And for this reason, some scholars possessed of spiritual insight have said that, once a person engages in listening, the states it induces remain beyond his control. Indeed, the movements and states of his soul become more intense than those experienced after drinking wine, for this listening affects souls more powerfully than the intoxicating potency of wine.

As for his statement, “Whoever listens to it in truth attains realization,” there are two responses.

First: listening to it in truth, secure against the danger of falsehood mingling with it, is beyond human ability. The most that someone possessed of spiritual discipline and complete inward purity can achieve is to find within himself, while listening, nothing but the pursuit and desire for truth. Yet he cannot be confident that he will remain in that condition. Rather, when he listens, listening through the self mingles with listening in truth, for it is utterly impossible for a human being to divest himself of the attributes inherent in his very nature.

Second: how is it known that everyone who listens to it in truth attains realization? Rather, someone who listens to it in truth may acquire heresy and hypocrisy in his understanding and inward state without even being aware of it. As ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd said: “Singing causes hypocrisy to grow in the heart just as water causes plants to grow.” Hypocrisy is heresy. It is well known that plants grow in the earth little by little, without people perceiving their growth. Likewise, people may not perceive the heresy and hypocrisy emerging in their hearts. Instead, they imagine themselves to be among those who have attained realization, while bearing a considerable resemblance to those who have fallen into heresy.

This is illustrated by the fact that claims to realization, verification, and realities have become widespread on the lips of