As for the second aspect, the statement that a beautiful voice contains “messages and intimations that Allah has placed in all that is pleasant” cannot mean that Allah has placed in every pleasant sound, whatever it may be, messages through which He addresses His servants. Such a claim is explicit disbelief, since it would entail that Allah has addressed His servants through the pleasant sounds which the polytheists and the People of the Book use to further their disbelief. It would also entail that the pleasant sounds with which Satan incites the children of Adam—as Allah Most High says:

“And incite whoever you can among them with your voice, and rally against them your cavalry and infantry.”
[Surah al-Isrāʾ 64]

—that these satanic sounds, whenever they are pleasant, contain messages which Allah has placed in them to address His servants. It would likewise entail that Allah has placed in the sounds of musical instruments messages through which He addresses His servants.

It is well known that no rational person would say this, let alone a Muslim. Moreover, if this were so, why did the prophets and the steadfast affirmers of truth, among earlier and later generations, not listen to every single sound and command their followers to do so, since this would involve listening to the messages of the True One? For it is known that listening to His messages is among the best means of drawing near to Him.

It is thus clear that this statement cannot be true in its unrestricted generality.

It remains possible to say that this statement is specific and qualified: it applies to a beautiful voice when used in a good manner. This is true—for example, when it is used to adorn the words of Allah, as Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī used to do. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him: “I passed by you last night