impurities, and practices such as singing and dancing—especially when they take place in the presence of unrelated women or beardless youths. His so-called marvels fade whenever he hears the Qur’an, but flourish at the sound of the devil’s pipes; he may dance for long hours through the night, yet when the time for prayer comes he performs it sitting, or pecks at it like a rooster. He loathes listening to the Qur’an, recoils from it, and forces himself through it, finding in it no love, taste, or pleasure even at the height of his rapture. Instead, he delights in whistling and hand-clapping, and there he tastes his ecstasies.

These are satanic states, and he is among those described by the Almighty’s words:

“Whoever turns away from the remembrance of the Most Merciful, We assign for him a devil who becomes his inseparable companion.” (Q 43:36)

The Qur’an is the very remembrance of the Most Merciful. Allah, exalted is He, also says:

“But whoever turns away from My remembrance shall have a miserable life, and on the Day of Resurrection We shall raise him blind.” He will say, “My Lord, why have You raised me blind while I once could see?” He will say, “Thus it is: Our signs came to you, but you neglected them; and in the same way you are neglected today.” (Q 20:124-126) — meaning that you abandoned acting upon them.

Ibn ʿAbbās—may Allah be pleased with them both—said, “Allah has guaranteed that whoever recites His Book and lives by what it contains will neither go astray in this world nor be wretched in the Hereafter.” He then recited this verse.

[The universal mission of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him]

One must also realize that Allah sent Muhammad—peace and blessings be upon him—to all—