Bigotry: The Dark Danger

The idea that joking, humor and laughter must be avoided

Fabricated hadiths clearly show how people with a fanatical mindset are deprived of the blessing of happiness and humor and laughter, one of human beings' greatest needs.

Imam al-Sadiq said, “Loud boisterous laughter is from satan.” (al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 664, no. 10)

Abu Abdullah said: “Avoid (excessive) joking and humor since it takes away the light of faith.” (al-Kafi)

The Imam said, “In laughing do not allow your teeth to become visible.” (al-Kafi)

“Do not laugh too much, for laughing too much kills the heart." (Sahih al-Jaami’, 7312; al-Tirmidhi, 2305; Ibn Majah, 4193)

It is narrated from him from ibn Faddal from al-Hassan ibn al-Jahm from Ibrahim ibn Mehzam from those whom he has mentioned (in his book) from abu al-Hassan: “Yahya (John) ibn Zakariya would weep and would not laugh. Jesus, son of Mary would laugh and weep. What Jesus did was better than what Yahya would do.” (al-Kafi)

Imam al-Sadiq said, “The laughter of a believer is a smile.” (al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 664, no. 5)

These false hadiths very well describe the terrifying and chilly world of the fanatics. Readers will remember that in the beginning of this book we looked at how the dark world of the fanatics manifests itself in all places, and how it appears, not just in the outside world, but inside their hearts, in their pernicious attitudes to women, flowers or cats. The false hadiths cited here reveal how far removed the fanatics are from happiness, laughter and humor which is a great blessing, part of human nature and one of people’s greatest needs. It is clear that, in the presence of a system that prohibits laughter, people who learn from these false hadiths that the prophets supposedly never laughed can become closely bound up with such a perverse and fanatical faith.

Yet in the Qur’an, Muslims are forbidden to grieve. A Muslim is the happiest person in the world because he knows how to submit to God, bear himself with fortitude, give thanks and surrender himself to God. He will have no worries about the future; he will know that the difficulties that befall him are all for the best and be aware that everything happens within destiny and know that death is not the end, but the moment when one meets God and the eternal life. God gives believers of the glad tidings of paradise in the Qur’an. All these things are cause for Muslims to rejoice. God wishes us to exhibit the moral values of paradise in this world as well because these are the values that please Him.