knowledge and sobriety, which requires the listener to know the names and attributes; otherwise, he falls into outright disbelief. The other is listening conditioned on a spiritual state, which requires the listener to pass beyond human states and be purified of the traces of personal desires through the manifestation of the workings of spiritual reality.”

I say: By “knowing the names and attributes,” he means Allah’s names and attributes. This is because what is heard consists of descriptions legitimately applied to created beings, from which listeners derive their intended meaning only through allusion and reflection, as explained above. This requires us to distinguish between the attributes ascribed to the Lord and those ascribed to created beings, lest those descriptions be made attributes of Allah, thereby becoming a source of trial and disbelief. This applies when the listener is sober and knows what he is saying. If, however, he has passed beyond awareness of created things, he does not interpret the words in that sense, since he has no awareness of it. Thus, he must be aware of human states while being purified of the human desires that incline towards created things. This comes about when the power of tawhīd prevails over his heart, which is what he means by “the manifestation of the workings of spiritual reality.” This distinction is needed by those who approve of certain forms of newly introduced listening for people on the path to Allah.

Listening gives rise to trials in two ways: through innovation in religion and through wickedness in worldly life.

As for the first, this is because it may give rise to corrupt beliefs concerning Allah, or corrupt intentions and acts of worship that are unworthy of Him, besides diverting one from