Firstly, humility and attentiveness in prayer (khushu’) is one of the causes of acceptance and one of the recommended acts of prayer. It is also a means to attain the full reward. Allah (SWT) says, “Certainly will the believers have succeeded: They who are during their prayer humbly submissive” (Al-Mu’minun, 23:1-2), and He says about them, “And indeed, it is difficult except for the humble-minded [who are] in awe [of Allah]” (Al-Baqarah, 2:45).
Secondly, it is not necessary that every person receives the full reward of prayer. Ammar ibn Yasir reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying, “Verily, a man may complete his prayer, but only a tenth of it, or a ninth or an eighth or a seventh or a sixth or a fifth or a quarter or a third or a half of it may be recorded for him” (reported by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and authenticated by scholars).
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said in “Madaarij as-Saalikeen”: “If it is asked, what do you say about the prayer in which there is no khushu’ (concentration)? Should it be counted or not? It is said: As for counting it in terms of reward, only what was present in it of khushu’ and humility before Allah should be counted. As for counting it in terms of worldly rulings and the falling of making up prayers (Qadaa’), if khushu’ and understanding were predominant in it, then it should be counted by consensus. The Sunnah and supplications that follow the prayer are complementary to make up for any deficiencies. However, if the lack of khushu’ and understanding predominated, then the scholars have differed on whether it should be repeated. Abu Abdullah ibn Hammad, one of the companions of Imam Ahmad, and Abu Hamid al-Ghazali in “Ihya Ulum al-Din” considered it obligatory to repeat such prayer, arguing that it is a prayer that is not rewarded and that success is not guaranteed in it. Therefore, one’s obligation to perform prayer is not absolved, and the Qadaa’ is not lifted from him, just as in the case of a prayer performed for show.”
Thirdly, the opinions of the scholars regarding repeating a prayer for lack of concentration (khushu’) are as follows:
– The majority of scholars from the four main Sunni schools of law agree that concentration in prayer is a recommended act and that its absence reduces the reward but does not invalidate the prayer. Their evidence is that prayer consists of words and actions, and when they are performed, the demand is raised. The apparent evidence of the ruling on teaching prayer does not indicate the obligatory nature of concentration, and what has been mentioned about khushu’ is in the context of recommending it to attain complete reward.
– Some Hanafis and Malikis, as well as Abu al-Wafa bin ‘Aqil and Ibn Rajab from the Hanbalis, and Imam al-Ghazali from the Shafi’is, believed in the obligation of concentration in prayer and that the complete loss of concentration invalidates it, or at least requires performing the two prostrations of forgetfulness according to some. They used the apparent meanings of the texts that we have mentioned as evidence.
However, the view that we choose is the opinion of the majority of the Hanafis and with them the majority, which is that concentration in prayer is recommended and does not invalidate it if it is left out.
Fatwa by Dr. Khālid Naṣr