listening to instruction in Islam and faith and their obligatory duties, listening to the Quran recited aloud by the imam during prayer, and listening to the Friday sermon, according to the sounder of the two scholarly opinions.
It is forbidden to listen to disbelief and religious innovations unless doing so serves an overriding benefit, such as refuting them, testifying against the speaker, or strengthening one’s faith and adherence to the Sunnah by learning about their opposites—disbelief and innovation—and similar purposes. It is likewise forbidden to listen in on the secrets of someone who conceals them from you and is under no obligation to disclose them, unless they concern a right of Allah that must be upheld, or harm to a Muslim whom one is duty-bound to advise and warn.
Likewise, it is forbidden to listen to the voices of non-mahram women (those outside the prohibited degrees of marriage) when their voices may cause temptation, unless there is a need, such as testimony, a transaction, seeking a religious ruling, litigation, medical treatment, or the like.
It is also forbidden to listen to musical instruments and instruments of entertainment and amusement, such as the lute, the tunbūr (a stringed instrument), the reed flute, and the like. A person need not block his ears if he hears their sound without intending to listen, unless he fears becoming drawn to it and listening attentively. In that case, he must avoid hearing them, in keeping with the obligation to block the means to wrongdoing.
A parallel case is that of someone in ihrām (ritual consecration), who may not deliberately smell perfume. If, however, the wind carries its scent to his nostrils, he need not block his nose. Similarly, an accidental glance is not forbidden, whereas a deliberate second glance is.
Recommended listening includes listening to beneficial knowledge that is recommended rather than obligatory, Quran recitation, the remembrance of Allah, and everything Allah loves that is not obligatory.
Disliked listening is the reverse: listening to anything He dislikes but does not punish. Permissible listening is self-evident.
As for obligatory looking, this includes looking into the Quran and books of knowledge when doing so is necessary to acquire obligatory knowledge, and looking when necessary to distinguish the lawful from the unlawful among the things that