Salah Without Presence? Let’s Talk About It

Distractions, rushing, guilt… we’ve all been there. Let’s see what resonates with you most.

Aug 31, 2025

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Week 2 of Anchor: Anchoring in Salah

(PAUSE Framework Series)

Set Your Intention

Take a breath. Whisper it aloud or in your heart:

“I am reading this for the sake of Allah — to anchor myself more deeply in His remembrance.”

Check-In: How Are You Arriving Here?

Last week we began the Anchor stage with journaling our ideal day, noticing the gaps between what we have and what we long for.

How did it feel to write it? Did you notice any themes — perhaps desires you’ve silenced for years? Or habits that keep stealing your hours?

You are not alone. These small realizations are not shameful; they are signs of life returning to your heart.

This week, we shift from the page to the prayer mat. Because anchoring your life has to begin where your soul is fed — in Salah.

Mayya’s Struggle in Prayer

Maghrib time.

The call to prayer still echoed faintly through the neighborhood as Mayya spread her prayer mat in the corner of her living room. Her toddler’s toy truck lay abandoned on the carpet. A basket of unfolded laundry leaned against the couch. The teenagers were upstairs, arguing in muffled tones.

She whispered Allahu Akbar.

Almost instantly, her mind began to scatter.

Did I iron Yusuf’s suit for tomorrow?

I need to reply to that client’s email before bed.

Why did my ex send that text — should I respond now or later?

Oh, I forgot to defrost the chicken…

Her lips moved through Surah al-Fatiha, but her heart was running down corridors of worry. By sujood, she was calculating her to-do list. By salam, she sat back with a sigh.

The guilt was sharp.

Was that even prayer? Or just words?

This wasn’t new. It was the rhythm of so many of her Salahs: distraction, guilt, and a quiet resolve to “do better next time.” But next time often looked the same.

text — Photo by Rizki Yulian on Unsplash

Allah tells us:

“Certainly will the believers have succeeded. They who are humble in their prayers.”
(Surah Al-Mu’minun 23:1–2)

Khushu — deep presence and humility in Salah — isn’t a luxury. It’s the very first mark of success. And yet, it is also one of the hardest states to hold.

For Mayya, this ayah kept echoing in her heart. She didn’t want her Salah to be empty movements. She wanted it to be her anchor, the still point in her storm.

Instead of scolding herself this time, Mayya chose mercy. She opened a notebook and wrote:

Maghrib — Distracted. Thinking of kids and chores. Felt guilty after.

Rating: 4/10

The act of writing it down felt… different. It was as if she was stepping back and looking at her prayer with compassion, not judgment.

She decided to try again. Not perfection. Just presence.

By the third day, Mayya noticed something. Her notebook showed a pattern: Fajr and Isha were her most focused prayers. Maghrib, when the kids were noisy, was always scattered.

Instead of despairing, she smiled. Patterns meant she could plan. She began preparing her space for Maghrib: toys tucked away, a quiet reminder to her teens. She read Ayatul Kursi before she prayed. She whispered, “Ya Allah, I am here for You.”

The distractions didn’t vanish overnight. But the anchor was settling in. Her Salah was slowly transforming from an obligation into a sanctuary. She was striving, jihad against her nafs by knowing herself.

This Week’s Practice: Anchoring in Salah

Here is the invitation for you, just as Mayya is doing:

Daily Reminders of Who Allah Is

Place a translation of Ayatul Kursi (or any ayah that resonates powerfully) where your eyes will catch it:

On your fridge
As your phone screensaver
On sticky notes around your house
As a reminder on your calendar at random times
Or all of these so you’re reminded of Allah’s greatest as you move throughout your day.

Every time you see it, pause and whisper:

“I am about to stand before the Lord of the Worlds.”

Keep a Salah Notebook

Place a small notebook near your prayer spot.
Or keep one in your purse, at work, in the car.
After each Salah, jot down: distractions, feelings, rating (1–10).

At the end of the week, review your notes:

Do certain times bring more focus?
Do certain distractions repeat?
What helped even a little?

Deepen Your Salah

Begin reading Communicating with Allah: Rediscovering Prayer (Salah) by Ahmed Bassam Saeh
Sign up for the free program Transform My Prayer (highly recommended). Click here to join for FREE.

These resources help you move from rushing through words to standing in awe.

Thanks for reading Sunday Serenity ! This post is public so feel free to share it.

From My Heart to Yours

For me, khushu has been a struggle for many years. But there was one Salah I will never forget — the moment I truly felt myself in the presence of Allah. I felt I was directly standing before Him, and it was the most powerful moment of my life.

Since then, I’ve been striving to return to that place. But I’ve realized it doesn’t come by chasing a feeling — it comes by purifying the heart, every single day, for the sake of Allah.

May Allah grant us all Salah with complete khushu that is 100% pleasing to Him. Ameen.

Hit reply — I read every word.

And keep a lookout: From Nour With Love podcast will be relaunching soon, inshaAllah. I’ll share a sneak peek and launch date.

P.S.

I was drinking a vanilla cappuccino at my spot next door to my home, just a place I chill and center myself, sitting outside in the sun. This leaf fell right in front of me reminding me that Allah knows where ever leaf 🍁 will fall. Subhanallah.

What small thing reminds you of Allah’s greatest? Comment below or hit reply.