6 Steps to achieve a quality Salah

1. Focus on your technique.

This relates to each position you take during salah. For example, you can focus on how your feet are positioned during sajdah (prostration) e.g. making sure they do not come off the ground whilst in prostration. Another example can be making sure you’re standing upright after ruku’ before going into sajdah, etc.

A way of achieving this is to slow down in each position. This would be especially important if you’re naturally a quick reader and your salah normally finishes quickly. Additionally, you will find slowing down allows the salah to run smoothly in a beautiful manner.

2. Understand what you’re reciting.

You don’t have to be a scholar to understand what you’re reciting. We should make the effort to understand at least some of what is read during salah. Once we understand what we are reading during salah even if it’s not all of what is read, then we will find that sweetness you obtain from salah {with Allah’s grace} through understanding what we are saying. This can only allow us to become closer to Him.

That is why it is highly recommended to get a copy of the translation of the Quran (the more recent translations include backgrounds) so you understand what you’re reading as well as the story behind it. This will, inshallah, increase the enjoyment we receive from our recitation during Salah.

3. Know your opposition.

This is our enemy, Shaitaan. We are blessed by Allah that we are in a position to be performing salah but this doesn’t stop Shaitaan in our salah who is ever busy trying to distract us from our worship. If we understand the different tricks of the shaitaan, we can avoid falling into its traps and letting our minds wander in salah.

4. ‘Get in the zone’.

This is a reference to getting ourselves focused. When we are doing something important for example completing an assignment, project for work, college or university, what do we do to make sure we are not distracted? This may be isolating ourselves and going in a quiet place which can and should be applied to our salah. Anything that allows us to focus, concentrate and block out the world during salah can only benefit us.

Many people find sitting in wait for the salah, doing zikr (remembrance) for a few minutes is very useful. This will inshallah allow you to forget about the world and the various things you have to do for a few minutes. Therefore, when the salah begins, you will be fully focused.

5. Increase the significance/importance of THIS salah.

Try to think of the salah you are about to perform as the one in which Allah will question you about on the Day of Judgement. This should help us to perform the salah with the devotion, concentration and care we are looking for.

Additionally, consider that this salah may be your last. I’m sure if we were told this would be our last salah, we would perform it with extreme devotion, avoid anything and anyone that distracted us and make it the longest salah possible. This is something to reflect on.

6. Continuously make duaa.

This is a vital point to consider for everyone. Duaa should constantly be made to Allah as without the help of Allah and His willing, we will not be able to perform the salah as required. We should continuously ask Him to send blessings on us and if for example we are struggling with remembering the Quran, or concentrating then we should continuously seek help from Allah.

Also, duaa should be made asking for forgiveness from Allah for not achieving the standards required of us even if we feel we possess some levels of devotion, care and quality during our salah.

Finally, duaa should be made thanking Allah for all His bounties and giving us the blessings to be able to perform salah and pray to him despite our many faults.

A duaa that should, therefore, be read constantly after salah is, ‘Allahumma innee ala zikrika wa shukrika wa husni ibaadatik’ (O’Allah, help me remember You, to be grateful to You, and to worship You in an excellent manner).