In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful…
Let us be reminded that while light-hearted, honest joking from time to time is permissible, there are indeed dangers in joking that many of us may not think about and therefore fall into, so let us be warned about them:
1) JOKES INVOLVING LIES
Indeed the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) warned us severely against using lies in our joking, with his statement:
ويل للذي يحدث بالحديث ليضحك به القوم فيكذب، ويل له، ويل له
“Woe to the one who lies to make people laugh, WOE TO HIM, WOE TO HIM!”
This is an authenitc hadeeth found in Sunan Abee Daawood (#4990), At-Tirmithee (#2315), and others. At-Tirmithee called the hadeeth hasan, and Al-Albaanee agreed.
Someone may say, “Well, its obvious this joke is full of lies, but I’m not the one who made it up, I’m just passing it on.”
The reply: The hadeeth of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) that Imaam Muslim brings in the introduction to his Saheeh could apply here:
كفى بالمرء كذبًا أن يحدث بكل ما سمع
“It is sufficient for a man to be considered a liar when he relays everything he hears.”
Lies in general are impermissible, in joking or outside of joking. There are three exceptions to the general prohibition of lying in Islaam:
- Between spouses
- To correct a broken relationship
- In established military operations (jihad) under a Muslim government
Even in these three cases it must only be used to bring about a benefit.
The point is that none of the scholars exempted joking as a permissible form of lying.
2) EXCESSIVE JOKING
The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:
لا تكثروا الضحك، فإن كثرة الضحك تميت القلب
“Don’t laugh too much! For verily, excessive laughter kills the heart!”
This is an authentic hadeeth found in Sunan Ibn Maajah (#4193). Refer to Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah (#506).
And he (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) also said:
يا أمة محمد! والله لو تعلمون ما أعلم لضحكتم قليلا ولبكيتم كثيرا
“O Nation of Muhammad! By Allaah, if you knew what I know, you would laugh little and cry much.” [Al-Bukhaaree & Muslim]
So the Muslim who recognizes his priorities in life does not get caught up in excessive joking, for example, joke books or comedy programs on TV or radio, since these things will only weaken his heart, keep it away from Allaah’s remembrance, or even kill it, and Allaah’s refuge is sought.
3) INSULTING PEOPLE IN JEST (Satire, Sarcasm, Roasting, etc.)
The disbelievers have a custom of intentionally insulting a person to honor him (?!), they call it a “roast.” They gather the best comedians together to humiliate their “honoree” on his 50th birthday, or his retirement party, or other big occasion. And from their customs as well is to jokingly insult a friend, out of love or respect (?!), as you may have seen.
They might say, “This is my friend, Fulaan, the fat pig,” and they all laugh, or, “My wife, the old ball and chain…” or other derogatory terms that are actually words of insult in their origin. They only spark hatred and do not achieve any goodness, so the Muslim must be the furthest away from this kind of action. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:
سباب المسلم فسوق، وقتاله كفر
“Insulting a Muslim is fusooq (sinful disobedience), and fighting him is kufr (ingratitude, a lesser kind of disbelief).” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]
Or perhaps they may say these things without that person’s presence, then it is even worse. It falls into eating your brother’s dead flesh, the dreadful sin of backbiting.
And if someone said: “But it is understood by everyone to be good, honest fun…!”
The reply: Let us be reminded of Allaah’s Verse:
الخبيثات للخبيثين والخبيثون للخبيثات والطيبات للطيبين والطيبون للطيبات
( And bad things (filthy women, bad words, etc.) are for bad people, and bad people are for bad things. Good things (upright women, kind words, etc.) are for good people, and good people are for good things. ) [Al-Qur’aan 24:26]
And the speech of His noble Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam):
من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليقل خيرا أو ليصمت
“Whoever believes in Allaah and the Last Day must speak with goodness or remain silent.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]
With these brief and simple points, let an honest Muslim open his heart to a beautiful reminder about how his Religion gives him personal honor and upright character, raising him above the silly and shameful behavior of the disbelievers.
And Allaah knows best.
Written by: Moosaa Richardson
Originally published: 11/02/1421
Updated: 9/16/1433
JazaakAllaahu khayraa for this beneficial article! I understand that the three exceptions mentioned to the forbiddence of lying all occur in a single hadeeth. Would you be able to quote it here? Unfortunately people sometimes take this to mean that you can lie for any ‘benefit’ or that the lying permitted in the three cases mentioned is unrestricted so that you can lie unrestrictedly to your spouse/during war/to correct a relationship. Could you expand on what the scholars have said about ‘it must only be used to bring about a benefit’?
2927 – ( حسن لغيره )
وعن أبي أمامة رضي الله عنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال أنا زعيم ببيت في وسط الجنة لمن ترك الكذب وإن كان مازحا
رواه البيهقي بإسناد حسن
ورواه أبو داود والترمذي وحسنه وابن ماجه في حديث تقدم في حسن الخلق
Saheeh at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb (of Al-Albaanee rahimahullaah)
I would like to know if something is considered a lie when the one saying it and the one hearing it both know it isn’t true. For example i’m walking with a person that walks very slow and i say sarcastic to the person , why are you walking so fast? is this joking with a lie or not?
This is known as “al-qalb (al-maqsood)” in Arabic, similar to our English sarcasm. Except that in Arabic it is more often positive, used for tafaa’ul (thinking good thoughts about people and situations), like when the Arabs refer to a blind person as “baseer”, meaning: someone with sight, while they intend insight, not eyesight. Sarcasm can be used in a harmful insult, and it can be used positively.
Some scholars use the Quranic Verse, 44:49 (which means “Taste (the punishment of the Fire)! As you are the mighty and noble one!”), to prove that obvious sarcasm is a form of truthful speech. The verse contains what can be considered a sarcastic insult to a deserving individual, Aboo Jahl. And Allaah knows best.
Assalaamu Alaikum wa rahmatullah.
After reading the third point mentioned here, the question arises about two friends who occasionally poke fun at one another in a lighthearted manner. If done in a way that breeds no contempt or hatred, does it still fall under the prohibition of insulting a Muslim?
Jazaak Allahu Khair
Wa alaykas-salaamu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. Occasional light-hearted, honest joking between close friends that never causes animosity or any harm falls under permissible laghw (idle speech). Some of the early scholars, like Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and his closest companions, joked amongst themselves, declaring each other dha’eef in some of their narrations from their oldest teachers whom they only learned a few hadeeth from! So long as it remains harmless, honest, occasional, and light-hearted, it should not be considered a “sabb” (insult) referred to in the hadeeth. If it is unclear whether it could be insulting or not, then it must left off, since insults are fusooq (impermissible disobedience) as mentioned in the hadeeth above. And Allaah knows best.
BaarakAllaahu feek.
In the 2nd hadeeth under the 2nd point, there’s some discrepancy between the Arabic wording & the English translation. In the phrases: “I swear by the One in whose hand is my soul”; “if you SAW what I had SEEN.”
By the way, here are the 2 versions I found in my electronic versions of Bukhari & Muslim:
والذي نفس محمد بيده لو رأيتم ما رأيت لضحكتم قليلا ولبكيتم كثيرا قالوا وما رأيت يا رسول الله قال رأيت الجنة والنار
(يا أمة محمد،)
لو تعلمون ما أعلم، لضحكتم قليلا ولبكيتم كثيرا
Inshaa’Allaah, it can be corrected without approving this comment.
Wa feek Akhee Saadiq. No one should have any shyness about correcting a mistake related to the Deen of Allaah. May Allaah bless you for your comment. The article has been updated after a more careful review of the sources. Note that there are two hadeeths with very similar wordings – one is from Anas’ narration, the other is reported by ‘Aa’ishah, and both are in al-Bukhaaree and Muslim.
There was a shaykh, when introducing his teacher to give a talk, related an incident in which he said, once his teacher picked him up from the airport, and was driving 90mph in a 50mph zone. He said when his teacher drives, he sits in almost a supine position, and drives very fast, and Malaaikah control the car. He said he never gets a ticket, because the Malaaikah form a force field around the car, and police radar bounces off that force field. He said this all in a joking manner. Is this type of talk permissible?
