Manners of Joking

Life in Islam is not as some incorrectly believe; that it must not Piave any entertainment whatsoever. A companion of the Prophet (ﷺ) named Handalah al-Usaidi said:

“Abu Baler met me and asked: ‘How are you O Handalah?’ He replied, `Handalah has become a hypocrite!’ He replied, ‘Far removed is Allah from every imperfection! What are you saying?’ Handalah said: ‘When we are with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), he reminds us about the Hellfire and Paradise as if it is before our eyes, but when we leave the company of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), we become involved with our wives, children and property and we forget much.’ Abu Baler said: ‘By Allah, indeed the same happens to me.’ So Abu Baler and I left until we entered upon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). I said, `Handalah has become a hypocrite O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)!’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, ‘And how is that?’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), when we are with you, you remind us about the Hellfire and Paradise as if it is before our eyes, but when we leave your company, we become involved with our wives, children and property and forget much.’ To that, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commented: ‘By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, if you stay in that state you are when you are with me, the angels would [descend and] shake your hands in your beds and when you walk, but rather, O Handalah, there is a time for this and a time for that (and he said this three times).’ “ [Muslim]

 Here the Prophet explained that permissible enjoyment and self-refreshment is something desirable so that man would regain his activity and liveliness. The Prophet (ﷺ) taught his companions the manners of joking when they asked him:

“O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), you joke with us?” He said: “Yes, but I do not speak except that which is correct and true.” [at-Tirmidhi]

 One may joke with his actions as well as with his speech. Anas bin Malik (RA) reported that a Bedouin called Zaahir use to bring present from the, desert to the Prophet (ﷺ), n supply him with provisions upon leaving. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Indeed Zaahir is our ‘desert’ and we are his `city’.” One day, the Prophet (ﷺ) came to him (unsuspectingly) while he was selling his goods and grasped him from behind. Zaahir exclaimed: ‘Release me!’ Then he looked behind him and recognized the Prophet (t), so he pressed his back against his chest. The Prophet (ﷺ) called out: “Who will purchase this slave’, Zaahir said: “O Messenger of Allah, you will find me worthless!” The Prophet (ﷺ) answered: “But to Allah, you are not worthless (or he said) Rather you are valuable in Allah’s estimation.” [Ibn Hibbaan]

 One should not joke in a way to harm or ill-treat another Muslim. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “It is not permissible for a Muslim to scare another Muslim.” [Abu Dawood]

He (ﷺ) also said:

 “Let not anyone take his brother’s things (to anger him) seriously or jokingly.” [Abu Dawood & at-Tirmidhi]

 A person should never lie while joking. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

 “Woe to the one who lies in his speech to make people laugh. Woe to him! Woe to him!” [Ahmad & Abu Dawood]

Etiquettes of Visiting the ill

Islam strongly encourages that one visits the ill …and has deemed it a right a Muslim owes to his brother. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“The right of a Muslim over another are five: returning greetings of, Salaam, visiting the sick, following the burial ceremony, answering his invitation and saying yarhamukallah to one who sneezes.”[al-Bukhari]

As for the reward a Muslim receives for visiting his sick brother, the Prophet (ﷺ) said

 “Whoever visits a sick person, he would receive continuous reward until he returns.” [Muslim]

 One should show love and sympathy when he visits them A’ishah b. Sa’d said that her father said:

 ‘I was sick in Makkah, so the Prophet came to visit me, and he put his hand on my forehead and wiped over my chest and stomach, and supplicated Allah saying: ‘O Allah, heal Sa’d…’ [Abu Dawood)

One should supplicate for the sick. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“Whoever visits the sick whose time was not written and says seven times:

Asalullaah al-Adheem, Rub’ al- `Arshil-‘Adheem an yashfiyak.

(I beseech Allah, the Magnificent, the Rabb of the Magnificent Throne, that He cures you).

 And Allah will cure him of that sickness.”  [Abu Dawood & at-Tirmidhi]

 Etiquettes of Condolence

Condolence has been prescribed to console the deceased’s family and lighten their pain and distress. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

 “No believer consoles his brother at a time of distress except that Allah (SWT) will clothe him ornaments of honor on the Day of Requital.” [ibn Maajah]

One should supplicate for the family of the deceased and encourage them to have patience and think of the reward they

will receive from Allah for doing so in this time of distress. Usamah bin Zaid said:

“We were with the Prophet (ﷺ) when a message was sent by one of his daughters saying that she is calling him and that a child of hers was dying. Ile said to the messenger: `Go back to her and say that what Allah took back (the child) was His (to begin with) and his is what he gave, and everything with Allah is for a prescribed time. Order her to have patience and seek reward from Allah.’ The messenger came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: ‘She has sworn an oath that you come to her.’ The Prophet (ﷺ) stood along with Sa’d bin Ilbaadah and Mu wadh bin Jabal. I set off with them, and (when we arrived) he lifted up the young boy and his soul was leaving his body [known by his shaking] like (the sound made) when (pouring water or other things) into a empty gourd. His the Prophet’s (ﷺ) eyes were wet, and Sa’d exclaimed: “What is this O Messenger of Allah (A)?” He replied, “This is mercy which Allah instilled in the hearts of his slaves. Indeed the only people who Allah shows mercy to from his slaves are those who also show mercy.” [al-Bukhari & Muslim]

One should supplicate to Allah that He shows mercy to the deceased. Imam Ash-Shaafi liked that one say to the family of the deceased:

“May Allah give you a great reward, grant you patience, and forgive your deceased [relative].

” It is desirable to prepare food for the family of the deceased. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

 “Prepare food for the family of Jayar, for indeed a matter has come which has preoccupied them.” [Abu Dawood & at-Tirmidhi]