All praises belong to Allaah, jaabir ul-qaloob, al-munkasirah min ajlihi, Forgiver of sins, who forgives due to His Grace. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah alone, having no partners; and there is nothing similar to Him. I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and His Messenger, sent with the guidance and the Religion of Truth, that it may prevail over all other religions. And he was given a choice between being a Prophet-King, or a Worshipping-Messenger. So he choose the station of servitude to Allaah (al-'Uboodeeyah) with messengership. He used to say:
O Allaah! grant me life as one of the poor, let me die as one of the poor; and let me be raised-up in the company of the poor. Advocating the nobility and virtue of his rank -sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - and upon his Family and Companions and those who hold fast to his rope.
Khushoo' fis-Salaah: The First Part
Indeed Allaah - how free is He from all defects, the Most-High - has praised, in His Book, those that yield to Him and submit to His Greatness. They are those who are subservient (al-khaadi'een) and humble (al-khaashi'een) to Him. Allaah - the Most-High - says:
Verily they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us.
[Soorah al-Anbiyaa' 21:90]
and He said:
And for the men and women who humble (before their Lord - Allaah)... Allaah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward.
[Soorah al-Ahzaab 33:35]
The most honourable worshippers who preserve it are those of the believers having been described with al-Khushoo', as He says:
Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their prayer with al-Khushoo'.
[Soorah al-Muminoon 23:1-2]
And those endued with knowledge have been described with al-Khushoo' and truthful speech, as He says:
Verily! Those who were given knowledge before it, when it was recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration. And they say: Glory be to our Lord! Truly, the promise of our Lord must be fulfilled. And they fall down on their faces weeping and it adds to their humility.
[Soorah al-Israa' 17:107-109]
The foundation of al-Khushoo' is: Soft-heartedness, tranquil, humble, subservient and yearning. So when the heart has Khushoo' it is followed by the Khushoo' of all the limbs and bones, since they all follow it ( the heart), as he, sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said:
Indeed in the body there is a piece of flesh, if it is sound then the whole body is sound; and if it be corrupt then the whole body is corrupt. Indeed it is the heart.
So when the heart has Khushoo' then the hearing, the sight, the head, the face and all of the bones, even to the extent of the speech, will have Khushoo'. Such that the Prophet sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam would say in the rukoo' of the Prayer:
Humbled to You are my hearing, my seeing, my marrow, my bone. In another narration: And whatever my feet carry.
When some of the Salaf saw a man moving his hand during Prayer, they would say: "If the heart had Khushoo' the limbs would have Khushoo'." This is narrated from Hudhayfah radiAllaahu 'anhu and from Sa'eed ibn al-Musayyib. It is related in marfoo' form. However, its chain of transmission (isnaad) is not authentic.
Al-Mas'oodee relates from Abu Sinaan from a narrator from 'Alee ibn Abee Taalib radiAllaahu 'anhu, that he said about His - Most High saying:
Those who offer their prayers with all Khushoo'
[soorah al-Muminoon 23:2]
He said: "It is the heart that has al-Khushoo' and is gentle towards the other muslim and he does not look around in his Prayer."
'Ataa ibn as-Saa'ib related from a man from 'Alee radiAllaahu 'anhu: "al-Khushoo' is the khushoo' of the heart, whereby it does not look to the right nor the left." 'Alee ibn Abee Talhaa related from Ibn 'Abbaas radiAllaahu 'anhumaa that he said about the saying of the Most High:
Who have Khushoo' in their Prayer.
He said: They are fearful and tranquil."
Ibn Shawdhab related from al-Hasan rahimahullaahu ta'aalaa, that he said: "They had al-Khushoo' in their hearts, so they could concentrate their sight in the Prayer." Ibn Abee Najeeh related from Mujaahid rahimahullaahu ta'aala, about His saying:
Used to humble themselves before Us.
[soorah Anbiyaa 21:90]
That he said: "Those who have humility (al-Mutawaadi'een). "
Allaah - Most High - in His Book, has characterised the Earth with al-Khushoo', as He says:
And among His Signs is this: You see the earth barren, but when We send down rain to it, it is stirred to life and yields increase.
