Is it permissible to say to someone who condemns and exposes a wine-drinker, while he himself listens to music, that the ruling on listening to music is the same as the ruling on drinking wine in terms of prohibition?

A Muslim who enjoins good and forbids evil should be patient and gentle, advising with encouragement and deterrence. It is not permissible to expose a person who commits a sin if they have not done so openly, for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever conceals a Muslim in this world, Allah will conceal him in this world and the Hereafter."

He should gently advise the drunkard, reminding him of Allah, and likewise, the one who listens to music, while teaching him of its prohibition.

As for saying that the ruling on one who listens to music is the same as the ruling on one who drinks alcohol, this is not permissible, because forbidden acts are of different degrees. Alcohol is one of the greatest major sins and the mother of all evils, whereas music, though forbidden, is not of the same degree of prohibition as alcohol.