Tafsir of Al-Mu'minoon 23:2

(Them who in their prayer are humble)

The attributes following this are either specific to them, or they include those who also perform the branches [of faith], just as the attribution of "prayer" to them serves as an explanation or a praise for them. In some reports, there is evidence that it is restrictive. Al-Zamakhshari established that the attribution is to indicate that they are the ones who benefit from the prayer, not the One to whom the prayer is directed—Exalted and Majestic is He.

Khushu’ (humility/reverence) is self-abasement with fear and stillness of the limbs. Therefore, Ibn Abbas said—as reported by Ibn Jarir and others—that khashi’un means "fearful and still." Mujahid stated it means, in this context, casting down the gaze and lowering the wing [of humility]. Muslim bin Yasar and Qatadah said: bowing the head. From Ali (may Allah honor his face), it means not turning away [the gaze]. Al-Dahhak said: placing the right hand upon the left. Abu al-Darda said: revering the station, sincerity of speech, absolute certainty, and full attentiveness.

Following this is the avoidance of turning away [the gaze], for that is from the devil. Al-Bukhari, Abu Dawood, and An-Nasa'i narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about looking around in prayer, and he said: "It is a snatching that the devil snatches from the servant’s prayer." Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from Abu Huraira that he said during his final illness: "Seat me, seat me, for I have a trust that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) entrusted to me." He said: "Let none of you look around in his prayer; if he must, then let it be in that which Allah the Exalted has not made obligatory for him."

Also, refraining from fidgeting with one's clothes or any part of one’s body is required; denying that this conflicts with prayer is obstinacy. Al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi recorded in Nawadir al-Usul, though with a weak chain, from Abu Huraira that the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw a man fidgeting with his beard in prayer and said: "If this man’s heart had khushu’, his limbs would have had khushu’."

Refraining from raising the gaze to the sky is also required, even if the person praying is blind, as the prohibition has come for it. Muslim, Abu Dawood, and Ibn Majah narrated from Jabir bin Samurah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "People must cease raising their eyes to the sky in prayer, or [their sight] will not return to them." Before the revelation of the verse, it was not prohibited. Al-Hakim (who authenticated it), Ibn Marduyah, and Al-Bayhaqi in his Sunan narrated from Muhammad bin Sirin from Abu Huraira that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed, he used to raise his gaze to the sky, then the verse (Those who are in their prayer humble) was revealed, so he lowered his head.

Refraining from ikhtisar—which is placing the hand upon the waist—is required. They mentioned that it is disliked, and it has come from him (peace be upon him) that "ikhtisar in prayer is the comfort of the people of the Fire." Meaning: the Jews do it in their prayer as a rest, and they are the people of the Fire—not that they have comfort therein; how could they, when Allah says: "He does not lighten [the punishment] for them, and they are therein in despair." Among their actions in prayer is also swaying, and a prohibition has come against it. Al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi recorded from the path of Al-Qasim bin Muhammad from Asma bint Abi Bakr from Umm Ruman, the mother of Aisha, that she said: "Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) saw me swaying in my prayer, so he scolded me, and I almost left my prayer. Then he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: 'When one of you stands for prayer, let him keep his limbs still; let him not sway as the Jews sway, for stillness of the limbs in prayer is part of the perfection of prayer.'"

In Al-Kashshaf, it is said: Part of khushu’ is to employ proper manners (adab). He mentioned among those: avoiding tucking up garments, stretching, yawning, closing the eyes, covering the mouth, sadl (letting clothes hang loosely), cracking fingers, interlocking fingers, and flipping pebbles. In Al-Bahr, quoting At-Tahrir, it is stated that there is a difference of opinion regarding whether khushu’ is one of the obligatory acts of prayer or one of its virtues and perfections; there are two views, the correct one being the former, and its place is the heart. The correct view according to us is the opposite; however, the truth is that it is a condition for acceptance, not for validity.

In Al-Minhaj and its commentary by Ibn Hajar: It is sunnah to have khushu’ in all of one's prayer with the heart, such that one is not present with anything other than what he is in—even if it relates to the Hereafter—and with the limbs, such that one does not fidget with any of them. It is apparent that this is what An-Nawawi intended by khushu’, because he will mention the former by saying: "It is sunnah to enter prayer with energy and an empty heart," unless he makes that a cause for it, which is why he restricted it to the state of entering. In the verse, the intent is both, as is also apparent. It is a sunnah due to Allah’s praise in His Noble Book for those who perform it, and because the reward of the prayer is negated by its absence, as indicated by the authentic hadiths, and because we have a view chosen by a group that it is a condition for validity, though only in part. Thus, it is disliked to let the mind wander with the whisperings of the soul, or to fidget, like adjusting one's robe or turban without necessity—such as fulfilling a sunnah or repelling harm. It has been said it is prohibited. The Imam has a long discussion here for those who desire it.

The advancement of the prepositional phrase (in their prayer) is said to be for the sake of the rhyme (fawasila). Others say it is to bring the mention of prayer close to the mention of faith, for they are siblings; the term "faith" has been applied to it in the words of the Exalted: "And Allah would not have let your faith go to waste." It is also said it is for restriction in the sense of: "Those who are, in all of their prayer—not just a part of it—humble."

The precedence of describing them with khushu’ in prayer over all else that is mentioned afterward carries an obvious highlighting of the importance of khushu’. It has been reported that khushu’ is the first thing to be lifted from the people. In a report narrated by Al-Hakim (and authenticated), Ubada bin as-Samit said: "It is imminent that you will enter the mosque and not see a single humble man in it." Ibn Abi Shaybah, Ahmad in Az-Zuhd, and Al-Hakim (and authenticated) narrated from Hudhayfah that he said: "The first thing you will lose of your religion is khushu’, and the last thing you will lose of your religion is prayer; and the bonds of Islam will be broken, bond by bond."