[soorah Haa Meem 41:39]*
So it is stirred to life and yields increase shows that the original state of the earth is one of al-Khushoo' and as such it remains stationary. Likewise is the heart. When it is in the state of al-Khushoo' the worries and anxieties leave and it becomes tranquil; and the following of desires will be subdued and humbled before Allaah. This results in lifting and obliterating pride; and when this tranquility is in the heart, then the bones, limbs and all movements become humbled - even to the extent of the voice. Allaah - Most High - describes the voices with al-Khushoo' in His saying:
And all voices will be humbled for the Most Beneficent (Allaah) [soorah Taa Haa 20:108]
So al-Khushoo' of the voice is its silence and lowering, after its being raised. Similarly, the faces and the sight of the disbelievers on the Day of Judgement, has been described with al-Khushoo' and this is a proof that their whole body will be in a state of al-Khushoo' (due to fear of Allaah). On the other hand, when a person is forced to produce al-Khushoo' in his body and limbs - whilst the heart is devoid of it - then the person is described as having the Khushoo' of hypocrisy (al-Khushoo un-Nifaaq). It is this that some of the Salaf sought refuge from, as one of them said:
I seek refuge with Allaah from the Khushoo' of Hypocrisy. It was said: What is the Khushoo' of Hypocrisy? He said: That the body is seen to be in the state of al-Khushoo', but the heart - it is not in the state of al-Khushoo'.
'Umar radiAllaahu 'anhu saw a young man lowering his head, so he said to him:
What is this! Raise your head, for indeed this (kind of) Khushoo' does not increase what is in the heart! Whosoever displays al-Khushoo' that does not stem from the heart, then it is Hypocrisy added to Hypocrisy.
The basis of al-kushoo' which exists in the heart is brought about when one recognises Allaah, realizing His greatness, His power and His Perfection; therefore whoever recognises Allaah more, then He has the greater al-kushoo' towards Him Azza wa Jaal.
The differences of al-kushoo' that exist are due to the variation of having knowledge of the greatness of Allaah Azza wa Jaal and witnessing of the attributes of Allaah Azza wa Jaal which bring about this al-kushoo'. As such when a person is in the state of al-kushoo', the heart is strong in remembering and 'witnessing' Allaah Azza wa Jaal ; where Allaah is 'near' {in knowledge} to His slave, the heart is constantly communicating in secret to Allaah Azza wa Jaal and the heart is in humility where the person is ever conscious of his movement.
Whoever is in al-kushoo' contemplating about the Perfection and Greatness of Allaah Azza wa Jaal will be immersed in the sea of Love and he will be ever yearning to meet and to look at the Face of Allaah. And whoever is in al-kushoo' meditating about the terror of the punishment of Allaah will feel remorse and extremely fearful of Allaah. This is how Allaah makes the hearts of His creatures bow toward Him. Where He is near to those of His slaves who 'speak' to him through the Salaah, and those who prostrate to Him, as He draws Himself closer to those of His slaves who implore humbly for assistance or seeking forgiveness in the early hours of the dawn, and He responds and answers the supplications of His slaves and He does force anyone of His creatures to bow and prostrate to Him with the way that will be closest to Him though He is the One who answers every supplication.
In the Kitabus-Az-Zuhd, Imam Ahmad narrated from Imraan al-Qasirr {or al-Juni [Malay translators adition] } that Musa asked Allaah :
O Rabb, where can I achieve your pleasure (ridha)?
and Allaah replied : Seek My pleasure when the heart of my slave is in humility due to fearing Me. Verily I draw closer to them one handspan everyday and if this does not happen then they are destroyed
Where as in Kitabul Mahabbah Ibraheem al-Junaid narrated through Jaafar bin Sulaiman who said that he heard Malik bin Dinaar reporting :
Musa once asked Allaah O Rabb, where can I achieve your pleasure? and Allaah replied as reported above but without the phrase 'due to fearing Me'
Jaafar reported that he once asked Maalik bin Dinaar as to how does a heart become humble and he replied
I asked the same question to a person who read the Qur'aan to me and he replied that he once asked Abdullaah ibn Salam the same question and he (Abdullaah) replied that the heart becomes humble due to the extreme love of Allaah.
Verily in an authentic Sunnah of the Prophet there is the statement that those who are humble are when afflicted with a trial from Allaah remain patient to this ordainment (predestination) of Allaah and are content (satisfied) (ridha) to this trial.
In a hadeeth of saheeh Muslim from Abu Huraira that the Prophet said :
O son of Adam, I fell ill and you visited Me not. He will say, O Lord and how could I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say, Did you not know that My slave so and so had fallen ill and you did not visit him? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found Me with him?
Abu Nu'aim narrated through Hamzah from Ibn Syaudazab who said .
Allaah has revealed to Musa Do you know on what basis have I chosen you above anyone else to carry out my message and to speak directly to? and Musa replied No, my Lord wherewith Allaah explained Verily no one becomes humble to Me as you have humbled yourself.
The word 'Tawadhu' which was used here meaning al-kushoo' where it is one of the branch of the beneficial knowledge, one of the first few knowledge which is lifted.