This involves speaking about the Unseen without knowledge, as he does not know Angels were controlling the car, or they formed a force field around the car. Making claims about the Unseen without evidence is a form of lying. Allaah says: ولا تقف ما ليس لك به علم (And do not follow after what you have no knowledge of) 17:36. Lying in joking is a major sin, as shown clearly in the hadeeth discussed in the above article. Joking about serious issues of the Unseen like Angels may also be mockery of the Religion, which is outside of Islaam. Such a person should be advised to repent and not return to such foul speech again. And Allaah knows best.
okay suppose this person realizes now that what he did was wrong and his mocking is a nullifier.
how should he repent , is it sufficient that he repents between himself and Allah ?
or does he openly repent and go and tell everyone those who were present with him at that time that he did was grave mistake and is remorseful for it, even though those who present didn’t get involved or agree with him in that mocking ?
He must rectify if others were involved. Those who enjoyed or approved of someone’s mockery of something in Islam have also fallen into this nullifier, and those who remained silent when capable of forbidding it verbally have at least fallen into sin, so he must -AS AN OBLIGATION- share what he has learned with them, and encourage them to repent for not forbidding an evil. Allah stipulates ISLAAH (rectification) along with repentance when third parties are involved in the sin.
إلا الذين تابوا وأصلحوا وبينوا فأولئك أتوب عليهم وأنا التواب الرحيم
“Except for those who repent, rectify, and clarify. Such are the ones whose repentance I accept, and I am the One who accepts repentance, the Ever-Merciful.” [2:160]
See also: 3:89, 4:146, 16:119, and 24:5.
And Allah knows best.
As Salam Aleykum wa rahmatullahu wa Baarakatu,
May Allah preserves you and your family,
How can someone who would like to enter Islam with good intentions and understanding of it, repent for ripping à Mushaf due to past disbelief and anger led by Shaytan?
Jazaakallahu Khayran
Wa ‘alaykum as-Salaamu wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatuh. He hastens to repent, feeling genuine remorse for his sin, intent to never do it again. That’s all, with sincerity to Allah alone.
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
if some muslim (who was not religious and ignorant of the Nullifiers) in his past made such kind of mockeries or jokes of things belonging to the religion on multiple occasions and in front of multiple people who were once his friends (that were ignorant muslims like him and some non-muslims) and later he cut off from them for whatever reasons.
And now at present this person reads about the nullifiers of islam and recalls some of his actions or instances of that past which were something that would nullify his islam.
Now should he contact all those with whom of whom he had joked and clarify and make tawbah even though he has totally cut off from them years back or can he just repent to Allah with sincerity ?
وعليكم السلام ةرحمة الله وبركاته
Along with earnest repentance, reaching out to them would only lead to good, in shaa’ Allah. Perhaps they will need such an important reminder at this time. May Allah give this person and them success!
Some of the Almaghrib Institute instructors appoint “joke managers” to remind them to tell jokes in class when they forget! The dawah itself has become one big joke to them: http://safeshare.tv/w/yzcqXkhKen (Admin: YouTube link replaced by SafeShare link)
Assalam alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu. Can you explain if there is any principles/conditions/guidelines etc… regarding the lies in the marriage. If there is any source I can access in english, do let me know. Barak Allahu feekum.
السلام عليكم ورحمةالله وبركاته
Barrak Allaahu feek. I take from this article that sarcasm is haram as well since it didn’t fall under any of the exceptions. Is this correct?
وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته
Sarcasm might be too negative a word for this, but there are good uses of language when a person uses the technique in Arabic called “Qalb”, where they would name an especially light-skinned baby, “Aswad” (black/dark), or the opposite, or they call a blind man “baseer” (sighted). Also, it can be used to disgrace someone who deserves to be rebuked and disgraced, like when it is said to the disbeliever in the Hellfire, when being punished and disgraced:
ذق إنك أنت العزيز الكريم
“Taste [the punishment], as you are indeed the ‘azeez (mighty one), the kareem (noble, generous one).” (Soorah ad-Dukhaan, verse 49)
Meaning: As you liked to be considered, or as your people used to say about you. This is said to a disbeliever as the time of disgracing torment in Hell. So it is understood to mean: You are humiliated and disgraced (the opposite).
So this would be applied in something like the following scenario: A man who brags about how rich he is all of the time, an arrogant man worthy of being rebuked. He comes and asks for zakaat privately, so it is said to him, “So the RICH MAN needs some money, huh?” In a way to humble him, or at least show open dislike for his arrogant bragging.
Another example: Once there was a man bragging about himself that he was a “master of the Arabic Language and Sciences”. He was selling Arabic courses online for large amounts of money. A student of one of the scholars listened to him read a basic text, al-Qayrawaaniyyah. He erred numerous times in basic grammar issues and fundamentals that beginners should know. So the student said, “It seems like this master of the Arabic Sciences needs to learn basic grammar.”
