eminbey
信得過…是我的名字
CONCEALMENT OF KHUSHOO’
Hudhayfah (may Allaah be pleased with him) used to say: “Beware of the khushoo’ of
hypocrisy.” He was asked, “What is the khushoo’ of hypocrisy?” He said, “When the
body shows khushoo’ but there is no khushoo’ in the heart.” Fudayl ibn ‘Ayaad said:
“It was disliked for a man to show more khushoo’ than he had in his heart.” One of
them saw a man showing khushoo’ in his shoulders and body, and said, “O So and so,
khushoo’ is here” – and he pointed to his chest, “not here” – and he pointed to his
shoulders. (al-Madaarij, 1/521)
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, explaining the difference between
the khushoo’ of true faith and the khushoo’ of hypocrisy: “The khushoo’ of true faith is
when the heart feels aware and humble before the greatness and glory of Allaah, and is
filled with awe, fear and shyness, so that the heart is utterly humbled before Allaah and
broken, as it were, with fear, shyness, love and the recognition of the blessings of Allaah
and its own sins. So no doubt the khushoo’ of the heart is followed by the khushoo’ of the
body. As for the khushoo’ of hypocrisy, it is something that is put on with a great show,
but there is no khushoo’ in the heart. One of the Sahaabah used to say, ‘I seek refuge with
Allaah from the khushoo’ of hypocrisy.” It was said to him, ‘What is the khushoo’ of
hypocrisy?’ He said, “When the body appears to have khushoo’ but there is no khushoo’
in the heart.’ The person who truly feels khushoo’ before Allaah is a person who no long
feels the flames of physical desire; his heart is pure and is filled with the light of the
greatness of Allaah. His own selfish desires have died because of the fear and awe which
have filled his heart to overflowing so that his physical faculties have calmed down, his
heart has become dignified and feels secure in Allaah the remembrance of Him, and
tranquillity descends upon him from his Lord. So he has become humble (mukhbit)
before Allaah, and the one who is humble is the one who is assured. Land that is
“mukhbit” is land that is low-lying, in which water settles, so the heart that is “mukhbit”
is humble and content, like a low-lying spot of land into which water flows and settles.
The sign of this is that a person prostrates to his Lord out of respect and humility, and
never raises his head until he meets Him. The arrogant heart, on the other hand, is one
that is content with its arrogance and raises itself up like an elevated portion of land in
which water never settles. This is the khushoo’ of true faith.”
As for overdoing it, and the khushoo’ of hypocrisy, this is the attitude of a person who
tries to make a great show of khushoo’, but deep down he is still filled with desires. So on
the outside he appears to have khushoo’, but the snake of the valley and the lion of the
forest reside within him, watching for prey. (Al-Rooh, p. 314, Daar al-Firk edn., Jordan).
Khushoo’ in prayer happens when a person empties his heart for it (prayer), and focuses
on it to the exlusion of all else, and prefers it to everything else. Only then does he find
comfort and joy in it, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:“… and my joy has been made in salaah.” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 5/456. The hadeeth is in
Musnad Ahmad, 3/128 and Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3124).
Allaah has mentioned al-khaashi’eena wa’l-khaashi’aat (men and women who are
humble (before their Lord)), and described this quality as one of the qualities of those
who are chosen. He tells us that He has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward
(i.e., Paradise). [See al-Ahzaab 33:35].
One of the benefits of khushoo’ is that it makes prayer easier for a person. Allaah tells us
(interpretation of the meaning): “And seek help in patience and al-salaah (the prayer),
and truly it is extremely heavy and hard except for al-khaashi’oon [i.e., the true
believers, those who obey Allaah with full submission, fera much from His Punishment,
and believe in His Promise and in His Warnings]” [al-Baqarah 2:45]. The meaning is that
the burden of prayer is heavy indeed, except for those who have khushoo’. (Tafseer Ibn
Katheer, 1/125). Khushoo’ is very important, but it is something that is easily lost and is
rarely seen, especially in our own times, which are the last times. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The first thing to be lifted up (taken away) from
this ummah will be khushoo’, until you will see no one who has khushoo’.” (Al-
Haythami said in al-Majma’, 2/136: It was reported by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, and its isnaad is
hasan. See also Saheeh al-Targheeb, no. 543. He said it is saheeh).