Imam an-Nisai narrated a hadeeth from Jubair bin Nufair, from Anas bin Maalik who reported that one day the Prophet looked towards the heaven and mentioned a matter saying : that will be a day when knowledge departs.' Zaid bin Labid al-Ansari asked O Messenger of Allaah will the knowledge depart even though the heart is strong and witness to the the truth? and he said I thought you were the most knowledgeable in Madeena? and he explained that the Jews and Christians went astray even though they have the books with them. Ziyaad said that he met Syadaabol bin Aus and told him a a hadeeth from Auf bin Maalik where he (Syadaad) then said
What was said by Auf is true, would you not like tell you what is the first thing that will depart from mankind? whereupon Ziyaad replied affirmatively and he said : It is al-Kushoo' in the prayer where you will not see any man being al-Kushoo' (Ahmad)
Whereas Imam at-Tirmidhi brought almost a similar hadeeth as above from Jubair bin Nufair who received it from Abi Dardaa where the companion who heard it then said It is true what Abu Darda said. If you want, I will tell you what is the first knowledge that will be lifted from mankind, and he further said It is al-Kushoo', where you will approach a big masjid and not a single one of them will be in al-Kushoo'. Some scholars are of the opinion that the narration from an-Nisai is more authentic.
Said bin Basyir reported from al-Hasan from Syadad bin Aus who received it from the Prophet who said :
The first knowledge that will depart from mankind will be al-Kushoo'.
The hadeeth of the same meaning was also reported by Abu Bakr bin Maryam from Hamzah bin Habiib in mursal form. The same is reported from Hudaifah.
The beneficial knowledge (Ilmu an-Naafi) is described as the knowledge that affects the heart where its owner of this knowledge becomes serene (sahinah), fearful (khasy-yah), subservient to Allaah (ikhbaatlillaah), humble (tawadhu) and obedient (inhisaar).
When a knowledge does not affect the heart but only exsist in the mouth (and does not go beyond the throat), then it will be an argument against that owner who should take appropriate measures to overcome it.
Ibn Masud said :
Verily there are certain groups of people who read the Qur'aan but it does not go beyond the throat. However if it occurs in the heart, then it will stick there and this will benefit the owner.
al-Hasan said :
Knowledge is of two types : knowledge which is acquired through the tongue and knowledge acquired through the heart, and the knowledge which sticks in the heart is the beneficial knowledge whereas the former will be the argument (hujjah) of Allaah against the son of Adam. [This report is narrated from al-Hasan in Mursal form. Also reported from Jaabir in marfu form. The same is narrated from Anas but the chain is not authentic.]
In parallel with this, the Prophet have described how the Jews and the christians who though possessed the Books revealed to them did not benefit them at all since the objective of these knowledge is lost as they do not use it, and this objective if once acheived by their hearts would have made them taste the sweetness of faith and this could only be attained through fear of Allaah and the return of theis heart to Allaah. { Return to Allaah means that at its climax, the soul is washed and immersed in the extreme love of Allaah that it does not require anything else but the feeling of complete yearning and love to Allaah ----- Malay translators interpolation }. As such their tongues will be an argument against them. This fear is the fear which Allaah has described about the ulemaa who posses it as in
And of men and "Ad-Dawab" (moving living creatures, beasts, etc.), and cattle, in like manner of various colours. It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allaah. verily, Allaah is All-Mighty, Oft-Forgiving.
Surah Faatir : 28
Is one who is obedient to Allaah, prostrating himself or standing (in prayer) during the hours of the night, fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the Mercy of his Lord (like one who disbelieves)? say : "Are those who know equal to those who know not?" It is only men of understanding who will remember (i.e. get a lesson from Allaah's Signs and verses).
Surah Zumar : 9
Allaah described the al-Kushoo' which some of the Ulemaa of Ahlul Kitaab posses in the Ayah
And they fall down on their faces weeping and it adds to their humility.
Surah al-Israa 109
Who when they are given the knowledge, would cry while bowing and prostrating and as such their Kushoo' increases. Allaah praises those who listen and are affected by the Qur'aan and their hearts then become Khusyu.
Is he whose breast Allaah has opened to Islaam, so that he is in light from His Lord (as he who is non-Muslim) ? So, woe to those whose hearts are hardened against remembrance of Allaah! They are in plain error! Allaah has sent down the Best statement, a Book (this Qur'aan), its parts resembling each other in goodness and truth, oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it (when they recite it or hear it). Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allaah. That is the guidance of Allaah. He guides therewith whom he pleases and whomever Allaah sends astray, for him there is no guide.
Surah Zumar 22-23
This softness of the heart occurs when its hardness disappears through Khusyu and when the heart melts while praying. Verily in the above Ayah, Allaah is angry at those whose hearts are not humbled when they hear the Qur'aan and do not contemplate its meaning.
Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah - Islaamic Monotheism) to be affected by Allaah's reminder (this Qur'aan), and that which has been revealed of the truth, lest they become as those who received the Scripture (the Torah and the Gospel) before (i.e. Jews) and the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened? And many of them were "Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allaah)."
Surah al-Hadeed 16
Ibn Masud said :
We have not been humiliated with this ayah until 4 years having embraced Islam. [Muslim]
Imam an-Nisai also reported the same hadeeth and added that then some of the believers started criticising others. Whereas Ibn Majah reported from az-Zubair (or is it from Ibn Umar - Malay translator interpolation ) who said : We have not been criticised after embracing Islaam until the revelation of this Ayah which occurred 4 years later.
When this Ayah is read to many of the righteous people it brings out various consequences : some of them died due to extreme Kushoo' that occurs in their hearts and others would not stop from seeking forgiveness and repenting. We have told some of these reports in our book Istageenah bil Qur'aan
Allaah says :
Had We sent down this Qur'aan on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allaah. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect.
Surah Hashr 21
Abu Imraan al-Juni once said :
Verily Allaah has brought our attention in the Qur'aan a type of trust (Amanah) which if it is endowed to the mountain it would have pulverised it and smashed it to smithereens. (The English translator was being too clever here, trying to use certain bombastic words!).
Maalik bin Dinaar said when reading this Ayah :
I stress that no single person who believes in the Qur'aan but his heart should cleave asunder (due to kushoo').
It was reported that al-Hasan once said :
O son of Adam, when Shaitan whispers in your heart to commit a sin or when you are inclined to commit a sin (due to the evil desire of the heart), then you should remember about the trust which was endowed to you which if it had been given to the mountain, it would have cleft asunder due to its extreme fear of Allaah .....Haven't you heard that Allaah said :
Had We sent down this Qur'aan on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allaah. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect.
Surah Hashr 21
It was deliberate on our part to bring this analogy for us to reflect upon and to obtain the reason not to commit any transgression where by you o men, are more appropriate to be more kushoo' (fearful) because the trust has been given to you as are the rules and regulations of the Qur'aan where you will be justly accounted for and you will be rewarded either with Jannah or Jahannam.
More over the Prophet is reported to have seek refugee with Allaah from possessing a heart that does not possess kushoo' as given in Saheeh Muslim from Zaid bin Arqam where he used to pray :
O Allaah, I seek refuge with you from the non-beneficial knowledge, from a heart that does not possess kushoo' from the evil desire which is never satisfied and from supplications which are not accepted. Muslim, Abu Dawood, at-Tirmidhee, an-Nisai, Ibn Majah, Ahmad.
Furthermore it was reported from Ka'b al-Ahbaar who said that in Kitab Injeel there was a statement which read :
O Esa, those whose hearts are not kushoo', then their knowledge are not beneficial, their requests will not be listened to and their supplications will not be lifted (thereby not answered).
In Kitab al-Wara Asad bin Musa reported from Mubarak Ibn Fudhaail who narrated that al-Hasan once said : Verily the believers when summoned and reminded with the commandments of Allaah they testified to its truth and their hearts become overwhelmed with certainty and this is followed by their hearts, body and sight becoming kushoo' to Allaah.
As for me, by Allaah when I look at them, I look upon a group of people as if I am looking with my own two eyes. By Allaah they are not of those who argue a lot neither are they of those who falsify things. They do not bow but only to the commandments of the Book of Allaah and they do not say except what is contained in their hearts; but they when a commandment is brought forward they testified to its truth and these are the people whom Allaah has praised with an excellent praise as stated in the Qur'aan :
And the slaves of the Most Beneficent (Allaah) are those who walk on the earth in humility and sedateness, and when the foolish address them (with bad words) they reply back with mild words of gentleness.
Furqan 63
al-Hasan explained that these humble people are not ignorant; in fact when they do not know something they remain courteous and polite; their daytimes are spent by sitting in the company of the slaves of the Most Merciful listening to their wisdom and their night time does not pass without them remembering Allaah.
Allaah says :
and those who spend the night before their Lord, prostrate and standing
Furqan 64
whereby tears flow readily and wet their cheeks due to the extreme love of Allaah. { literal translation because they have to separate from their Rabb - English translator sentence to bring readers attention}.
al-Hasan describing them said they, in their night time, remain awake for certain function (the remembrance of Allaah) and they are kushoo' in the day time for certain other functions.
And those who say : Our Lord ! Avert from us the torment of Hell. Verily! Its torment is ever an inseparable, permanent punishment.
Furqan 65
Further more al-Hasan said : Something will hit and effect the sons of Adam and then it will leave him, and this is not a loss. Verily the greatest loss is something perpetual as long as the heavens and earth endure. How true it is the stance of certain group of people. By Allaah, whom there is none worthy of worship except Him, you have to work righteousness and keep hoping but keep away from wishful thinking! For verily when you hope, you will be loved by Allaah for Allaah will not provide a servant a better hope than one that will prosper oneself both in this world the next. If only there are hearts which are alive that could receive this lesson.
