What is your comment on al-Nawawi's statement: "And it is not permissible to interpret this as listening in the sense of heeding"?
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The questioner : The Shaykh says, al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says, "It is not permissible to interpret this, meaning the word 'hearing,' as listening in the sense of heeding."
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : For it is impossible for Allah the Exalted, meaning... it is a metaphor, and its meaning is an allusion to bringing the reciter near...
The Shaykh : What does it mean?
The questioner : It is an allusion to bringing the reciter near and magnifying his reward, because the listening of Allah the Exalted does not vary, so it must be...
The Shaykh : No, this is an error; this is an error by al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him). Rather, we say it is listening, and Allah the Exalted, as He hears everything without doubt and sees everything, [there is the verse] "And among the people is he who does not look at them and does not purify them, and for them is a painful punishment." So listening is of two types: specific and general. And therefore we said that in this there is an encouragement for a person to beautify his voice with the Qur'an, because Allah listens to him with specific listening, not general listening. As for the permission to be silent, you have known that the intended meaning is what?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : ...approximation, meaning He permitted it, i.e., He approved it and commanded it.
The student : Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah bless you, what about... with the pipes, the flute...
The Shaykh : It comes to us, we did not reach it.
The questioner : Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : For it is impossible for Allah the Exalted, meaning... it is a metaphor, and its meaning is an allusion to bringing the reciter near...
The Shaykh : What does it mean?
The questioner : It is an allusion to bringing the reciter near and magnifying his reward, because the listening of Allah the Exalted does not vary, so it must be...
The Shaykh : No, this is an error; this is an error by al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him). Rather, we say it is listening, and Allah the Exalted, as He hears everything without doubt and sees everything, [there is the verse] "And among the people is he who does not look at them and does not purify them, and for them is a painful punishment." So listening is of two types: specific and general. And therefore we said that in this there is an encouragement for a person to beautify his voice with the Qur'an, because Allah listens to him with specific listening, not general listening. As for the permission to be silent, you have known that the intended meaning is what?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : ...approximation, meaning He permitted it, i.e., He approved it and commanded it.
The student : Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah bless you, what about... with the pipes, the flute...
The Shaykh : It comes to us, we did not reach it.
The questioner : Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes.