Is it permissible to join the Basmalah with Al-Fatiha when reciting the Qur’an continuously, and is lowering one’s voice in prayer for fear of others hearing considered hypocrisy?

It is permissible to connect the Basmalah with what follows it from the Quran, whether it is Al-Fatiha or other surahs. As for the states of the Isti'adha (seeking refuge with Allah), the Basmalah, and the beginning of the surah, there are four ways: 1. Cutting off all three (Isti'adha, Basmalah, and the beginning of the surah). 2. Cutting off the first (Isti'adha) and connecting the second (Basmalah) with the third (beginning of the surah). 3. Connecting the first (Isti'adha) with the second (Basmalah) and cutting off the third (beginning of the surah). 4. Connecting all three (Isti'adha, Basmalah, and the beginning of the surah).

As for lowering the voice in prayer, the prescribed way is to pray silently in supererogatory (nafilah) prayers and audibly in obligatory (fard) prayers where audible recitation is prescribed, and silently where silent recitation is prescribed. Do not abandon audible recitation out of fear of showing off, but rather avoid whispers (waswasah).