those days, he let out a cry that cost him his life.’”

This was listening to words of remembrance, which is not confined to listening to poetry set to melody. Thus, the statement, “Mercy descends upon them while they listen,” may properly refer to this prescribed form of listening.

His statement, “They rise only out of spiritual ecstasy,” means that they are sincere, not feigning it like someone who outwardly displays ecstasy without truly experiencing it. However, someone might object: “His statement, ‘They listen only in accordance with truth,’ introduces a qualification that is unnecessary when speaking of prescribed listening, since it is itself true, unlike the newly introduced form of listening, which may involve either truth or falsehood.”

The answer is that listening to the Quran and other things may likewise be done for show and reputation, or without an attentive heart, presence of mind, reflection, understanding, or inward experience.

Allah has told us that when the hypocrites stand for prayer, they stand reluctantly; yet prayer includes prescribed listening. Allah has also told us in several places of the hypocrites’ aversion to prescribed listening, as in His words:

“Whenever a surah is revealed, some of them ask, ‘Which of you has this increased in faith?’ As for those who believe, it increases them in faith, and they rejoice. But as for those in whose hearts is disease, it adds impurity to their impurity, and they die as disbelievers.”

Then, further on, He says:

“Whenever a surah is revealed, they look at one another, asking, ‘Does anyone see you?’ Then they turn away. Allah has turned their hearts away because they are a people who do not understand.”

[Surah al-Tawbah 124–127]

These hypocrites turn away from prescribed listening.