Humour & joy in Islam
By Qazi Faez Isa
The ease and certainty with which people have been packed off to hell has made many lose their faith. The devil probably never smiles but arrogantly raves and rants and collects a similar crew to lead through the gates and into his kingdom. In contrast, the "inhabitants of Paradise are joyful" (36:55). Paradise is the reward for "those who spend (charity) whether in prosperity or in adversity, who restrain their anger and pardon men" (3:134).
On the day of the Final Judgment the faces of the believers will be "beaming" (80:38). But today the wells of joy, laughter and humour are running dry as most who take religion seriously mistakenly believe that a necessary accompaniment is a serious expression if not a perpetual frown. The frown, in turn, beckons anger, and from there it is a short fuse igniting a burning rage.
The Quran depicts unbelievers in a state of rage (48:29, 3:119). Happiness is associated with belief and Paradise. Those entering Paradise will be "laughing, rejoicing" as this two word verse of the Quran states (80.39). And unbelief and Hell are connected with rage. Those who do not believe will "perish in their rage" (3:119). And the Beneficial Creator commends those who restrain their rage (3:134).
The Quran informs that the inhabitants of Paradise would be "joyful", "rejoicing", in a state of "brightness and joy", "happy", and "enjoying themselves" (36:55, 43:70, 88:8, 76:11, 84:9, 52:18 and 30:15). The book of the Last Revelation also records in happy and joyful language incidents of earlier Prophets. The lady Sarah, the wife of Prophet Ibrahim, on overhearing that she would become the mother of Ishaq in her advanced years, "laughed" (11:71).
The amusing encounter of Solomon (Hazrat Sulaiman) with the ants was heavenly revealed and recorded for posterity. Solomon was amused and smiled on hearing the protest of the talking ants when he said, "O ye ants get into your habitation, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you without knowing it" (27:18).
Chapter 80 of the Quran is titled 'He frowned' (Abasa). The title records an incident when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was explaining the revelation of the Quran to the notables of the Quraish and was interrupted by a poor and blind man (Abdullah ibn Umm-i-Muktum) who wanted to learn the Quran but the Prophet frowned upon his interruption. The Prophet of Allah undoubtedly regretted his own behaviour as "without the least hesitation published this revelation" that was received by him.
In our times the sight of a pleasant, bearded and smiling face is somewhat of a rarity. In the mosques sermonizers rarely look happy or pleased. The priestly exhortations of fire and brimstone that have rained down from many a pulpit seem to have infiltrated our mosques. Rare is the glad and happy sermon, uplifting the heart and soul. The environment is mostly one of sombre retribution and severe punishments.
The threat of damnation and wrath reverberates. The amplification provided by the loudspeaker is not considered sufficient by the sermonizer who must also shout into it. With the advent of Ramazan the eardrums are assailed by thunderous voices driving sleep away and putting reason on a similar flight. In exhorting believers to scripture and practising 'naat' at all hours of the night the teaching itself is ironically violated. The merciful Creator castigates loud voices: "Lower thy voice; for the harshest of sounds without doubt is the braying of the ass" (31:19).
Gentle angelic qualities of joy, laughter and sweetness, best reflected in the blessed prophet of Allah, are in sharp contrast with devilish severity and its accompanying tears, heartache and bitterness. Through the Companions (sahaba) of the Messenger of God we have received reports about the Messenger's sayings and demeanour. "Whoever is without gentleness is devoid of good" is a famous saying of the Prophet (pbuh).
"I have never seen anyone who smiled more than the Envoy of Allah", said the Companion Abdullah, son of Harith. Another Companion Jarir said that "he [the Prophet] never saw me without smiling." And the Companion Anas informs us that, "I never saw anyone more kind to children than Rasul Allah."
There are a few reported incidents of the Prophet either joking or appreciating a humorous incident. 'Usman will enter paradise laughing, because he made me laugh', said the Prophet. The Messenger of Allah saw Hazrat Usman [the third Caliph] eating dates while one of his eyes was afflicted with ophthalmia and remarked "What! Eating dates when your eye is afflicted?" Hazrat Usman answered "I am eating from the other side." The Prophet laughed heartily.
The Traditions (hadith) compiler, Abu Dawud, records that Amr ibn al As said that he avoided a bath on a cold night after having become impure for prayer and instead performed dry ablution (tayammum) and the Prophet, upon learning of this, remarked "Amr, you performed prayers while in a state of impurity" (junub)? Amr responded by citing the Quranic verse: "And kill not yourselves. Indeed God has been most Merciful to you." The Prophet laughed and said nothing further.
In the very same circumstances our self-styled ulema would probably admonish and issue a declaration (fatwa) that the person was an unbeliever (kafir). A Sufi's response to one such castigator was: "You call me an unbeliever. I shall therefore call you a True Believer - since a lie is best met with one of similar magnitude."
Sufi teachers would employ simple anecdotes to disarm, teach and convert. Humour and kindness played a significant role in the spread of Islam. Anger, clenched fists, cursing and threats of God's retribution have not helped in the spiritual conquest of any new lands. Hazrat Ali, said, "Minds get tired, as do bodies, so treat them with humour." And Abu al-Darda said, "I entertain my heart with something trivial in order to make it stronger in the service of the truth."
Most Sunni Muslims in the subcontinent profess to be the followers of Imam Abu Hanifa's theological school but forget his advice. In a letter to his student Yusuf ibn Khalid as-Samit he wrote: "Show affection to people as much as possible and greet even blameworthy people... When you meet others in a gathering or join them in a mosque and questions are discussed in a way different to your position, do not rush to disagree... But friendly with them and joke with them sometimes and chat with them. Love encourages people to persevere in knowledge."
Abu Hanifa refused to accept appointment as chief judge (qadi) from Al-Mansur, the Abbassi Caliph, and told him that he was not fit for such an appointment. Al-Mansur told him, "You lie, you are fit." Abu Hanifia retorted that in that case, "How can it be lawful for you to appoint someone who is a liar as qadi?"
For disobedience, Abu Hanifia was arrested and received 110 lashes. Before his death he left instructions that he should not be buried in any land misappropriated by Al-Mansur. When the Caliph heard this he exclaimed in exasperation, "Who will save me from Abu Hanifia, both when he was alive and now when he is dead?" Abu Hanifia died a martyr for not having compromised his principles and had the last laugh at Mansur's expense.