Khushoo` and Beautification of the Prayer

Uqbah bin Aamir (ra) said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said: "There is no person who performs wudhoo, beautifying his wudhoo, then prays two rakahs concentrating therein with this heart and face except Paradise becomes obligatory for him."[1]

Zaid bin Khaalid al-Juhnee (ra) said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Whoever performed wudhoo and beautified the wudhoo, then prayed two rakahs, not being forgetful in them all his previous sins will be forgiven."[2]

Humraan, the servant of Uthmaan bin Affaan (ra) said: I saw Uthmaan bin Affaan (ra) call for wudhoo (i.e. a container of water). He poured water over his hands and washed them three times. Then he put his right hand into the container and rinsed his mouth, and washed his nose by putting water in it and then blew the water out. Then he washed his face and forearms up to the elbows three times, passed his wet hands over his head and washed his feet up to the ankles three times. Then he said: I saw the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) perform wudhoo like this wudhoo of mine and then he (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said: "If anyone performs wudhoo like this wudhoo then prays two rakahs, without conversing with his soul (i.e. not thinking of anything else) all his past sins will be forgiven."[3]

Abu Dardaa (ra) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) say: "Whoever performs ablution and beautifies it, then stands and prays two rakahs - or four, Sahl (a subnarrator) is not sure - beautifying them with dhikr and khushoo and then seeks forgivesness from Allaah, will be forgiven."[4]

And at the end of the hadeeth of Amr bin Asabah (ra): "... If he stands and prays, praises Allaah, glorifies Him, extolls Him with that which He is worthy of and empties his heart for Allaah the Exalted alone, he will depart from his sins in the same condition as the day his mother gave birth to him."[5]

Jaabir (ra) said: I asked the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) about wiping the pebbles during prayer. He said: "Only once, but if you withold from doing that it is better for you than a hundred black-eyed she-camels."[6]

NOTES

[1] Reported by Muslim
[2] Saheeh ut-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb, no. 223.
[3] Reported by Bukhaaree, Muslim and others.
[4] Reported by Ahmad with a Hasan isnaad.
[5] Reported by Muslim and see [Saheeh ut-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb], no. 392.
[6] Reported by Ibn Khuzaimah in his [Saheeh] it is also in [Saheeh ut-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb], no. 558.