This has helped me concentrate in Salah.

[Revelation313]

Salam everyone,

So I’m not a native Arab and I don’t speak Arabic so forgive my lack of knowledge in this matter. However, I think maybe with how English is which is the language I’m most fluent in, I’ve tried something else when praying Salah. 

So I try to think in translations of the phrases of Salah in different like pronouns as you would speaking to someone in English. 

For example, in sujood, for Subhanna rabbi’al ‘Alaa wa bi hamdi, a way I would think of the words before would be “Glory be to Allah, the Most High, and Him do I praise.” Which is along the lines of direct translations I’ve read in the past. But now when I’m saying them I like to say it in my head more along the lines of “Glory be to YOU MY Lord, You are the Most High, and YOU do I praise.” I feel this meaning so much more. I found this has helped me in many places in Salah where I tend to lose concentration. 

I think in part it has to do with how people think. Some people think in abstract images or ideas where others think in a kind of monologue. I’m the latter, my thoughts are almost always in sentences and it’s how I digest emotions. 

So I think trying to tie the meanings of the Arabic phrases in Salah to an English speaking connotation actually reinforces the idea that I am standing before Allah (azwj) and speaking to Him. Whereas the direct translations feel like I’m just a spectator in this ritual. 

Would love to hear your thoughts or if I’m just crazy :’(

God bless!

[Vindemiatrix]

On 1/25/2023 at 11:02 PM, Revelation313 said:

think in a kind of monologue.

Monologue gang! 

On 1/25/2023 at 11:02 PM, Revelation313 said:

So I try to think in translations of the phrases of Salah in different like pronouns as you would speaking to someone in English. 

Wish I could do this too but if I read the Arabic and thought of the translation at the same time, my mind would eventually just drift off into the English/stop reading the Arabic entirely by accident. Glad you found something which works well for you though! 

[Haji 2003]

On 1/25/2023 at 11:02 PM, Revelation313 said:

Which is along the lines of direct translations I’ve read in the past. But now when I’m saying them I like to say it in my head more along the lines of

The qunoot works ok with the direct translation and I agree it's far more meaningful if you are aware of its content while saying it.

Someone more knowledgeable will likely come along to confirm, but I am not sure that deliberate mistranslation is acceptable. Of course all translation will only ever be an approximation, but still.

[Ashvazdanghe]

16 hours ago, Haji 2003 said:

The qunoot works ok with the direct translation

Salam qunut can be direct translatio or even asking something in your mother language alyhough some Dhikrs have been recommended for it.

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In qunut, any dhikr or supplication can be recited. There is a disagreement among fiqh scholars about reciting non-Arabic dhikr in qunut; but, all of them believe that it does not make the prayer invalid.

 

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It is not necessary that a certain supplication or dhikr be recited in qunut.^[4] Also, any dhikr can be recited in qunut. It is recommended to recite qunut audibly; unless, the leader of congregational prayer hears it.^[5]

 

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Reciting Qunut in a Language other than Arabic

There are two opinions about reciting qunut in a language other than Arabic: Some marja's such as Imam Khomeini, Ayatollah Bahjat, Ayatollah Khamenei and Ayatollah Nuri Hamadani consider it permissible. But, marja's such as Ayatollah Makarim Shirazi and Ayatollah Fadil Lankarani consider reciting qunut in a language other than Arabic impermissible; however, they do not think that it makes the prayer invalid.

 

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Recommendations

Reciting some verses of the Qur'an and dhikrs is common in qunut, some of which are as follows:

• Saying takbir and raising hands near ears before qunut;
• Raising hands up to the face and facing the palms toward the sky when performing qunut;
• Putting the fingers together except the thumbs which are recommended to be kept isolated;
• Prolonging qunut. However, in congregational prayer, the condition of followers need to be observed;
• Reciting qunut audibly in non-congregational prayers.^[7]

Common Supplications

In books of hadith and fiqh, reciting some verses of the Qur'an and dhikrs has been recommended, some of which are as follows:

• Verse 201 of Sura al-Baqara
• Verse 41 of the Qur'an 14
• Verse 8 of the Qur'an 3

https://en.wikishia.net/view/Qunut

Seven Powerful Duas to Recite in Qunoot

https://themuslimvibe.com/faith-islam/seven-powerful-duas-to-recite-in-qunoot

[AliTanjiro]

On 1/28/2023 at 3:03 AM, Vindemiatrix said:

Monologue gang! 

Wish I could do this too but if I read the Arabic and thought of the translation at the same time, my mind would eventually just drift off into the English/stop reading the Arabic entirely by accident. Glad you found something which works well for you though! 

Same if I say the words in Arabic while translating in English in my mind it fries my brain I don’t know what to do 

[realizm]

 

On 1/28/2023 at 7:01 PM, Haji 2003 said:

The qunoot works ok with the direct translation and I agree it's far more meaningful if you are aware of its content while saying it.

Someone more knowledgeable will likely come along to confirm, but I am not sure that deliberate mistranslation is acceptable. Of course all translation will only ever be an approximation, but still.

OP member means 'thinking in ones' head' so no problem anyway. 

@Revelation313 anything which helps one appropriate and live the salah is good. 

[Revelation313]

On 1/30/2023 at 7:09 AM, AliTanjiro said:

Same if I say the words in Arabic while translating in English in my mind it fries my brain I don’t know what to do 

On the contrary, if I don't think about the meaning during salah I'll drift off into Neverland, lol.

22 hours ago, realizm said:

 

OP member means 'thinking in ones' head' so no problem anyway. 

@Revelation313 anything which helps one appropriate and live the salah is good. 

To be more detailed, I'm thinking the meanings while I'm saying the Arabic, I'll think in Dari or English sometimes. But, the main difference is like for example if I'm saying "Allahu Akbar", I think "Oh Allah, YOU are the Greatest" instead of just "Allah is the greatest". Or for "SubhannAllah", instead of "All glory be to Allah", I think "All Glory be to YOU Oh Allah". "I find salah is so much more meaningful when you constantly try to remind yourself that you are conversing with the Almighty. It makes it more personal to me I think.

Was curious if anyone else has tried the same.

[Hameedeh]

On 1/31/2023 at 7:29 AM, Revelation313 said:

Was curious if anyone else has tried the same.

Years ago, I did that, reciting Arabic while thinking the English translation. Eventually I stopped thinking in English because I understood the Arabic that I was reciting.

The Arabic is what our Prophet SA and Ahlul Bayt AS expressed, so the words are extremely worthy and have way much more meaning than we can even imagine. 

[realizm]

On 1/31/2023 at 2:29 PM, Revelation313 said:

On the contrary, if I don't think about the meaning during salah I'll drift off into Neverland, lol.

To be more detailed, I'm thinking the meanings while I'm saying the Arabic, I'll think in Dari or English sometimes. But, the main difference is like for example if I'm saying "Allahu Akbar", I think "Oh Allah, YOU are the Greatest" instead of just "Allah is the greatest". Or for "SubhannAllah", instead of "All glory be to Allah", I think "All Glory be to YOU Oh Allah". "I find salah is so much more meaningful when you constantly try to remind yourself that you are conversing with the Almighty. It makes it more personal to me I think.

Was curious if anyone else has tried the same.

Oh I get it now. Well you have opened another topic here, why we do stand to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) in prayer but we address Him, attest His oneness, attributes and greatness indirectly i.e. to the 3rd person rather than 2nd, with a few exceptions. 

I would appreciate some insight about it too. 

@Cool @Qa'im @Abu_Zahra