—dancing, the religion of the unbelievers and the calf-worshippers. By contrast, the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions sat so still that it was as though birds could have settled upon their heads, such was their solemnity. Therefore the ruler and his deputies must bar these people from entering the mosques and other places, and it is unlawful for anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day to attend their gatherings or assist them in their falsehood. This is the position of Mālik, Abū Ḥanīfah, al-Shāfiʿī, Aḥmad, and the other leading Imams of the Muslims⦗1⦘.

Among them is Imam al-Qurṭubī⦗2⦘, who, after discussing the type of singing that stirs what is dormant and awakens what is latent, containing descriptions of women, wine, and other forbidden matters—about whose prohibition there is no disagreement—said:

“As for what the Ṣūfīs have innovated in this regard, it undeniably belongs to that which is forbidden. Yet lustful souls have gained the upper hand over many who are thought to be righteous, so that a number of them have begun to act like madmen and children, dancing with coordinated movements and successive contortions. Some have gone so far as to treat it as an act of devotion and a righteous deed, claiming that it produces lofty spiritual states. In truth, this is nothing but a remnant of zandaqa (heresy) and the talk of impostors. Allah, exalted is He, is the One whose help is sought.”⦗3⦘