On telling jokes

[ameerkam]

Assalamualaikum

I heard that joking is sunnah which would mean that it is rewarded right? So if a person joked to impress others or to be liked by others, would that be minor shirk because you are doing it for other people.

(Sorry if my questions may sound silly. I believe I have excessive waswas and I get really anxious and all these questions come to mind).

Jazzakallahu Khair

[Abz2000]

Jokes lighten the mood and keep audiences alert and attentive - maths teachers often receive advice during training to crack a joke in order to keep it live.

The problem is if we tell lies and people are unjustly cheated - and especially if we tell lies and evil stories in a funny way and cast illusions into peoples minds by tricking them into laughing at evil.

There was at least one practical joker from amongst the companions by the name of Al-Nuayman ibn Amr and some of his pranks bordered on outrageous - but he was obviously human and most of the people somehow got along with him merrily.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Nuayman_ibn_Amr