Question:
Assalamualaikum sir. I would like to know about the viral trend where a husband pranks his wife by cheating on her. However, the wife does not take that as a prank but worse, causes her to get anxiety and reported having trauma due to this. I would like to clarify on what are the limitations of joking especially pranking between husband and wife. I feel troubled to see young generations nowadays often copying the Westerners in producing such trash content. Hope you may provide some explanation and remark pertaining to this.
Brief Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wbt. The ruling of a husband pranks his wife by cheating on her is prohibited in Islam. This is because it crosses Shara’ boundaries which prohibit excessive joking by cheating and fabricating stories. In fact, it is haram for a husband or wife to hurt the feelings of his/ her spouse until it causes emotional and physical harm. This trend of doing pranks shall not be done especially when it is broadcasted through the internet and social media
Explanation:
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.
Islam encourages all husbands to do good and be affectionate towards their wives. A husband shall not lie or tease his wife in a way that harms his wife’s emotions and physical. Allah SWT says:
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِّتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them, and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed, in that are signs for a people who give thought.
Surah al-Rum (21)
Prof. Dr. Wahbah al-Zuhayli said that the relationship between husband and wife is based on love towards one another in which both of them always find a way to strengthen the relationship and bond between them by fulfilling their own obligations. A family will be blessed if each member of the family fulfils his/ her basic obligations in a marriage; a husband needs a wife as a place to share the love while the wife needs the husband as the bearer of nafaqah and as a caretaker. [1]
(See Tafsir al-Munir: 21-22/69]
According to al-Quran and the above tafsir, both husband and wife shall communicate with one another with love, good words, speaking softly as well as affectionate in order to make the marriage stays afloat. A person shall not make jokes by hurting his or her spouse’s feelings like cheating and the like. There is a clear prohibition from the Prophet PBUH upon cheating and falsehood even in the form of jokes and pranks, like when the Prophet PBUH said:
وَيْلٌ لِلَّذِي يُحَدِّثُ فَيَكْذِبُ لِيُضْحِكَ بِهِ الْقَوْمَ وَيْلٌ لَهُ وَيْلٌ لَهُ
Woe to him who tells things, speaking falsely, to make people laugh thereby. Woe to him! Woe to him!
Sunan Abu Dawud (4990)
According to Syeikh Asyraf Siddiqi, the above hadith explains that a grave reminder is imposed on those who lie due to making jokes or making people laugh, with the lowest level of Hellfire. [2]
(See Aunul Ma’bud: 8/133]
Falsehood also shall not be made as jokes, especially when the joke is true. The Prophet PBUH said:
إن الكذب لا يصلح في جد ولا هزل
Indeed, lying is not correct, neither in seriousness nor in jest.
Sunan Ibn Majah (46)
Imam al-Sindi explains on the phrase La Yuslih (لا يصلح) in the above hadith which means stern warning and prohibition towards all believers from lying. [3] The falsehood itself causes bad effects towards the doer or those who lie. Lying is also one of the bad akhlak and morale. [4], in which on the Hereafter, Allah SWT will write them as ‘cheater’.
(Refer Syarah Sunan Ibn Majah: 1/35-36)
In the article Irsyad al-Fatwa Series 566, we explained the ruling and effects of pranks through Islamic perspectives. Excessive pranks like scaring others or uncovering others’ aib are totally prohibited, especially when the actions are uploaded on social media. Due to these pranks, other people become worried and sad, especially when those affected are our own spouses. [5]
Conclusion
So, we conclude here that the ruling of a husband pranks his wife by cheating on her is haram in Islam. This is because, it crosses Shara’ boundaries which prohibit excessive jokes by cheating, lying, creating false stories and etc. Such jokes cause bad effects on a wife’s emotions and mental state, and in fact, it is haram for a husband or a wife to cause emotional or physical harm towards one another. Our advice is such a trend shall not be done especially when it is broadcast on the internet and social media.
Wallahu a’lam.
End Notes:
[1] وجعل بين الجنسين المودة أي المحبة, والرحمة أي الشفاقة ليتعاون الجنسان على أعباء الحياة, وتدوم الأسرة على أقوى أساس وأتم نظام, فإن الرجل يمسك المرأة ويتعلق بها إما لمحبته لها, أو لرحمة بها بأن يكون لها منه ولد, أو محاجته إليه في الإنفاق, أو للألفة بينهما وغير ذلك
[2] هلاك عظيم, أو واد عميق في جهنم
[3] لا يحل أو لا يوافق شأن المؤمن بالجد أي بطريق الجد
[4] لعل الكذب بخاصيته يفضي الإنسان إلى القبائح, ويحتمل أن الراد بالفجور هو نفس ذلك الكذب
[5] Irsyad al-Fatwa siri ke-566: Hukum Prank Dalam Islam, Pejabat Mufti Wilayah Persekutuan, accessed on 22nd October 2021. https://muftiwp.gov.my/en/artikel/irsyad-fatwa/irsyad-fatwa-umum-cat/4785-irsyad-al-fatwa-siri-ke-566-hukum-prank-dalam-islam