Abstract:

This article offers a comparative study of the concept of “sacred silence” in the Byzantine Hesychast tradition and in Islamic mysticism, and argues that silence in both traditions is not merely the absence of sound or a form of individual withdrawal, but rather a formative and existential mode of experiencing the divine presence and of shaping the vision of the heart. In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, especially in the experience of the monks of Mount Athos, silence—together with the prayer of the heart and inner stillness—provides the ground for the perception of the uncreated light and for the deepening of spiritual life. In Islamic mysticism, likewise, retreat (khalwa) and silence (samt), as two fundamental pillars of the spiritual path, play a decisive role in the purification of the soul, the concentration of the heart, and the emergence of inner vision. Methodologically, the study adopts an analytical and comparative approach based on the examination of classical texts from both traditions. The findings suggest that silence can be understood as the “language of the heart” and as a practical means for reconfiguring the human relationship with the sacred in the contemporary lifeworld. Accordingly, a renewed engagement with traditions centered on silence can offer valuable resources for practical theology, particularly in the fields of spiritual formation and in confronting the fragmentation and noise of modern life.

Keywords :Hesychasm; Islamic mysticism; Practical theology; Sacred silence; Spiritual formation; Vision of the heart