Khushu (Humility in Prayer)
Inner humility, focus and devotion during prayer.
Khushu (Arabic: خشوع) is the state of inner humility, focus and devotion during prayer. It is the soul's presence and the heart's attentiveness to Allah during worship. Khushu is considered the soul of prayer — without it, the prayer is merely empty movements.
The Quran says: "Successful indeed are the believers, who are humble in their prayer" (Surah Al-Mu'minun 23:1-2). Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned that khushu would be one of the first things to disappear from this community.
To achieve khushu, it is recommended: to understand the meaning of what one recites, to pray slowly and calmly, to focus one's gaze toward the place of prostration, to remove distractions, to think about Allah's greatness, and to remind oneself that one is standing before Allah. Praying as if it were one's last prayer helps to achieve khushu.
Related terms
Kaaba (Allah's Sacred House)
The holiest building in Islam, in Mecca, toward which all Muslims face in prayer.
Husayniyyah (Shia Assembly Hall)
A Shia Muslim assembly hall, named after Imam Husayn.
Nafilah (Voluntary Prayer)
Voluntary extra prayers beyond the five obligatory daily prayers.
Masjid al-Aqsa (The Farthest Mosque)
The third holiest mosque in Islam, in Jerusalem, connected to the Prophet's nocturnal journey.
Salat al-Tasbih (The Prayer of Glorification)
A special voluntary prayer with 300 tasbih recitations, recommended for forgiveness of sins.
Ijtihad (Independent Legal Reasoning)
The independent interpretive effort to derive legal rules from the Islamic sources.