Humour in Islam

1) Muhammad used to smile, rather than laugh. Aisha, wife of the Prophet Muhammad narrated:

"I never saw the Messenger of Allah laugh fully to such an extent that I could see his uvula. He would only smile."

— Sunan Abu Dawood Volume 3, Book 41: Kitab Al-Adab (General Behavior), Hadith Number 5079;[2] Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 73: Kitab Al-Adab (Good Manners and Form), Hadith Number 114.[3]

2) Muhammad's smile and his companions' laughing sessions. Jabir ibn Samurah narrated:

Simak ibn Harb asked Jabir ibn Samurah, "Did you sit in the company of the Messenger of Allah?" He said: Yes, very often. He (the Prophet) used to sit at the place where he observed the morning or dawn prayer till the sun rose or when it had risen; he would stand, and they (his Companions) would talk about matters (pertaining to the days) of ignorance, and they would laugh (on these matters) while (the Prophet) only smiled.

— Sahih Muslim, Book 4: Kitab Al-Salat (Book of Prayers), Chapter 92, Hadith Number 1413.[4]

3) Aisha also narrated:

The Prophet in his fatal illness, called his daughter Fatima and told her a secret because of which she started weeping. Then he called her and told her another secret, and she started laughing. When I asked her about that, she replied, "The Prophet told me that he would die in his fatal illness, and so I wept, but then he secretly told me that from amongst his family, I would be the first to join him, and so I laughed."

— Sahih Muslim, Volume 4, Book 56: (Virtues and Merits of the Prophet and his Companions), Hadith Number 819.[5]

4) Muhammad encouraged to be jestful with your family. Ibn Mas'ud narrated that the Prophet Muhammad said;

"Mix with the people on the condition that your Deen is not jeopardized, and be jestful with the family."

— Sahih al-Bukhari, Chapter 81: To be cheerful with the people.[6][7]

5) Abu Dharr al-Ghifari narrated that Muhammad said;

"...I indeed saw the Messenger of Allah laugh till his front teeth were exposed."

— Sahih Muslim, Book 1: Kitab Al-Iman (The Book of Faith), Chapter 83, Hadith Number 365.[8]

6) Muhammad discouraged laughing at inappropriate times. Al-Aswad ibn Yazid narrated:

Some young men from the Quraish visited Aisha as she was in Mina and they were laughing. She said: "What makes you laugh?” They said: Such and such person stumbled against the rope of the tent and he was about to break his neck or lose his eyes. She said: “Don’t laugh for I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: If a Muslim runs a thorn or (gets into trouble) severe than this, there is assured for him (a higher) rank and his sins are obliterated."

— Sahih Muslim, Book 32: Kitab Al-Birr was-Salat-I-wa'l-Adab (The Book of Virtue, Good Manners and Joining of the Ties of Relationship), Chapter 12, Hadith Number 6237.[9]

7) Muhammad encouraged jokes about the truth. Abu Hurairah narrated that;

When some of his companions said to Prophet Muhammad: "O Prophet Muhammad, yet, you also joke with us!" He replied: "Yes, I do. But I only tell the truth."

— at-Tirmidhi.[10]

8) Muhammad discouraged lying to make people laugh[11]

"Woe to the one who speaks and tells lies in order to make the people laugh; woe to him, woe to him."

— at-Tirmidhi, Hadith Number 2315; Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith Number 4990.[12]

9) Muhammad discouraged frightening anyone as a joke.

Once when travelling, one of the sahabah fell asleep, the others got some rope and tied him up. The man woke up and was frightened so Prophet Muhammad said: "It is not lawful to any Muslim to frighten another Muslim."

— Ibn Hajar; Sunan Abu Dawood.[11]

10) Muhammad discouraged joking or laughing excessively.[13]

Muhammad said:

"Do not laugh too much, for laughing too much deadens the heart."

— Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7312; al-Tirmidhi, 2305; Ibn Majah, 4193

Muhammad discouraged backbiting and inappropriate language:

"(Backbiting is) your mentioning about your brother something that he dislikes."

— Sahih Muslim, Book 32: (The Book of Virtue, Good Manners and Joining of the Ties of Relationship), Chapter 18, Hadith Number 6265.[14]

"The Muslim does not slander, curse, speak obscenely or speak rudely."

— Tirmidhi[15]

Muhammad is reported by Tirmidhi to have said: "Why are there no old women in heaven? Because they become young girls when they get there."[16][17]

Other instances include a man who came up to Muhammad to ask him to give him a beast to ride. The Prophet jokingly told him, "I will give you the offspring of a she-camel to ride." He said, "O Messenger of Allah, what will I do with the offspring of a she-camel?" The Prophet said: "Are riding-camels born except from she-camels?" (Reported by Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi, as Sahih).[17]

The Prophet's companions would limit jokes, joke at appropriate times, and be cautious of joking.

Umar ibn al-Khattab narrated that;

"Whoever laughs too much or jokes too much loses respect, and whoever persists in doing something will be known for it."

— [13]

Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas said;

"Set a limit to your jokes, for going to extremes makes you lose respect and incites the foolish against you."

— [18]

Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz said;

"Fear joking, for it is folly and generates grudges."

— [19]

In al-Adab al-Mufrad, Bukhari reports from Bakr ibn 'Abdillah who said: "The Companions of the Prophet used to throw melon-rinds at one another, but when the matter was serious, they were the only true men."[17]

"That it is He Who granteth Laughter and Tears."

— Qur'an, chapter 53 (An-Najm), Verse 43.[20]

• The Quran discourages insulting anyone.[11][21][22]

"O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: It may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some women laugh at others: It may be that the (latter are better than the (former): Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness, (to be used of one) after he has believed: And those who do not desist are (indeed) doing wrong."

— Qur'an, chapter 49 (Al-Hujurat), Verse 11.[23]

• The Qur'an discourages mocking Islam.[7][21]

"If thou dost question them, they declare (with emphasis): 'We were only talking idly and in play.' Say: 'Was it at Allah, and His Signs, and His Messenger, that ye were mocking?' Make ye no excuses: ye have rejected Faith after ye had accepted it. If We pardon some of you, We will punish others amongst you, for that they are in sin."

— Qur'an, chapter 9 (At-Tawba), Verse 65-66.[24]

Since 9/11, there has been an increase in the number of Muslim comedians and humour festivals. Prominent Muslim comedians include Nabil Abdulrashid, Azhar Usman, Ahmed Ahmed, and Dean Obeidallah.[1] Azhar Usman blames the media for misrepresenting humor in Islam. "The fact is that within Muslim culture there is a strong tradition of storytelling, joking and laughing. The relationship between Islam and comedy goes to the roots of the religion."[1] However, American comedian Mohammed Amer asserts that it is Muslims who have made a “terrible job” of communicating with the outside world.[16]

In 2017, in response to the "Real Housewives of ISIS", a parody of "Real Housewives" broadcast by BBC2 show Revolting, the idea provoked widespread outrage and hilarity on Facebook.[25]