Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamualikum,

I would appreciate your efforts in educating all the muslim brothers and sisters about Islam and what Islam permits and what Islam refuses. I would really pray to Allah subhanallah for all of you for creating awareness (Jazak-allah-hu-khair).

My question to you is that we tend to joke with a person whom we are close with or any person for that matter we would have conversation may be in terms of appreciating him or trying to put him down or try to pull his legs.

We know that we are trying to creat humor out of it or it is just for time pass and the other person in some senarios knows why we are doing it and even he would not matter and he knows this is for fun. In this senarios the other person who would listen to this conversation would judge this as really bad for humanity and in some senarios the person would feel bad and would not tell us on the face that he is feeling bad about it and would keep quite. In this case are we accountable for what we are doing, will Allah punishes us for this. Please guide me in light of holy Quran and hadith.

I would really appreciate if you reply back and create awareness.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Pranks and jokes

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

May Allah Subhanah reward you with the best of this world and the Hereafter for your kind comments of encouragement for our humble efforts in the propagation of the Truth. If our humble and modest efforts have helped even one brother or sister get closer to Allah and His Deen of Truth, then we would consider ourselves indeed fortunate to have been given this opportunity by the Lord Most Merciful to serve in His Cause. We hope, beg, and pray the Merciful Lord accepts our humble and weak efforts, forgives us our shortcomings, and saves you, us, and all the believers from the torment of the Hell Fire. Ameen.

Your Question: ….In this case are we accountable for what we are doing, will Allah punishes us for this. Please guide me in light of holy Quran and hadith.

If one is sitting amongst extremely close friends or loved ones, and occasionally one happens to amuse themselves with some light humor by ‘pulling their loved one’s leg’ so to say….there is room, albeit only a little, for such casual and genuine humor amongst close friends and loved ones.

But if one pulls a joke, or a prank, or laughs at others in a manner where the victim is hurt or offended or humiliated, even if ever so slightly….. especially if the one pulling the prank thinks or believes that he is superior and better than the other….such pranks and jokes are categorically forbidden for those believers who sincerely fear Allah and the Last Day.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 49 Surah Hujuraat verse 10:

10 The believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers: And fear Allah that ye may receive Mercy.

11 O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: it may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some women laugh at others: it may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness (to be used of one) after he has believed: And those who do not desist are (indeed) doing wrong.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.10 Narrated by Abu Musa

Some people asked Allah's Messenger (saws) "Whose Islam is the best? (ie. Who is a very good Muslim)?" He (saws) replied, "One who avoids harming the believers with his tongue and his hands."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 29 (part) Narrated by Mu'adh ibn Jabal

…….The Messenger of Allah (saws) took hold of his tongue and said: ‘Exercise restraint on it.’ I (Muadh) said: ‘O Messenger of Allah (saws), would we be held responsible for what we say with it?’ Thereupon the Prophet (saws) said: ‘O Mu'adh, may your mother be bereaved! Will anything else besides (irresponsible) talk cause the people to be thrown into the Hell-Fire upon their faces or on their nostrils?’

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan