seasonsali: To laugh or not to laugh?

Thursday, April 22, 2010

To laugh or not to laugh?

2 Votes

And that it is He (Allah) Who makes (whom He wills) laugh, and makes (whom He wills) weep.
( سورة النجم , An-Najm, Chapter #53, Verse #43)

So if we are happy and we smile Alhamdulillah. But what I want to mention here is the excess of laughter.
Have you ever been in gatherings where there is excessive laughter and you have no idea why they are laughing and when you ask your nearest laughing person they have no idea too?

Gatherings and talk of no substance is common. People engaging in vain talk, saucy jokes, trying to win hearts by making them laugh.

People attending and participating such gatherings as a release from the stresses of life and everyday routine. The joker of the group tells made up stories and makes people laugh craving admiration and acceptance in the group.
He is the person that the Prophet (pbuh) warned against:

“Woe to the one who talks and tells lies to make people laugh… woe to him, woe to him!” (Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7136).
So is it haraam to laugh? Are we expected as Muslims to walk around with miserable faces?
Certainly not!

And that it is He (Allah) Who makes (whom He wills) laugh, and makes (whom He wills) weep.

( سورة النجم , An-Najm, Chapter #53, Verse #43)

But we also read:

And you laugh at it and weep not,
( سورة النجم , An-Najm, Chapter #53, Verse #60)

For believing men and women this life is not for jokes and amusements.

Loud laughter is not a characteristic of believing people who think of Allah (swt) and the Divine Revelation often, people who think of death and the grave, the Day of Resurrection, people who think of the state of themselves and their sins , their kin, the Ummah, the World .

Loud laughter is not for people who have read the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet(saw) and are following his (saw) example.

We read in ahadeeths :

Narrated ‘Abdullah: A (Jewish) Rabbi came to Allah’s Apostle and he said, “O Muhammad! We learn that Allah will put all the heavens on one finger, and the earths on one finger, and the trees on one finger, and the water and the dust on one finger, and all the other created beings on one finger. Then He will say, ‘I am the King.’ Thereupon the Prophet smiled so that his pre-molar teeth became visible, and that was the confirmation of the Rabbi. Then Allah’s Apostle recited: ‘No just estimate have they made of Allah such as due to Him.’ (39.67) Sahih Bukhari (Book #60, Hadith #335)

” … The Prophet smiled till his pre-molar teeth became visible…” Bukhari (Book #31, Hadith #157)

Narrated ‘Aisha: (the wife of the Prophet), I never saw Allah’s Apostle laughing loudly enough to enable me to see his uvula, but he used to smile only. … Bukhari (Book #60, Hadith #353

So what are we to do if we are ever caught in ” excessive” laughter and gaiety scenarios?

I would say to start with would be to try to change the topic. If this does not work, just leave the gathering.

Say: What! shall I seek a Lord other than Allah? And He is the Lord of all things; and no soul earns (evil) but against itself, and no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another; then to your Lord is your return, so He will inform you of that in which you differed. (Holy Qur’an 6:164)

We as Muslims are advised always to take the middle path:

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “The deeds of anyone of you will not save you (from the (Hell) Fire).” They said, “Even you (will not be saved by your deeds), O Allah’s Apostle?” He said, “No, even I (will not be saved) unless and until Allah bestows His Mercy on me. Therefore, do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and worship Allah in the forenoon and in the afternoon and during a part of the night, and always adopt a middle, moderate, regular course whereby you will reach your target (Paradise).” Bukhari (Book #76, Hadith#470)