do in their listening sessions what even Jews and Christians do not do. Thus, they ally themselves with those Jews, Christians, Sabians, polytheists, and Magians who support them, counting them among their brothers, companions, and wearers of their cloak, while harbouring enmity towards the prophets and the believers.

These innovated listening sessions have thus come to range between disbelief, wickedness, and disobedience. There is no power or strength except through Allah. The disbelief involved in them is among the gravest and most severe forms of disbelief, and their wickedness is among the greatest forms of wickedness.

This is because sounds exert an exceptionally powerful influence upon souls, satisfying and nourishing them. It has even been said that singing was called ghinā’ because it satisfies the soul.

Its effect upon souls exceeds even the intoxicating power of wine, inducing extraordinary states that those experiencing them imagine to be miraculous gifts granted to Allah’s close servants. Yet these are merely vain natural phenomena that draw people away from Allah, for the devils provide them with all kinds of assistance during these listening sessions.

As the Most High says:

“But their brothers—the devils—draw them further into error, and then they do not relent.”
[Surah al-Aʿrāf 202]

And He said to Satan:

“Incite whoever you can among them with your voice.”
[Surah al-Isrā’ 64]

One of them may become so light that he dances above their heads, while it is his devil that leads their souls astray.