BOOK REVIEW: 101 WAYS TO CONCENTRATE IN PRAYER

Title: 101 Ways to Concentrate in Prayer 

Author: Dr. Ali Al-Hilli

Publisher: Sun Behind the Cloud Publications, UK

Pages: 191

Price: $11.99 / £6.99

In his book 101 Ways to Concentrate in Prayer, Dr. Ali Al-Hilli has gone above and beyond to offer a useful list of techniques that we can implement before, during and after our prayers in order to achieve higher levels of concentration.

Prior to writing his book, Dr. Al-Hilli conducted an anonymous online survey asking people how they would rate their concentration in prayer on a scale of 1-10 with one being poor and ten being perfect. 

The results were not surprising with 68% of people rating themselves between 1-5.

He then asked why they found it difficult to concentrate on their prayers to which 63% of participants replied that it was because their minds were always pre-occupied with other thoughts. 

Defining concentration

Dr. Al-Hilli starts by defining concentration in prayer as not just having as much attention as possible in what we are doing or who we are praying to, but also having the presence of heart. 

With that premise in mind, he guides the reader through the sacred journey of salaat, a voyage that begins well before we step on to the prayer mat. He divides the 101 tips into five categories - the prerequisites, the preparation, the prayer, spiritual upliftment, and finally medical and physical activities that can help improve our concentration in prayer. 

Research and religion
The book is rich with narration of the various mustahab actions that we can perform at the various stages of our prayers with everything from duas to be recited while we perform the steps of whudu to specific chapters of the Qur'an that are recommended to be recited in different prayers. 

Throughout his book, Dr. Al-Hilli strikes a wonderful balance between presenting ways to concentrate in prayer that are from purely religious sources like Qur'an and hadith, and tips based on contemporary research. He regularly draws on studies and books that have been written in the fields of concentration, memory, attention and productivity.

One such book he quotes is The Art of Concentration by Harriet Griffey. Griffey writes about how sitting still for a handful of minutes before carrying out a task can go a long way in increasing our ability to perform it the right way. These are tips we can easily apply to our daily prayers if we acknowledge that salaat is a rich and holistic process. 

Personal favourites 

One of the tips that stuck with me was #22 which states that we should strive to treat each prayer as if it is our last. It's a scary thought that the fajr salaat I hurriedly prayed a few hours ago could well be my last chance to call out to my Lord before I meet him.

Another one that stood out was #62: if you lose concentration, bounce back fast. Dr. Al-Hilli says, "If your focus during the prayer slips away, attempt to bounce back and use this as a warning and attention alarm to concentrate on the remainder of your prayer" (pg. 123).

What I liked about this book was how easy it was to read. The points flow smoothly from one to the other with some only being a couple of short paragraphs in length. The language and style that Dr. Al-Hilli uses is simple and relatable, and many of the tips he presents are practical so you can give them a shot straight away. 

Conclusion

All in all, 101 Ways to Concentrate in Prayer by Dr. Ali Al-Hilli is a fulfilling read that is sure to give you a fresh outlook on an act that we often turn into a ritual chore day after after. The author has given us the tools to derive maximum benefit from an act that is the 'pillar' of our religion, and it is now up to us to put them into practice and use what we can to reach higher levels in our salaat.  

Click here to watch a short promo video on the book or here to purchase 101 Ways to Concentrate in Prayer.