that whoever deliberately seeks out this listening is put to trial by it, whereas there is no harm in someone happening to hear something congenial to him. The prohibition applies only to deliberate listening, not merely hearing. Thus, if a man passes people engaged in forbidden speech, he is not obliged to stop his ears, but he may not deliberately listen without a need. Likewise, the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—did not instruct Ibn ʿUmar to stop his ears when he heard a shepherd’s flute, because he was merely hearing it, not deliberately listening.

The question posed by this questioner and others—“Is it lawful or unlawful?”—is ambiguously worded and obscures the issue. The ruling becomes so confused that many muftis cannot formulate a precise answer. This is because listening, like other actions, may be considered from two perspectives:

The first concerns whether it is prohibited or not—whether it may be practised like other activities that people enjoy, even if they involve some amusement and play, such as listening at weddings and similar occasions. People engage in these activities for pleasure and amusement, not as worship or to draw closer to Allah.

The second is to engage in it as a religious observance and an act of worship, to reform hearts, make the servants’ love for their Lord pure and undivided, cleanse their souls and purify their hearts