https://www.khutbah.info/harmful-types-of-listening/ Allah Almighty has bestowed upon humankind the gifts of intellect, sight, and hearing, and has honored the believers with the blessings of Islam, faith, and excellence. Among the greatest blessings is the gift of hearing, for through it, a person distinguishes between what is harmful and what is beneficial. As a child, one learns from parents; as a youth, from teachers. Through hearing, a person acquires vast knowledge and understanding, making it easier to interact with others.ong the greatest blessings is the gift of hearing, for through it, a person distinguishes between what is harmful and what is beneficial. As a child, one learns from parents; as a youth, from teachers. Through hearing, a person acquires vast knowledge and understanding, making it easier to interact with others.
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ , وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ , وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ , وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102
Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.
Oh people:
Allah Almighty has bestowed upon humankind the gifts of intellect, sight, and hearing, and has honored the believers with the blessings of Islam, faith, and excellence.
Among the greatest blessings is the gift of hearing, for through it, a person distinguishes between what is harmful and what is beneficial. As a child, one learns from parents; as a youth, from teachers. Through hearing, a person acquires vast knowledge and understanding, making it easier to interact with others.
وَاللَّهُ أَخْرَجَكُمْ مِنْ بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
An-Nahl (16) 78: And Allah has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and intellect that perhaps you would be grateful.
A person will be questioned on the Day of Resurrection about what they heard. Was it permissible or forbidden? Did they devote the blessing of hearing to the obedience of Allah the Almighty or to His disobedience?
إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا
Al-Isra (17) 36: Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart – about all those [one] will be questioned.
People today have been tested and flooded with many forms of listening. Some forms of listening are forbidden, some are disliked, and some are mere idle talk that brings the listener no benefit.
Among forbidden types of listening is listening to mockery of Islam, criticism of its rulings, delving into religious matters without knowledge, justifying the forbidden, or dismissing obligatory duties. This is because a listener who remains silent, even if only out of social politeness, is considered content with what they are hearing. One who is content with such speech is like the one who utters it. Allah the Almighty says:
وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ يُكْفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَأُ بِهَا فَلَا تَقْعُدُوا مَعَهُمْ حَيْذِي يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِثْلُهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَامِعُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَالْكَافِرِينَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ جَمِيعًا
An-Nisa (4) 140: And it has already come down to you in the Book that when you hear the verses of Allah being denied and ridiculed, do not sit with them until they enter into another conversation. Indeed, you would then be like them. Indeed Allah will gather the hypocrites and disbelievers in Hell all together.
Another forbidden type is listening to misconceptions and doubts cast by the opponents of Islam and the opponents of the Prophetic Sunnah. Whether these are sowing doubts, misconceptions regarding Islam, or introducing innovations, listening to them poses a grave danger, especially for those with limited knowledge of the Sharia. Misconceptions are like hooks that snatch away hearts. The predecessors spoke extensively in warning against this. Consider the remarkable conduct of the great Tabi’i, Muhammad ibn Sirin:
A man came to him and asked about Divine Decree (Qadar), so Muhammad recited: “Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.” The man tried to speak again, so Muhammad put his fingers in his ears and said: “Either he must leave me, or I shall leave him.” The man left, and Muhammad said: “My heart is not in my own hands; I did not feel safe from him casting something into my heart that I would be unable to remove. It was more beloved to me not to hear his words at all.
If this great scholar feared for himself the effect of hearing a misconception, what then of those less knowledgeable than him? What of the unlearned who listen to those casting doubts on their religion until these doubts take root in their hearts and never leave?
Also forbidden is listening to music and singing, which deadens the heart and stirs base desires. This is included in the “falsehood” mentioned in the words of Allah the Almighty:
وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ
Al-Furqan (25) 72: And [they are] those who do not testify to falsehood.
Ibn Mas’ud—may Allah be pleased with him—said, Singing causes hypocrisy to grow in the heart just as water causes crops to grow, while the remembrance of Allah causes faith to grow in the heart just as water causes crops to grow.
Furthermore, it is forbidden to listen to backbiting, slander, and false accusations, all of which are major sins. These are frequently spoken in people’s social gatherings today. One who hears these evils either participates with the speakers and falls into the same sin, or remains silent despite their dislike. If a person is able to speak out against it but remains silent out of shyness, they are sinful because they heard an evil they could have prevented but did not. The third type of person, the rarest among people, is the one who speaks out against it. This person remains safe and is rewarded. Whoever lends an ear to a gossiper allows that person to ruin their relationships with those closest to them, potentially severing family ties, harming their family, and destroying their home. The gossiper intends nothing but evil, even if they pretend to give sincere advice.
Also forbidden is listening to lies while knowing they are lies. This is common among storytellers and those who recount anecdotes merely to entertain or make people laugh. They may designate certain people for this purpose or encourage those who have become accustomed to lying by pretending to believe them and reacting to them. There is a stern warning against making people laugh through lies, as the Prophet ﷺ said:
وَيْلٌ لِلَّذِي يُحَدِّثُ فَيَكْذِبُ لِيُضْحِكَ بِهِ الْقَوْمَ، وَيْلٌ لَهُ، وَيْلٌ لَهُ
Woe to him who speaks and lies to make the people laugh; woe to him, woe to him. [Ahmad 20045, Grade: Hasan (Al-Arna’ut)]
The one who encourages a liar is a participant in the lie. Those who grow addicted to such gatherings become addicted to hearing lies, and their lives become characterized more by frivolity than by seriousness. This is not the role of a believer in this world. The believer’s life is not one of idle amusement and play. The Prophet ﷺ said:
يَا أُمَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ، لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ مَا أَعْلَمُ، لَضَحِكْتُمْ قَلِيلًا وَلَبَكَيْتُمْ كَثِيرًا
O community of Muhammad, if you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much. [Bukhari 1044 and Muslim 2359]
Finally, it is forbidden to eavesdrop on those having private conversations who wish to keep their talk hidden. Ibn Abbas—may Allah be pleased with them both—narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
مَنْ تَسَمَّعَ إِلَى حَدِيثِ قَوْمٍ وَهُمْ لَهُ كَارِهُونَ، صُبَّ فِي أُذُنِهِ الْآنُكُ
Whoever listens to the talk of people who are averse to him [doing so] will have molten lead poured into his ears on the Day of Resurrection. [Ahmad 2213, Grade: Sahih (Al-Albani)]
Some people are afflicted with the habit of straining their ears to hear what others are saying in every public place, whether they know them or not. This is a forbidden and blameworthy intrusiveness that damages one’s honor. Such a person is disliked by others, and people avoid meeting them or speaking around them.
أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Second Khutbah
الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ, وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ
All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
Oh Muslims:
Fear Allah the Almighty and obey Him. Guard your hearing and your limbs from what harms you, for it is a great loss that they should testify against you:
حَتَّى إِذَا مَا جَاءُوهَا شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَأَبْصَارُهُمْ وَجُلُودُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
Fussilat (41) 20: Until, when they reach it, their hearing and their eyes and their skins will testify against them of what they used to do.
Among the types of disliked listening is listening to anything that distracts a person from the interests of their religion and worldly life, such as aimlessly flipping through radio stations, channels, or social media programs with no goal other than killing time. How common this is among people! Similarly, listening to idle talk in gatherings that yields no benefit is idle speech (Laghw), which Allah the Almighty praised the believers for avoiding:
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ * الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ * وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ اللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ
Al-Mu’minun (23) 1-3: (1) Certainly will the believers have succeeded: (2) They who are during their prayer humbly submissive, (3) And they who turn away from ill speech.
And He said:
وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا كِرَامًا
Al-Furqan (25) 72: And when they pass by ill speech, they pass by with dignity.
And He said:
وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا اللَّغْوَ أَعْرَضُوا عَنْهُ
Al-Qasas (28) 55: And when they hear ill speech, they turn away from it.
How vast is the idle speech that people hear in this age! It is either forbidden, making them sinful for listening, or it is disliked, causing them to waste their time and their lives. A person will be questioned on the Day of Resurrection about their life and how they spent it. Therefore, one should employ their hearing in what benefits their religion and worldly life.
There is no excuse for anyone to avoid listening to what is beneficial. The digital space is filled with numerous recitations in beautiful voices and various styles of the Noble Qur’an. It is also filled with its interpretation, the reading of the Prophetic Hadiths and their commentaries, and lessons in jurisprudence, creed, the Prophetic biography, and more. Indeed, there is hardly any beneficial subject in any branch of knowledge for which one cannot find a recording to listen to. Thus, one should spend their time and devote their hearing to what is advantageous.
Hearing is a gateway to the heart; what a person hears penetrates the heart. If one listens to the Qur’an, the heart benefits. But if one listens to the forbidden or to misconceptions regarding their faith, the heart becomes contaminated until it decays, rusts, and becomes corrupted. Let us beware of our hearts becoming heedless and distracted:
اقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مُعْرِضُونَ * مَا يَأْتِيهِمْ مِنْ ذِكْرٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ مُحْدَثٍ إِلَّا اسْتَمَعُوهُ وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ * لَاهِيَةً قُلُوبُهُمْ
Al-Anbiya (21) 1-3: (1) [The time of] their account has approached for the people, while they are in heedlessness turning away. (2) No mention comes to them anew from their Lord except that they listen to it while they at play, (3) With their hearts distracted.
We ask Allah the Almighty to bless us by protecting our hearing and our limbs from what incurs His displeasure, and to grant us the success to devote them to what pleases Him. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the Responsive.
هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ
I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا
O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good
عِبَادَ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.
اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة
Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein. And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.
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