As the saying goes, “laughing is the best medicine”, people often use laughing as a therapy to reduce stress and other mental related illness. However some people laugh too much until it becomes a habit for them. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab said:"Whoever laugh too much or joke too much, loses respect and whoever persists in doing something will be known for it”. Laughing too much will deaden the heart and display bad characters in some extends. Islam does not prohibit joking, but with regulations and moderations. Therefore, there are rules in joking in Islam according to the sunna.




Joke for less, healthier soul for more



Joking is a relaxation for the soul from an ongoing seriousness, striving and tiring daily life responsibilities. The amount of joking should be like the amount of salt in one’s food. Too much salt deaden the body, likewise too much jokes deaden the soul. It is crucial to minimize the amount of joke as it might distract ourselves from the remembrance of Allah and worst, it can make us easily become forgetful.



Appropriate time



A man said to Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah.”Joking is not right, it is to be denounced.” He replied.”Rather it is a sunna,but only for those who know how to do it and do it at the appropriate time”. It is inappropriate when you joke while others are serious over a matter. This eventually will create bad impressions and people will get annoyed and create hatred towards a certain extend.



Not insulting



Sensitive matters vary between individuals. Some may regards joking over someone’s weirdness as not insulting; some may not and really against it. Positively, the weirdness is the uniqueness that they should be proud of, not shame of. However, for the joker, that’s doesn’t mean that you can just make fun of anything for excessive joke will eventually bring about humiliation to the people you joke about. ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez said: “Fear joking, for it is folly and generates grudges”. Therefore, do not joke over someone’s sensitive issues as you will only create hatred and bad impressions as Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas said:”Set a limit to your jokes, for going to extremes makes you lose respect and incited the foolish against you.”



Strengthening relationship



A little joke will make relationship between friends and family becomes warmer. It is also a practically good exercise to make the relationship stronger. Bilal ibn Sa’d said:”I saw them (the sahabah) jokingly pretending to fight over some goods, and laughing with one another, but when night came, they were like monks”.







Nowadays, even though joking is needed to strengthen the relationship, people have just gone too far in regards to the original purposes. It is no longer crucially a relaxation of soul, moderation and strengthening-relationship catalyst. It is a habit, they claimed. A crucial habit needed in any occasions that wasted their times and strayed themselves away from the remembrance of Allah. The Prophet SAW said:”If you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much”. That is the enough doses for joking.



“The kind of joking which is forbidden is that which is excessive and persistent, for it leads to too much laughter and hardening of the heart, it distracts from remembrance of Allaah, and it often leads to hurt feelings, generates hatred and causes people to lose respect and dignity. But whoever is safe from such dangers, then that which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to do is permissible for him.”(Imam Nawawi)