Remembrance of Allah — Page 87
Twenty-two Methods of Concentration in Prayers 87 the Shariah prescribed them as components of S al a t, but if one follows these techniques, then concentration can be maintained during S al a t. 11. The eleventh method— If you are unable to maintain attention while offering S al a t, recite the words slower and slower. The structure of the human brain is designed in such a way that it instantly brings to the forefront the idea that is repeatedley introduced to it. And the one that comes before it occasionally, it can bring it forth only with difficulty. For example, if person X is seen daily, then, while thinking of him, his image will come to mind immediately, but if seen seldom, his image will appear only after a little while when his name is heard or spoken and even that will not be completely clear. Then, look at the language that is learnt in childhood. If man speaks or hears any passage in that language, the mean- ings come to his mind along with its words. For example, if the word for water comes to mind, then—without any pause— the reality of water will also come to his mind. Or if the word for bread is heard from anyone, then—without any delay—the meaning of bread will show up in his mind. However, this is not the case with a foreign language over which one has not acquired full mastery. Instead, the mean- ing comes to mind a long time after hearing the words. For example, children learning English: until they become fully proficient in English, when they read the word cat in a book, the reality of the word will come to their mind only after quite some time, but after uttering bill i [the word for cat in Urdu], the image of that animal will come to their minds immediately.