one’s voice disperses that focus. The more one lowers one’s voice, the more effectively one concentrates one’s resolve and purpose upon the One being called upon—Glorified is He.

The sixth is that it indicates its practitioner’s closeness to the One who is Near, unlike the plea of one distant person calling out to another distant person. Thus, Allah praised His servant Zechariah, saying: “When he called upon his Lord in a private supplication” 1. When the heart is conscious of the nearness of Allah—Exalted and Majestic is He—and that He is nearer to it than anyone else who is near, it conceals its supplication as much as possible.

The seventh is that it is more conducive to persevering in one’s requests and petitions, for the tongue does not grow weary and the limbs do not tire. By contrast, when one raises one’s voice, the tongue may become weary and one’s strength may wane. This is like someone who reads and repeats: if he raises his voice, he cannot continue for long, unlike one who lowers it.

The eighth is that concealing supplication keeps it further removed from interruptions and distractions. When the supplicant conceals his supplication, no one is aware of it, so no disturbance or other interference arises on that account. But when he voices it aloud, human souls will inevitably rush toward him, impeding and opposing him. Even if their fixation upon him did nothing more than startle and unsettle his concentration, the effect of the supplication would be weakened. Anyone with experience knows this. When one keeps the supplication private, one is safe from this harm.

The ninth is that the greatest blessing is turning wholeheartedly to Allah in worship. Every blessing has those who envy it in proportion to its worth, whether it is small or great, and no blessing is greater than this one. The souls of the envious are fixated upon it, and nothing is safer for the envied person than concealing his blessing from