The awe of the heart, tears of the eyes, and trembling of the body that arise from prescribed listening and remembrance are the finest states described in the Quran and Sunnah. As for violent agitation, fainting, death, and cries, if a person is overcome involuntarily, he is not to be blamed, as sometimes happened among the Successors and those after them. This results from the intensity of what the heart experiences, coupled with the heart’s weakness. Strength and composure are better, as exemplified by the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Companions. As for remaining unmoved out of hardness and coldness of heart, this is blameworthy and contains no good.

As for the listening mentioned above, its prescribed form—which sets hearts right and serves as their means of drawing near to their Lord by establishing their bond with Him—is listening to the Book of Allah. This is what the best members of this community listen to, especially since the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“He is not one of us who does not recite the Quran melodiously.”

He also said:

“Beautify the Quran with your voices.”

This is the listening praised in the Quran and Sunnah.

But when some members of this community forgot a portion of this listening, of which they had been reminded, enmity and hatred were cast among them. Some introduced listening to poems, clapping, and singing, resembling the whistling and clapping that Allah condemned and imitating what the Christians had innovated. Opposing them were others whose hearts had hardened against the remembrance of Allah and the truth that had been revealed. Their hearts had hardened until they were like stones, or harder still, resembling that for which Allah reproached the Jews.

The balanced religious path is that followed by the best members of this community, past and present. And Allah knows best.