O Allaah! grant me life as one of the poor, let me die as one of the poor; and let me be raised-up in the company of the poor. Advocating the nobility and virtue of his rank -sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - and upon his Family and Companions and those who hold fast to his rope.
Khushoo' fis-Salaah: The First Part
Indeed Allaah - how free is He from all defects, the Most-High - has praised, in His Book, those that yield to Him and submit to His Greatness. They are those who are subservient (al-khaadi'een) and humble (al-khaashi'een) to Him. Allaah - the Most-High - says:
Verily they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us.
[Soorah al-Anbiyaa' 21:90]
and He said:
And for the men and women who humble (before their Lord - Allaah)... Allaah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward.
[Soorah al-Ahzaab 33:35]
The most honourable worshippers who preserve it are those of the believers having been described with al-Khushoo', as He says:
Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their prayer with al-Khushoo'.
[Soorah al-Muminoon 23:1-2]
And those endued with knowledge have been described with al-Khushoo' and truthful speech, as He says:
Verily! Those who were given knowledge before it, when it was recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration. And they say: Glory be to our Lord! Truly, the promise of our Lord must be fulfilled. And they fall down on their faces weeping and it adds to their humility.
[Soorah al-Israa' 17:107-109]
The foundation of al-Khushoo' is: Soft-heartedness, tranquil, humble, subservient and yearning. So when the heart has Khushoo' it is followed by the Khushoo' of all the limbs and bones, since they all follow it ( the heart), as he, sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said:
Indeed in the body there is a piece of flesh, if it is sound then the whole body is sound; and if it be corrupt then the whole body is corrupt. Indeed it is the heart.
So when the heart has Khushoo' then the hearing, the sight, the head, the face and all of the bones, even to the extent of the speech, will have Khushoo'. Such that the Prophet sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam would say in the rukoo' of the Prayer:
Humbled to You are my hearing, my seeing, my marrow, my bone. In another narration: And whatever my feet carry.
When some of the Salaf saw a man moving his hand during Prayer, they would say: "If the heart had Khushoo' the limbs would have Khushoo'." This is narrated from Hudhayfah radiAllaahu 'anhu and from Sa'eed ibn al-Musayyib. It is related in marfoo' form. However, its chain of transmission (isnaad) is not authentic.
Al-Mas'oodee relates from Abu Sinaan from a narrator from 'Alee ibn Abee Taalib radiAllaahu 'anhu, that he said about His - Most High saying:
Those who offer their prayers with all Khushoo'
[soorah al-Muminoon 23:2]
He said: "It is the heart that has al-Khushoo' and is gentle towards the other muslim and he does not look around in his Prayer."
'Ataa ibn as-Saa'ib related from a man from 'Alee radiAllaahu 'anhu: "al-Khushoo' is the khushoo' of the heart, whereby it does not look to the right nor the left." 'Alee ibn Abee Talhaa related from Ibn 'Abbaas radiAllaahu 'anhumaa that he said about the saying of the Most High:
Who have Khushoo' in their Prayer.
He said: They are fearful and tranquil."
Ibn Shawdhab related from al-Hasan rahimahullaahu ta'aalaa, that he said: "They had al-Khushoo' in their hearts, so they could concentrate their sight in the Prayer." Ibn Abee Najeeh related from Mujaahid rahimahullaahu ta'aala, about His saying:
Used to humble themselves before Us.
[soorah Anbiyaa 21:90]
That he said: "Those who have humility (al-Mutawaadi'een). "
Allaah - Most High - in His Book, has characterised the Earth with al-Khushoo', as He says:
And among His Signs is this: You see the earth barren, but when We send down rain to it, it is stirred to life and yields increase.
[soorah Haa Meem 41:39]*
So it is stirred to life and yields increase shows that the original state of the earth is one of al-Khushoo' and as such it remains stationary. Likewise is the heart. When it is in the state of al-Khushoo' the worries and anxieties leave and it becomes tranquil; and the following of desires will be subdued and humbled before Allaah. This results in lifting and obliterating pride; and when this tranquility is in the heart, then the bones, limbs and all movements become humbled - even to the extent of the voice. Allaah - Most High - describes the voices with al-Khushoo' in His saying:
And all voices will be humbled for the Most Beneficent (Allaah) [soorah Taa Haa 20:108]
So al-Khushoo' of the voice is its silence and lowering, after its being raised. Similarly, the faces and the sight of the disbelievers on the Day of Judgement, has been described with al-Khushoo' and this is a proof that their whole body will be in a state of al-Khushoo' (due to fear of Allaah). On the other hand, when a person is forced to produce al-Khushoo' in his body and limbs - whilst the heart is devoid of it - then the person is described as having the Khushoo' of hypocrisy (al-Khushoo un-Nifaaq). It is this that some of the Salaf sought refuge from, as one of them said:
I seek refuge with Allaah from the Khushoo' of Hypocrisy. It was said: What is the Khushoo' of Hypocrisy? He said: That the body is seen to be in the state of al-Khushoo', but the heart - it is not in the state of al-Khushoo'.
