the people is he who purchases idle talk.” He replied: “Singing, by Him besides whom there is no god!” repeating this three times. This is also the view of Mujāhid and ‘Atā’. Makhūl said: “If someone owns a singing slave woman and dies, no funeral prayer should be offered over him,” citing the words of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, “And among the people is he who purchases idle talk” [Luqmān: 6], through to “a humiliating punishment” [al-Baqara: 90]. He meant that one should not pray over him out of a desire to pray for him.

There is disagreement over the meaning of Allah’s words, “And among the people is he who purchases idle talk” [Luqmān: 6]. One group held that this means an actual purchase for money, citing the report that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “It is not lawful to sell or buy singing slave women.” On this interpretation, Allah’s words, “And among the people is he who purchases idle talk” [Luqmān: 6], mean someone who purchases a woman or a man who provides idle talk. The word denoting the woman or man has been omitted, and “idle talk” has taken its place. This resembles His words, “Ask the town” [Yūsuf: 82], meaning: ask the people of the town. Another group held that the verse means that some people choose idle talk and find it pleasing. They may spend no money on it; rather, their “purchase” consists in finding it pleasing.

It is reported that Ibn ‘Abbās said: “The verse was revealed concerning al-Nadr ibn al-Hārith al-Dārī. He used to buy books containing tales of foreign peoples—the Persians and the Romans—and their deeds. He would relate them to Quraysh, who found them pleasing and enjoyed what they heard. They would become distracted, and he would divert them with these tales.” A group of Quran commentators said that the verse was revealed concerning the disbelievers, citing the words that follow:

“When Our verses are recited to him, he turns away arrogantly, as though he had not heard them, as though there were deafness in his ears.” [Luqmān: 7]

They said that “idle talk” therefore means associating partners with Allah, and that this resembles His words, Mighty and Majestic: “Those are the ones who have purchased misguidance in exchange for guidance.” [al-Baqara: 16] Those who adopted this interpretation regarded singing as disliked and prohibited, but not declared unlawful by the Quran.

Abū Ja‘far al-Tabarī preferred to understand the verse in its general sense, encompassing everything that distracts from Allah’s way and that Allah or His Messenger has forbidden people to listen to. For Allah, Mighty and Majestic, used the general expression “idle talk” [Luqmān: 6], without singling out some forms to the exclusion of others. It must therefore be understood generally, encompassing both singing and associating partners with Allah, unless evidence establishes a more restricted meaning.

This interpretation adopted by Abū Ja‘far al-Tabarī is the soundest explanation offered for the verse. Although it was revealed concerning what al-Nadr ibn al-Hārith used to do, its wording is general and should be understood generally. It should not be restricted to the conduct that occasioned its revelation—the actions of al-Nadr ibn