3. Lying To Make Others Laugh

The Messenger ~ said: j "1~/ j "1: / /·~11 O.J ~ ~lD ~~ ,,-.ilJ "1: / c..r,..J c..r,..J i r /; / -/ . / - - '-i' / / c..r,..J "Woe to him who speak and lie so that he can make people laugh - woe to him, woe to him.'11061 Tale Carrying (Scandal) or Strife-Making (105] Abu Dawood & AI-Haakim. (106] Ahmad, Abu Dawood and others. Golden Advice Series 04 Allaah ~ says: 't fj, 1;~ ~d~ "And obey not everyone who swear much and is considered worthless, a slanderer going about scandalmongering, hinderer of good, transgressor, sinful.'' [AIQalam (68): 10-12] The Prophet ~ said: ~6 iW1 y~ '1 "The tale-carrier (scandal mongerer) would not enter AIJannah.''f.1011 Also, the Messenger of Allaah ~ said: 01 -:•, ;JLiJ1 ~~ 0:11 , ~~~I~ ~--:~-:1 'lf ,.J' ~ _, ~ . , - "Do you know what scandaling (carrying tales) is? It is transferring of the speech of someone to another person to cause trouble between them.'1 1081 However, it should be noted that it is not scandal if a man informs his brother what was said about him, if there would be some benefit from this. lbn Mas'oud ~ said: The Messenger of Allaah ~ divided something, so a man from the Ansaar said: 'By Allaah ! He (i.e. the Prophet ~ ) did not do that (107) Bukhaaree & Muslim. (108) Bukhaaree in Adab AI-Mufrad. Guarding the Tongue seeking the pleasure of Allaah ~ (implying that it was unfairly done)'; so I came to the Messenger of Allaah ~ and informed him. Immediately his face reddened and he said: "Allaah's Mercy be with Moosaa, he was tested with more than this and was patient."P091 How to Treat the Carrier of Tales One must verify the tales or stories brought by the carrier of tales, lest he act upon his words, thus harming someone who is innocent. Allaah ~ says: t_; if.~.J, J ·~~-:j ~ ~~ 5:~ 01 ~( &.Jr (~~ -- - "O you who believe. If a rebellious evil person come to you with a news, verify it - lest you harm a people to ignorance, sad afterwards you become regretful of what you did." [AIHujuraat (49): 6] The tale carrier should be advised, admonished, and even prevented from doing such an evil action. One should also express his hate for tale carrying, by desisting from listening to such a person. In addition to the above, one should not perpetrate the evil of the tale carrier, by entertaining bad thoughts about his brother, or disclosing what was said by the tale carrier. (109] Bukhaaree. Golden Advice Series 04 It is Prohibited to Deceive a Muslim Who is Seeking Sincere Advice '~ .. and whoever directs his brother in an affair; but knows that the right guidance is other than that, has deceived him.''f. 1101 Generally, all persons who are directly or indirectly responsible for leading and educating the Muslims, individually (i.e. like one's wife, children, relatives, etc.) or collectively (their Jama'ah i.e. like Masjids, communities, organizations, etc.) should pay careful attention to this hadith and its implications. This is because they are the ones who are most likely to find themselves involved in this serious sin of injustice and misguidance of their brothers and sisters. This often occurs when such educators/leaders knowing the truth in a given issue or affair, as established from the Qur'aan and the authentic Sunnah, deliberately gives a Fatwaa, or promote directly or indirectly, the wrong opinion or version of that particular issue. The motivating factors for such deliberate deception of his fellow Muslim/s, who vested their trust in him to lead and guide them correctly, is one or more of the following: a)fttitbaa'ul-Hawaa (i.e. Following their personal prejudices/ preferences/tastes/desires, etc.) b) Seeking to acquire or maintain a position of office (either because of fame or money) c) Political motives (partisanship i.e. to support the operative [110] Abu Dawood & AI-Haakim. Guarding the Tongue view of a particular organization because it appeals to its adherents, or because it appeals to the masses). This type of deception can also result because of material benefits. For example, someone seeks the advice of his brother in relation to a particular business venture, but his brother likes the idea himself, and then Shaytaan influences him to reserve the business for himself, thus he responds to the seeker of the advice against getting into the business, explaining that there is little or no benefit in it. It can also be that he deceives him because he is envious of his brother, and so he withholds what he knows from him. Mockery, Sarcasm and Debasing Muslims It is evil enough for a Muslim to misuse his tongue, by indulging in mockery, sarcasm, debasing Muslims, scoffing etc. Mockery is to highlight someone's weaknesses and faults, in such a way that it is laughed at. This could either be by statement, or action. These and other related characteristics, like irony, taunting, scoffing, etc. are all prohibited in lslaam.