25 Strategies to Help You in Concentration In Your Prayer
+ 3 Meditation Exercises
STRATEGY 1 UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATING ALLAH (SWT)'S PRESENCE
It is always to your benefit if you were to ponder the Existence of Allah (SWT) and His Power, Signs and Decisions related to this world and the next.
Appreciating His presence is one way of bringing humility into your heart and humbling yourself in Prayer, performed with attention and concentration. It is only He Who looks at you Mercifully during your Prayer, and you ought to keep this in mind every time you say your Prayer.
Piety, perseverance and appreciation of The Lord and His Mightiness are effective ingredients in developing and maintaining your attention in Prayer. This way, you can willingly humble yourself in Prayer.
A good example is from The Prophet (S) who used to treat Prayer very seriously and gave his full attention and concentration. He appreciated and knew his Creator well enough to fear His Presence and attend with full concentration when standing before Him.
It is reported in tradition that The Prophet of Allah (S) stood on his toes (in his Prayer) until his blessed feet became swollen and his face turned pale. And he would stand erect all night, until a time came when the Lord consoled him (with the following verse):
We have not sent down The Qur'an on you to cause you distress. (Qur'an - Chapter 20, Verse 2)
The following advice that was given to one of his trusted companions:
O'; Servant of Allah! When you offer Prayer, pray like someone who bids farewell and fears that he will never return (i.e. pray in such a manner as if it were the last Prayer of your life). If you know that there is someone on your left or right, you take more care in offering your Prayer; then know that you stand in front of Someone Who sees you and you don't see Him.