'Umar radiAllaahu 'anhu saw a young man lowering his head, so he said to him:
What is this! Raise your head, for indeed this (kind of) Khushoo' does not increase what is in the heart! Whosoever displays al-Khushoo' that does not stem from the heart, then it is Hypocrisy added to Hypocrisy.
The basis of al-kushoo' which exists in the heart is brought about when one recognises Allaah, realizing His greatness, His power and His Perfection; therefore whoever recognises Allaah more, then He has the greater al-kushoo' towards Him Azza wa Jaal.
The differences of al-kushoo' that exist are due to the variation of having knowledge of the greatness of Allaah Azza wa Jaal and witnessing of the attributes of Allaah Azza wa Jaal which bring about this al-kushoo'. As such when a person is in the state of al-kushoo', the heart is strong in remembering and 'witnessing' Allaah Azza wa Jaal ; where Allaah is 'near' {in knowledge} to His slave, the heart is constantly communicating in secret to Allaah Azza wa Jaal and the heart is in humility where the person is ever conscious of his movement.
Whoever is in al-kushoo' contemplating about the Perfection and Greatness of Allaah Azza wa Jaal will be immersed in the sea of Love and he will be ever yearning to meet and to look at the Face of Allaah. And whoever is in al-kushoo' meditating about the terror of the punishment of Allaah will feel remorse and extremely fearful of Allaah. This is how Allaah makes the hearts of His creatures bow toward Him. Where He is near to those of His slaves who 'speak' to him through the Salaah, and those who prostrate to Him, as He draws Himself closer to those of His slaves who implore humbly for assistance or seeking forgiveness in the early hours of the dawn, and He responds and answers the supplications of His slaves and He does force anyone of His creatures to bow and prostrate to Him with the way that will be closest to Him though He is the One who answers every supplication.
In the Kitabus-Az-Zuhd, Imam Ahmad narrated from Imraan al-Qasirr {or al-Juni [Malay translators adition] } that Musa asked Allaah :
O Rabb, where can I achieve your pleasure (ridha)?
and Allaah replied : Seek My pleasure when the heart of my slave is in humility due to fearing Me. Verily I draw closer to them one handspan everyday and if this does not happen then they are destroyed
Where as in Kitabul Mahabbah Ibraheem al-Junaid narrated through Jaafar bin Sulaiman who said that he heard Malik bin Dinaar reporting :
Musa once asked Allaah O Rabb, where can I achieve your pleasure? and Allaah replied as reported above but without the phrase 'due to fearing Me'
Jaafar reported that he once asked Maalik bin Dinaar as to how does a heart become humble and he replied
I asked the same question to a person who read the Qur'aan to me and he replied that he once asked Abdullaah ibn Salam the same question and he (Abdullaah) replied that the heart becomes humble due to the extreme love of Allaah.
Verily in an authentic Sunnah of the Prophet there is the statement that those who are humble are when afflicted with a trial from Allaah remain patient to this ordainment (predestination) of Allaah and are content (satisfied) (ridha) to this trial.
In a hadeeth of saheeh Muslim from Abu Huraira that the Prophet said :
O son of Adam, I fell ill and you visited Me not. He will say, O Lord and how could I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say, Did you not know that My slave so and so had fallen ill and you did not visit him? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found Me with him?
Abu Nu'aim narrated through Hamzah from Ibn Syaudazab who said .
Allaah has revealed to Musa Do you know on what basis have I chosen you above anyone else to carry out my message and to speak directly to? and Musa replied No, my Lord wherewith Allaah explained Verily no one becomes humble to Me as you have humbled yourself.
The word 'Tawadhu' which was used here meaning al-kushoo' where it is one of the branch of the beneficial knowledge, one of the first few knowledge which is lifted.
Imam an-Nisai narrated a hadeeth from Jubair bin Nufair, from Anas bin Maalik who reported that one day the Prophet looked towards the heaven and mentioned a matter saying : that will be a day when knowledge departs.' Zaid bin Labid al-Ansari asked O Messenger of Allaah will the knowledge depart even though the heart is strong and witness to the the truth? and he said I thought you were the most knowledgeable in Madeena? and he explained that the Jews and Christians went astray even though they have the books with them. Ziyaad said that he met Syadaabol bin Aus and told him a a hadeeth from Auf bin Maalik where he (Syadaad) then said
What was said by Auf is true, would you not like tell you what is the first thing that will depart from mankind? whereupon Ziyaad replied affirmatively and he said : It is al-Kushoo' in the prayer where you will not see any man being al-Kushoo' (Ahmad)
Whereas Imam at-Tirmidhi brought almost a similar hadeeth as above from Jubair bin Nufair who received it from Abi Dardaa where the companion who heard it then said It is true what Abu Darda said. If you want, I will tell you what is the first knowledge that will be lifted from mankind, and he further said It is al-Kushoo', where you will approach a big masjid and not a single one of them will be in al-Kushoo'. Some scholars are of the opinion that the narration from an-Nisai is more authentic.
Said bin Basyir reported from al-Hasan from Syadad bin Aus who received it from the Prophet who said :
The first knowledge that will depart from mankind will be al-Kushoo'.
The hadeeth of the same meaning was also reported by Abu Bakr bin Maryam from Hamzah bin Habiib in mursal form. The same is reported from Hudaifah.
The beneficial knowledge (Ilmu an-Naafi) is described as the knowledge that affects the heart where its owner of this knowledge becomes serene (sahinah), fearful (khasy-yah), subservient to Allaah (ikhbaatlillaah), humble (tawadhu) and obedient (inhisaar).
When a knowledge does not affect the heart but only exsist in the mouth (and does not go beyond the throat), then it will be an argument against that owner who should take appropriate measures to overcome it.
Ibn Masud said :
Verily there are certain groups of people who read the Qur'aan but it does not go beyond the throat. However if it occurs in the heart, then it will stick there and this will benefit the owner.
al-Hasan said :
Knowledge is of two types : knowledge which is acquired through the tongue and knowledge acquired through the heart, and the knowledge which sticks in the heart is the beneficial knowledge whereas the former will be the argument (hujjah) of Allaah against the son of Adam. [This report is narrated from al-Hasan in Mursal form. Also reported from Jaabir in marfu form. The same is narrated from Anas but the chain is not authentic.]
In parallel with this, the Prophet have described how the Jews and the christians who though possessed the Books revealed to them did not benefit them at all since the objective of these knowledge is lost as they do not use it, and this objective if once acheived by their hearts would have made them taste the sweetness of faith and this could only be attained through fear of Allaah and the return of theis heart to Allaah. { Return to Allaah means that at its climax, the soul is washed and immersed in the extreme love of Allaah that it does not require anything else but the feeling of complete yearning and love to Allaah ----- Malay translators interpolation }. As such their tongues will be an argument against them. This fear is the fear which Allaah has described about the ulemaa who posses it as in
And of men and "Ad-Dawab" (moving living creatures, beasts, etc.), and cattle, in like manner of various colours. It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allaah. verily, Allaah is All-Mighty, Oft-Forgiving.
Surah Faatir : 28
Is one who is obedient to Allaah, prostrating himself or standing (in prayer) during the hours of the night, fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the Mercy of his Lord (like one who disbelieves)? say : "Are those who know equal to those who know not?" It is only men of understanding who will remember (i.e. get a lesson from Allaah's Signs and verses).
Surah Zumar : 9
Allaah described the al-Kushoo' which some of the Ulemaa of Ahlul Kitaab posses in the Ayah
And they fall down on their faces weeping and it adds to their humility.
Surah al-Israa 109
Who when they are given the knowledge, would cry while bowing and prostrating and as such their Kushoo' increases. Allaah praises those who listen and are affected by the Qur'aan and their hearts then become Khusyu.
Is he whose breast Allaah has opened to Islaam, so that he is in light from His Lord (as he who is non-Muslim) ? So, woe to those whose hearts are hardened against remembrance of Allaah! They are in plain error! Allaah has sent down the Best statement, a Book (this Qur'aan), its parts resembling each other in goodness and truth, oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it (when they recite it or hear it). Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allaah. That is the guidance of Allaah. He guides therewith whom he pleases and whomever Allaah sends astray, for him there is no guide.
Surah Zumar 22-23
This softness of the heart occurs when its hardness disappears through Khusyu and when the heart melts while praying. Verily in the above Ayah, Allaah is angry at those whose hearts are not humbled when they hear the Qur'aan and do not contemplate its meaning.
Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah - Islaamic Monotheism) to be affected by Allaah's reminder (this Qur'aan), and that which has been revealed of the truth, lest they become as those who received the Scripture (the Torah and the Gospel) before (i.e. Jews) and the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened? And many of them were "Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allaah)."
