Shaykh al-Islām—may Allah have mercy on him—said:

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I have previously written about “unveilings and visions,” explaining that they fall into “three categories,” both outwardly and inwardly. Likewise, “hearing, being addressed, and conversations” fall into three categories, inwardly and outwardly.

The “listener” may hear the actual sound itself, whether it is the speaker’s vocal speech or something other than his speech, just as one sees the speaker himself.

Or he may hear the sound’s echo and reverberation, just as he sees the speaker’s image in water or a mirror. Such seeing and hearing are qualified, as when one says, “I saw him in the mirror.” Hearing, however, encompasses both forms.

Or a representation may be presented to him—meaning the speaker’s words—in audible sounds, just as the speaker may be represented to him in a form that he sees. For example, the speaker may tap with his hand, pluck strings with his hand, or produce sounds separate from himself through which he conveys his intended meaning.