In both examples provided above, it could not be said that it is a lie. Rather, it is effective use of language and context. Some people might like to take this issue and STRETCH it to include plays, lying jokes, and other impermissible behavior. There remains a clear difference between an acceptable remark of the nature described and someone saying, “A bear, a rabbit, and a donkey argue about X…” (a joke about things that never happened). And Allah knows best.
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
May Allah bless and protect you Ustadh Moosa.
My Question is I am a businessman and while customers are bargaining I jokingly increase the price. Say the price is 100 and the customer is bargaining for 95, i ask the customer to pay 105. Both of us know that we are joking. So is it permissible.
جزاك الله خيرا
وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته
To (jokingly or seriously) ask for a price that would not be acceptable to the buyer is not dishonesty. However, saying “I will not sell it for less than $105…” is not truthful, if you would sell it for $90. May Allah bless you.
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
I am an Asian Man whom Allah has tremendously blessed to live a muslim arab country and has also blessed with a thick beard. However, I sometimes find some of the people (i.e arabs) here where I live call or refer or beckon me saying “YAA MUTAWWA” in a rather unrespectable manner.
Now should I consider this a mockery of the beard (a nullifier) or them just making a mockery of my looks (which is a sin and still forbidden).
If it is mockery of beard and the religion , the next time it happens (and perhaps also any other kind of mockery of religion which I witness personally) what is the course of action to be taken ? Do I report this to the muslim authorities to take action due to the severity of the statements?
وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته
May Allah reward you for this concern! Be patient with the ignorance of the common people, and seek Allah’s Assistance in advising them to the best of your ability. I would advise that you show care and concern for your mistaken brothers, ask them if you could share something important with them privately, and then show them this video on your phone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAqNqqjMXTU
I would advise that you download it onto your phone if possible, or even just the audio of it, and be patient and take the time to advise with it whenever you hope someone might listen and reflect. Also, you could approach the khateeb of your local masjid about it, and ask if he could mention a warning against it sometimes. And Allah knows best.
As Salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaah,
Masha Allaah Tabarak Allaah, great advice from our Noble brother in referring the brother to the esteemed Shaykh Saleh Al-Fawzan.
Assalamu Alaykum usthad moosa, I see here that you have provided us a good youtube video and told us to download it. But will I be sinful for violating the YouTube terms of service if download from YouTube.
Please read this:
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/is-it-legal-to-download-youtube-videos/
Also please not that you cannot find any YouTube downloader apps in Google play store. They are available as apk files in third party websites only. Not acknowledged by Google.
Wa ‘alaykum as-Salaamu wa rahmatullaah. You are raising a legitimate concern, may Allah bless you.
My doubt is ot about using the download button available on YouTube app. It does not let you send the video via Bluetooth or email or open with a video player app. So it’s not really a downloading option. My doubt is about using those third party apps and sites and downloading videos and sharing. I have seen a salafi brother downloading religious clips like that. And myself and another brother didn’t do it fearing of sin by violating their rule. So please advice
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
Would you be able to explain some guidelines on what kind of joking about the deen constitutes kufr? Because I’ve heard a good number of jokes from a number of different scholars and western salafi students, who I know you know and respect, make jokes in their lessons/talks where something of the deen is the subject.
They say things that I would be mortified to say, because I just assume احتياطاً the deen should never be the subject of any jokes no matter what, but I’ve across so many different instances I’m starting to wonder if I am being extreme in this matter or if my understanding is incorrect.
If you would like examples I can forward them to you insha’Allah
وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته
What is forbidden is joking which includes anything in Islam being mocked, ridiculed, marginalized, or belittled.
A brother was asked why he don’t marry multiple wives to which he replied jokingly saying “that is because I practice Tawheed as it relates to marriage”. After he said that, then it was replied jokingly to him, “this is the Tawheed of the fearful ! ”
are these statements considered mockery of an aspect of religion i.e. tawheed ?
I don’t see anything wrong with this, and Allah knows best. It seems harmless, and the word towheed in the Arabic language can mean to keep something limited to one. Allah tells us that if one fears being unjust between his wives, then one wife is best. See: Quran 4:3.