Making Fun of Friends and Educational Material with Foul Language
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam
Question: Salamu alaikum
1.Is it permitted to make jokes about a friend’s weight or the way a person eats if this person is not hurt by this kind of humor?
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“The believer can do no worse than belittle his brother”.
Does it mean that if the brother is hurt by the jokes then it is “belittling”?
2. In class we watch short clips with bad language during the lesson. Is it obligatory for me to leave the room? What is the general rule for bad language?
Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.
Contempt of a Fellow Believer
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Do not envy one another, do not bid against on another, bidding in order to raise the price, do not hate one another, do not turn your backs on one another, and none of you should sell against the sale of anyone else. Be slaves of Allah, brothers. A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim: he should not wrong him nor scorn him nor disappoint him. Godfearing is here,” and he pointed to his breast three times. “It is enough evil for man to scorn his Muslim brother. The blood, property and honour of a Muslim is unlawful to another Muslim.”
Belittling another believer would be humiliating them, disgracing them, or holding them in contempt, and the like .
As for joking, there are conditions for their permissibility. Please refer to the following: Is It Impermissible to Tell Inappropriate Jokes? and: Lying When Joking
Bad Language
In general, it is impermissible to swear. However, such rulings don’t apply to non-Muslims.
Please see: The Ruling on Swearing
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam,
Tabraze Azam
Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani
