Do the deeds but don't forget to be sincere and concentrate

We heard a lot about things to do during Ramadhan, What we want to do in terms of good deeds.. We have our own list on what we want to accomplish this month or maybe for the entire life that we don't know how many years left, or perhaps days? Anyhow, just to remind my self about something important, I decide to write something today, as a break from all those lists that I am trying to accomplish. I hope I get something from writing this too, as sacrificing my time, insyAllah.

Let's remind ourselves about sincerity, Ikhlas and concentration, khusyuk. 

some people don't really like discussing about this. To them, just do it. about sincerity, it is for Allah to judge. To be honest, I do agree to the opinion to a certain degree. Indeed, sometimes, for people of certain level, it is better to just to the deed besides arguing about it too much. Sometimes, we we think about sincerity, we just stop doing something because 'I don't feel like doing it'. For example, when people ask for help, we don't want to say' sorry, 'I just don't feel like helping you because I don't have the sincerity' . Obviously it is better to help no matter what. He is in need of our hand. For similar reason, we need to do righteous deeds because we are in need to those deeds to be written in our book of record.

However, to some extend, we need to to pay close attention to sincerity andconcentration as well. Those are two things that is so hard to gain. If we do get them, it is a gift from Allah. say Alhamdulillah. Ikhlas, even we our own selves don't know if we are doing it with Ikhlas. Even according to Imam Ahmad b Hambal (r.a), he said,

"The duty of Niyyah (intention) is something which is very heavy. "

Even a scholar like him consider that heavy, what about us regular Muslims? 

But sometimes, we do know if we are not sincere. Ikhlas is doing something for the sake of Allah, nothing else. When one day we feel like we want to let people know about our deeds and seeking attention and praise from them, We are surely NOT ikhlas. 

It is hard to get the state of Ikhlas, but that is actually something we can work hard for. Sometimes we can do something for thousands of reasons but for Allah is not in the list. How sad. Sometimes we want to be ikhlas in performing Shalah, but suddenly someone walked into our room, Anddddd suddenly we slow down our movements.We were about to finish our du'a andddd suddenly we take more time on the prayer cloth just because someone is looking at us. OH WHYYY?

May Allah help us, esspecially in this blessed month, Ramadhan, avoid riyaa' (showing off) and may we are able to do everything with pure intention, for Allah and nothing else. 

That is about Ikhlas. but what about Khusyuk? Especially in Shalah.. Huh,, what a topic? it is hard to even concentrate partly in Shalah and let's not talk about concentrate in every second in prayer!. We start our shalah.. our niyyah ' lillahi ta'ala' ... ALLAHU AKBAR. BISMILLAH.... eh did I left my ...astaghfirullah MALIKIYAUMIDDEEN... oh ya,, i almost for got my appoinment it's today! ishhhh I am suppose to be khusyuk! IYYAKANA'BUDU WA IYYAKANASTA'IIN.. ok, how do I stay khusyuk? do I need to close my eyes or open.. eh wait I am still not khusyuk! astaghfirullah.. WALADDOLIN..

Ever happened?. Ask your self. Why is it so hard to concerntrate? What is meant by concentrate anyway? Obviously, when we say we are concentrate in listening to lecture, it means we know what we are doing, we know where we are, who is speaking, what he says, without distraction and we hate distractions. Because we want to get the benefit from the lecture as the outcome is important for us.

I apply the same principe to concentrating in Shalah. Although some people think khusyuk is the ability to drop your tears in Shalah, to me Khusyuk is the ability to concentrate.Knowing what are we doing, When we recite the surahs and du'as in prayer, we are aware with what we are asking and reciting. When we praise Allah,we really meant it! We understand and can feel the greatness of Allah. Indeed to some extend, tears will drop out of fear and love of Allah. But it depends, some people cry in prayer because thinking their dead cat or what ever, still, it is not khusyuk, to me.

But have you ever concentrate to concentrate until you loss the concentration? ( if you don't get it, read again) I mean, in our shalah, while reciting verses, our mind is thinking about how to concentrate. instead of contemplating on what our lips are reciting or the Imam is reciting. That is not right. May we are able to khusyuk in prayer, especially in long shalah like tarawih ( since it's Ramadhan ). Amiin

Some tips to get the khusyuk, FOR ME TO APPLY.

*image from internet. 

Okay,, now we can proceed with our list of ibadah that we want to do in this Ramadhan until we die.. May our deeds are accepted by Allah. May Allah keep us all away from showing Allah. May He help us to do our deed with ikhlas and khushook. Allahumma Amiin.. 

Wallahu A'lam.

wassalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh :)