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The question

Will Allah (SWT) hold one accountable for good thoughts, such as sending blessings upon the Prophet, seeking forgiveness, or remembering Allah (SWT), without uttering them verbally? And will they be counted as good deeds? And can Allah (SWT) fulfill a good wish through intention without vocalization or supplication?

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Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

Uttering Dhikr and Istighfar aloud is better than merely intending their meaning in the heart, even though one is rewarded for silent remembrance, as Allah Almighty says in the Hadith Qudsi: "If he remembers Me to himself, I remember him to Myself." There is no evidence for reward for Du'a (supplication) or Salawat (sending blessings upon the Prophet, peace be upon him) by heart only. However, it is not far-fetched to analogize this to Dhikr, although uttering them aloud is superior. The fulfillment of wishes and desiring good within oneself can be granted by Allah, for Allah's grace is vast and His generosity encompasses whom He wills.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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