Surah al-Hadeed 16
Ibn Masud said :
We have not been humiliated with this ayah until 4 years having embraced Islam. [Muslim]
Imam an-Nisai also reported the same hadeeth and added that then some of the believers started criticising others. Whereas Ibn Majah reported from az-Zubair (or is it from Ibn Umar - Malay translator interpolation ) who said : We have not been criticised after embracing Islaam until the revelation of this Ayah which occurred 4 years later.
When this Ayah is read to many of the righteous people it brings out various consequences : some of them died due to extreme Kushoo' that occurs in their hearts and others would not stop from seeking forgiveness and repenting. We have told some of these reports in our book Istageenah bil Qur'aan
Allaah says :
Had We sent down this Qur'aan on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allaah. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect.
Surah Hashr 21
Abu Imraan al-Juni once said :
Verily Allaah has brought our attention in the Qur'aan a type of trust (Amanah) which if it is endowed to the mountain it would have pulverised it and smashed it to smithereens. (The English translator was being too clever here, trying to use certain bombastic words!).
Maalik bin Dinaar said when reading this Ayah :
I stress that no single person who believes in the Qur'aan but his heart should cleave asunder (due to kushoo').
It was reported that al-Hasan once said :
O son of Adam, when Shaitan whispers in your heart to commit a sin or when you are inclined to commit a sin (due to the evil desire of the heart), then you should remember about the trust which was endowed to you which if it had been given to the mountain, it would have cleft asunder due to its extreme fear of Allaah .....Haven't you heard that Allaah said :
Had We sent down this Qur'aan on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allaah. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect.
Surah Hashr 21
It was deliberate on our part to bring this analogy for us to reflect upon and to obtain the reason not to commit any transgression where by you o men, are more appropriate to be more kushoo' (fearful) because the trust has been given to you as are the rules and regulations of the Qur'aan where you will be justly accounted for and you will be rewarded either with Jannah or Jahannam.
More over the Prophet is reported to have seek refugee with Allaah from possessing a heart that does not possess kushoo' as given in Saheeh Muslim from Zaid bin Arqam where he used to pray :
O Allaah, I seek refuge with you from the non-beneficial knowledge, from a heart that does not possess kushoo' from the evil desire which is never satisfied and from supplications which are not accepted. Muslim, Abu Dawood, at-Tirmidhee, an-Nisai, Ibn Majah, Ahmad.
Furthermore it was reported from Ka'b al-Ahbaar who said that in Kitab Injeel there was a statement which read :
O Esa, those whose hearts are not kushoo', then their knowledge are not beneficial, their requests will not be listened to and their supplications will not be lifted (thereby not answered).
In Kitab al-Wara Asad bin Musa reported from Mubarak Ibn Fudhaail who narrated that al-Hasan once said : Verily the believers when summoned and reminded with the commandments of Allaah they testified to its truth and their hearts become overwhelmed with certainty and this is followed by their hearts, body and sight becoming kushoo' to Allaah.
As for me, by Allaah when I look at them, I look upon a group of people as if I am looking with my own two eyes. By Allaah they are not of those who argue a lot neither are they of those who falsify things. They do not bow but only to the commandments of the Book of Allaah and they do not say except what is contained in their hearts; but they when a commandment is brought forward they testified to its truth and these are the people whom Allaah has praised with an excellent praise as stated in the Qur'aan :
And the slaves of the Most Beneficent (Allaah) are those who walk on the earth in humility and sedateness, and when the foolish address them (with bad words) they reply back with mild words of gentleness.
Furqan 63
al-Hasan explained that these humble people are not ignorant; in fact when they do not know something they remain courteous and polite; their daytimes are spent by sitting in the company of the slaves of the Most Merciful listening to their wisdom and their night time does not pass without them remembering Allaah.
Allaah says :
and those who spend the night before their Lord, prostrate and standing
Furqan 64
whereby tears flow readily and wet their cheeks due to the extreme love of Allaah. { literal translation because they have to separate from their Rabb - English translator sentence to bring readers attention}.
al-Hasan describing them said they, in their night time, remain awake for certain function (the remembrance of Allaah) and they are kushoo' in the day time for certain other functions.
And those who say : Our Lord ! Avert from us the torment of Hell. Verily! Its torment is ever an inseparable, permanent punishment.
Furqan 65
Further more al-Hasan said : Something will hit and effect the sons of Adam and then it will leave him, and this is not a loss. Verily the greatest loss is something perpetual as long as the heavens and earth endure. How true it is the stance of certain group of people. By Allaah, whom there is none worthy of worship except Him, you have to work righteousness and keep hoping but keep away from wishful thinking! For verily when you hope, you will be loved by Allaah for Allaah will not provide a servant a better hope than one that will prosper oneself both in this world the next. If only there are hearts which are alive that could receive this lesson.