Thus, when the heart becomes mindful of Allah’s nearness, mighty and majestic is He, and that He is nearer to it than anyone else, it makes its supplication as quiet as possible.

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, pointed to this very meaning in the authentic hadith:

“When the Companions raised their voices proclaiming Allah’s greatness while travelling with him, he said: ‘Be easy on yourselves. You are not calling upon one who is deaf or absent. You are calling upon One who is All-Hearing and Near. The One upon whom you call is nearer to each of you than the neck of his riding animal.’”

Allah Most High says:

“When My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed near. I respond to the call of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.”

This nearness to the supplicant is a special nearness, not a general nearness to everyone. He is near to those who call upon Him and near to those who worship Him. The closest a servant is to his Lord is while prostrating. His words, Most High,

“Call upon your Lord humbly and quietly,”

direct attention to this nearness and make it known.

Seventh, it is more conducive to sustained petition and supplication: the tongue does not grow weary, nor do the limbs tire. By contrast, when a person raises his voice, his tongue may grow weary and his strength wane. This is like someone who recites and repeats what he recites: if he raises his voice, he cannot continue for long, unlike someone who lowers it.

Eighth, keeping supplication quiet better protects it from interruptions and distractions;