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

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His saying:

“They are avid listeners to falsehood, listening to other people who have not come to you.”

It has been said that the preposition lām indicates purpose: they listen in order to lie, and they listen in order to relay information to other people who have not come to you. Thus, they are liars, talebearers, and spies. The correct interpretation, however, is that the lām connects the verb to its object, as in the saying:

“Allah hears whoever praises Him.”

Here, listening carries the meaning of acceptance: they accept falsehood, listen to other people who have not come to you, and obey them. This therefore condemns them for accepting false reports and for obeying others besides him from among the unbelievers and hypocrites. This resembles His saying:

“They would have hurried about among you, seeking to sow discord among you; and among you are those who listen to them.”

That is, they seek to lead you into discord, and among you are those who listen to them. Thus, He condemns them for following falsehood in both kinds of speech: declarative and non-declarative. Falsehood in declarative speech is lying, while falsehood in non-declarative speech is obedience to those other than the messengers. This is far-fetched.

Then He said:

“Avid listeners to falsehood, devourers of unlawful gain.”

He thus stated that they, in