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IRSYAD AL-FATWA SERIES 212: THE RULING OF JOKING AROUND

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Question:

What is the ruling for joking around in Islam?

 

Answer:

Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.

Mukadimah

Truthfully, Islam as guidance in humans’ lives never prohibits entertainment and jokes. It is a part of human’s nature to love entertainment and to joke around among themselves, and without it, life would be dull and boring, and people will be sad and unmotivated to carry and fulfil their responsibilities.

We include the statement of Prof Dr Yusuf al-Qaradhawi in his book al-Halal wa al-Haram (pg.543) that we translated as follows:

Hence, Islam does not obligate humans to utter the words of zikir for every speech he said, all that he thinks of is contemplation of his deeds, all that he hears are the verses of al-Quran al-Karim and all his time be filled with worship in mosques. Furthermore, Islam acknowledges the nature and fitrah of humans, as has been instilled in them when Allah SWT created humans. Allah SWT created humans with the need to be happy, laugh and joke around, the same as He has created humans with the need to eat and drink…

Then, he told a story of a companion of the Prophet PBUH, where he was worried and feared that he should not entertain himself and be happy with his family, being cautious so that he will not be among the munafik. One day, Hanzalah RA came to meet the Prophet PBUH with Abu Bakar RA and said: “Hanzalah has become a hypocrite O Messenger of Allah!”. The Prophet PBUH asked, “Why is that?” Hanzalah answered, “When we are with you we remember the Fire and Paradise as if we can see them with the naked eye. But when we return we are busy with our wives and livelihood, and we forget so much.”. So, the Messenger of Allah PBUH said:

وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنْ لَوْ تَدُومُونَ عَلَى مَا تَكُونُونَ عِنْدِي، وَفِي الذِّكْرِ، لَصَافَحَتْكُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ عَلَى فُرُشِكُمْ وَفِي طُرُقِكُمْ، وَلَكِنْ يَا حَنْظَلَةُ سَاعَةً وَسَاعَةً -  ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ

“If you were to abide in the state that you are in when you are with me, then the Angels would shake hands with you in your gatherings, and upon your bedding, and in your paths. But O Hanzalah! There is a time for this and a time for that. – The Prophet PBUH said it three times.”

Sahih Muslim (2750)

Which means, only the angels would have the level of faith that Hanzalah thought he should have to not be a munafiq in the beginning. They always praise and glorify Allah SWT in every circumstances and time. Whereas for humans, there is a time for study, worship, contemplation and reminders. There is also time for rest, sleep and time for work and a time for himself and time for his family, which is not the case for the angels.

The Prophet PBUH Jokes Around

This statement is supported by the actions of the Prophet PBUH himself. This is stated in al-Syama`il al-Muhammadiyyah, written by Imam al-Tirmidhi (w.297) Rahimahullah, among the narrative of the Prophet PBUH, there is an incident where the Prophet PBUH jokes with an elderly lady.

From al-Hasan RA, he said: “An old woman came to the Prophet PBUH and made a request, “O Messenger of Allah make do that Allah grants me entrance into Jannah.” The Prophet PBUH replied, “O Mother, an old woman cannot enter Jannah. That woman started crying and began to leave. The Prophet PBUH said:

أَخْبِرُوهَا أَنَّهَا لَا تَدْخُلُهَا وَهِيَ عَجُوزٌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ: {إِنَّا أَنْشَأْنَاهُنَّ إِنْشَاءً فَجَعَلْنَاهُنَّ أَبْكَارًا عُرُبًا أَتْرَابًا}

“Say to the woman that one will not enter a state of old age, but Allah will make all the women of Jannah young virgins. Allah Ta'ala says, Lo! We have created them a (new) creation and made them virgins, lovers, equal in age. (Surah Waaqi'ah, 35-37).

Sunan al-Tirmizi (241) in al-Syama’il al-Muhammadiyyah

Which means, Allah SWT will turn all the elderly people young again, once they enter heaven.

The Prophet PBUH also jokes with children to make them happy. From Mahmud bin al-Rabi’ R.Anhuma:

عَقَلْتُ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَجَّةً مَجَّهَا فِي وَجْهِي وَأَنَا ابْنُ خَمْسِ سِنِينَ مِنْ دَلْوٍ

“When I was a boy of five, I remember, the Prophet PBUH took water from a bucket (used for getting water out of a well) with his mouth and threw it on my face.”

Sahih al-Bukhari (77)

Imam Syihabuddin al-Qastalani (w.923) in Irsyad al-Sari Li Syarh Sahih al-Bukhari (1/177) said: “The action of the Prophet PBUH is to joke or tabrik (blessed) him (Mahmud), as he did with the children of the companions.

The same is stated in another narration from Anas bin Malik RA, about how the Prophet PBUH console his nephew that had a sparrow and it has just died:

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَحْسَنَ النَّاسِ خُلُقًا، وَكَانَ لِي أَخٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ أَبُو عُمَيْرٍ - قَالَ: أَحْسِبُهُ - فَطِيمًا، وَكَانَ إِذَا جَاءَ قَالَ: يَا أَبَا عُمَيْرٍ، مَا فَعَلَ النُّغَيْر؟ نُغَرٌ كَانَ يَلْعَبُ بِهِ

“The Prophet PBUH was the best of all the people in character. I had a brother called Abu `Umar, who, I think, had been newly weaned. Whenever he (that child) was brought to the Prophet PBUH used to say, "O Abu `Umar! What did Al-Nughair (nightingale) (do)?" It was a nightingale with which he used to play.”

