheedful of his prayers!

My dear and respected brother, recognize the Shaytaan for who he is, the accursed enemy of the believers; recognize his ploys and his tactics, and as soon as he starts his ‘play’, immediately seek refuge in Allah from the Shaytaan’s mischief….it is expected that the Lord Most Gracious will protect you from any and all evil.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan