nor does this contradict what Ibn Jarīr deemed preferable (21/4), that the verse is general and refers to everything from speech that distracts from the path of Allāh, which Allāh and His Messenger prohibited listening to. He said: "Singing and polytheism are among that." Ibn Kathīr leaned towards this in his "Tafsīr," as did Ibn al-Qayyim in "al-Ighāthah" (1/240-241). What has been previously mentioned is a strong rebuttal to Ibn Ḥazm's statement in "Risālat al-Malāhī" (p. 97): that it has not been proven from any of the Companions of the Prophet (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) that the verse was interpreted as referring to singing! He said: "It is merely the saying of some exegetes whose words do not constitute proof!" Despite the fallacy of his statement with what has preceded, it contradicts his own practice in "al-Muḥallá," where he presented the previous narrations from Ibn Masʿūd and Ibn ʿAbbās, and from other followers, without weakening them, only stating: "There is no proof from anyone except the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam)!" So we say: a word of truth by which falsehood is intended, because nothing is reported from him (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) that contradicts their interpretation. Then he claimed that others from the Companions and Followers disagreed with them! This is like the previous claim, for he did not mention a single opposing narration, and if he had one, he would have hastened to present it. Then he argued that the verse describes an action that, if done, renders one a disbeliever. We say: this is true, but that does not negate that a Muslim can be held accountable to the extent of that characteristic, such as being distracted by songs from the Qurʾān. The details of this are in "Ighāthah al-Lahfān."