سورة الأنعام

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): قُلْ مَنْ یُنَجِّیکُمْ مِنْ ظُلُماتِ الْبَرِّ وَ الْبَحْرِ تَدْعُونَهُ تَضَرُّعاً وَ خُفْیَةً ... ثُمَّ أَنْتُمْ تُشْرِکُون [Say: Who is it that delivers you from the dangers of the land and the sea when you call upon Him humiliating yourselves and in secret ... yet then you associate others with Him]; is among the muhkam (clear) verses.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): The best of supplications is the hidden one, and the best of provisions is that which suffices. And the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) passed by a group who had raised their voices in supplication. He said: "You are not calling upon one who is deaf or absent; rather you are calling upon One who is Hearing and Near."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): The supplication of tadarru' (humble entreaty) is that you move your index finger in front of your face, and that is the supplication of khifah [and fear].

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)! [Say] to these disbelievers: مَنْ یُنَجِّیکُمْ [Who delivers you]; who is it that rescues you and keeps you safe. مِنْ ظُلُماتِ الْبَرِّ وَ الْبَحْرِ [from the darknesses of the land and the sea]; that is, from the hardships and terrors of the two.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): تَدْعُونَهُ [You call upon Him]; that is, at the sight of these terrifying matters you call upon Allah, تَضَرُّعاً وَ خُفْیَةً [humbly and in secret]; openly and in secret.