Sahih al-Bukhari (6203)

However, even if the Prophet PBUH jokes around with his companions, he never lies in his jokes. From Abu Hurairah RA, the companions once said to the Prophet PBUH: 'O Messenger of Allah! You joke with us?' He said:

إِنِّي لَا أَقُولُ إِلَا حَقًّا

“Indeed, I do not say except what is true."

Sunan al-Tirmizi (1990)

We can see that the Prophet PBUH’s jokes are useful words of wisdom, giving understanding and affects the hearts of people, such is the noble character of the Prophet PBUH that is protected from harm and ignorance. This is the best character set for us as an example!

Ethics in Joking

Hence, there are a few guidelines to be followed when joking:

  • Joke in moderation and not excessively, that he neglects his responsibilities and obligations

Al-Qaradhawi said: “It is not wrong for someone to joke around to calm himself, it is not wrong for him to entertain himself and his friends with light entertainment. However, do not make entertainment as a norm for him all the time, that it prevented him from his obligations when he jokes around when he should be seriously working. That’s why there’s a saying:

 

اعطِ الكَلَامَ مِنَ المَزْحِ بِقَدْرِ مَا يُعْطَي الطَّعَامُ مِنَ المِلْحِ

“Give your speech a little humor, just as enough salt is added to food.”

 

  • Don’t ridicule people

This is in accordance with a statement of Allah SWT:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِّن قَوْمٍ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَاءٌ مِّن نِّسَاءٍ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُنَّ ۖ وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِ ۖ بِئْسَ الِاسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الْإِيمَانِ ۚ وَمَن لَّمْ يَتُبْ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ

“O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them, nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after [one's] faith. And whoever does not repent - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.”

Surah al-Hujurat (11)

  • There should be no deception in a joke

From Bahz bin Hakin (bin Muawiyah bin Haidah al-Qusyairi), from his father, from his grandfather, the Prophet PBUH said:

وَيْلٌ لِلَّذِي يُحَدِّثُ بِالحَدِيثِ لِيُضْحِكَ بِهِ القَوْمَ فَيَكْذِبُ، وَيْلٌ لَهُ وَيْلٌ لَهُ

"Woe to the one who talks about something to make the people laugh, in which he lies. Woe to him! Woe to him!"

Sunan al-Tirmizi (2315)

Syeikh Abu al-Ala al-Mubarakfuri (w.1353H) in Tuhfah al-Ahwazi (6/497-498), in commenting on this hadith said: “‘Wail’ means a great disaster or a deep valley; ‘li yudhika…’ is the derivative verb for ‘idhak’ (make people laugh); ‘bihi’ means laugh because of his words or lies….. The meaning of the hadith is if someone speaks honestly to joke with his people, it is permissible, this is in reference to what happened to Umar RA when he was with the Prophet PBUH, when he was angry towards the Ummahat al-Mu’minin (wives of the Prophet PBUH). Al-Ghazzali said: Hence, it must be known that the Prophet’s jokes and humor is only in the truth, not offensive and is not excessive.

  • Does not joke about Islam or Islam’s eminence

This is in accordance with the statement of Allah SWT:

وَذَرِ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَهُمْ لَعِبًا وَلَهْوًا وَغَرَّتْهُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا

“And leave those who take their religion as amusement and diversion and whom the worldly life has deluded.”

Surah al-An’am (70)

And in another statement of Allah SWT:

الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَهُمْ لَهْوًا وَلَعِبًا وَغَرَّتْهُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْياَ

“Who took their religion as distraction and amusement and whom the worldly life deluded.”

Surah al-A’raf (51)

The commentaries for the verses above, clearly states the prohibitions of joking about anything related to Islamic teachings. This is to protect and maintain the honor of Islam as a religion itself, as has been set in Islamic maqosid of dhoruriyyat of protecting the religion. This is stated in the Quran by Allah SWT:

ذَٰلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّـهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ

“That [is so]. And whoever honors the symbols of Allah - indeed, it is from the piety of hearts.”

Surah al-Hajj (32)

Refer Al-Kafi #620: Using Islam’s Symbols or Eminence as a Joke

Conclusion

Humor and jokes are a part of humans’ nature as a result of living in a society. Islam does not forbid this activity as long as its purpose and intentions are good according to Syarak and it does not violate the prescribed ethics set in Islam. The problem today is jokes made are lacking in good teachings and values. The same goes to, jokes that humiliate, defame, deceive, done towards someone without his consent and dishonor himself and his acquaintances, causing pressure and depression problems, even though the one making it call it as jokes. This is what is prohibited by Islam because Islam puts the maqasid syariah to guard the self and honor of a human being. As a result, the phenomenon of jokes or gags made today is made to embarrass or bully, whether it is through words uttered or through words written in the cyber world such as social media and others.

On the other hand, for jokes that are useful, as well as entertaining, it will stimulate the audience to think and take lessons from the jokes made by stating or mentioning and criticizing attitudes in various fields of life, and from the lessons, it could motivate an individual to be better in the future. This kind of jokes should be promoted to replace the low-quality jokes made today. Hence, we say that jokes are permissible in Islam, as long as it conforms to the criteria we mentioned above. Wallahua'lam