Hudhayfah (may Allaah be pleased with him) used to say: “Beware of the khushoo’ of
hypocrisy.” He was asked, “What is the khushoo’ of hypocrisy?” He said, “When the
body shows khushoo’ but there is no khushoo’ in the heart.” Fudayl ibn ‘Ayaad said:
“It was disliked for a man to show more khushoo’ than he had in his heart.” One of
them saw a man showing khushoo’ in his shoulders and body, and said, “O So and so,
khushoo’ is here” – and he pointed to his chest, “not here” – and he pointed to his
shoulders. (al-Madaarij, 1/521)
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, explaining the difference between
the khushoo’ of true faith and the khushoo’ of hypocrisy: “The khushoo’ of true faith is
when the heart feels aware and humble before the greatness and glory of Allaah, and is
filled with awe, fear and shyness, so that the heart is utterly humbled before Allaah and
broken, as it were, with fear, shyness, love and the recognition of the blessings of Allaah
and its own sins. So no doubt the khushoo’ of the heart is followed by the khushoo’ of the
body. As for the khushoo’ of hypocrisy, it is something that is put on with a great show,
but there is no khushoo’ in the heart. One of the Sahaabah used to say, ‘I seek refuge with
Allaah from the khushoo’ of hypocrisy.” It was said to him, ‘What is the khushoo’ of
hypocrisy?’ He said, “When the body appears to have khushoo’ but there is no khushoo’
in the heart.’ The person who truly feels khushoo’ before Allaah is a person who no long
feels the flames of physical desire; his heart is pure and is filled with the light of the
greatness of Allaah. His own selfish desires have died because of the fear and awe which
have filled his heart to overflowing so that his physical faculties have calmed down, his
heart has become dignified and feels secure in Allaah the remembrance of Him, and
tranquillity descends upon him from his Lord. So he has become humble (mukhbit)
before Allaah, and the one who is humble is the one who is assured. Land that is
“mukhbit” is land that is low-lying, in which water settles, so the heart that is “mukhbit”
is humble and content, like a low-lying spot of land into which water flows and settles.
The sign of this is that a person prostrates to his Lord out of respect and humility, and
never raises his head until he meets Him. The arrogant heart, on the other hand, is one
that is content with its arrogance and raises itself up like an elevated portion of land in
which water never settles. This is the khushoo’ of true faith.”
As for overdoing it, and the khushoo’ of hypocrisy, this is the attitude of a person who
tries to make a great show of khushoo’, but deep down he is still filled with desires. So on
the outside he appears to have khushoo’, but the snake of the valley and the lion of the
forest reside within him, watching for prey. (Al-Rooh, p. 314, Daar al-Firk edn., Jordan).
Khushoo’ in prayer happens when a person empties his heart for it (prayer), and focuses
on it to the exlusion of all else, and prefers it to everything else. Only then does he find
comfort and joy in it, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:“… and my joy has been made in salaah.” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 5/456. The hadeeth is in
Musnad Ahmad, 3/128 and Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3124).
Allaah has mentioned al-khaashi’eena wa’l-khaashi’aat (men and women who are
humble (before their Lord)), and described this quality as one of the qualities of those
who are chosen. He tells us that He has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward
(i.e., Paradise). [See al-Ahzaab 33:35].
One of the benefits of khushoo’ is that it makes prayer easier for a person. Allaah tells us
(interpretation of the meaning): “And seek help in patience and al-salaah (the prayer),
and truly it is extremely heavy and hard except for al-khaashi’oon [i.e., the true
believers, those who obey Allaah with full submission, fera much from His Punishment,
and believe in His Promise and in His Warnings]” [al-Baqarah 2:45]. The meaning is that
the burden of prayer is heavy indeed, except for those who have khushoo’. (Tafseer Ibn
Katheer, 1/125). Khushoo’ is very important, but it is something that is easily lost and is
rarely seen, especially in our own times, which are the last times. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The first thing to be lifted up (taken away) from
this ummah will be khushoo’, until you will see no one who has khushoo’.” (Al-
Haythami said in al-Majma’, 2/136: It was reported by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, and its isnaad is
hasan. See also Saheeh al-Targheeb, no. 543. He said it is saheeh).