The Pleasant Sense of Humour of Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)

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Hamza Asadullah

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In spite of his office of Prophethood, Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was a very happy and pleasant person With all the severity and seriousness of his function, his company was neither boring nor dull and uninteresting, like that of ordinary religious leaders, but was full of pleasant and delightful humour.

He often joked with his companions and laughed with them. Abdullah ibn Al-Harith bin Jaz (RA) said that he had seen no one more pleasant and smiling than Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). It is reported by Abu Hurairah (RA) that Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) used to mix with them on familiar terms, even to the extent of enjoying light jokes with them.

(Tirmizi) Annas reported that once a man asked Muhammad for an animal to ride. He replied that he would give him the baby of a she-camel to ride on. The man asked what would he do with a she-camel baby. Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) replied, "Is there any camel which is not born of a she-camel?"

Anas also reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) often joked and laughed with them. He also said that an old woman came to see the Prophet and asked him to pray for her that she might go to Paradise. He replied, "No old woman will enter Paradise!" She was very grieved end began crying. Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) told his companions to tell her that the old woman would go to Paradise but as a young girl.

Once Ali (RA) was sleeping on the ground and was covered with dust. Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) happened to pass that way and said to Ali (RA), "up Abu Turab (father of dust)." After that, this became his nickname. Once Abu Hurairah was playing with a cat when Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) came along and said, "Abu Hurairah (father of cats)." This nickname was so dear to him that it became his real name, so that very few people know his own name.

Ibn Umar (RA) was asked whether the Prophet's (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) companions laughed and joked. He replied that they did, though faith weighed heavier than a mountain in their hearts. Bilal ibn Sa'd (RA) said that he had seen them running between the baths and laughing to one another but when night came, they would be like monks. Jarir ibn Somura said that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) always welcomed him from the time he became a Muslim and that he never saw him without a smile.

Annas said that a man from the desert called Zahir ibn Haroun used to bring presents to the Prophet from the desert and Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) would prepare for him what he needed when he intended to depart. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) used to say that Zahir was his desert man and he was his townsman. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) liked him though he was an ugly man. One day the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) went to him when he was selling his goods and embraced him from behind. He could not see who it was, so he said, "Let me go, who is this?" But when he turned round and saw the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), he kept his back close against the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) chest. Then the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) begun to say, "Who will buy a slave?" He said, "O Allah's Messenger! By Allah, you will find me to be worthless goods." The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) replied, "But in Allah's Sight, you are not worthless goods."
 
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Related by Sammak ibn Harb, “I asked Jaber ibn Samra if he spent time with the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and he said, “Yes, the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) would often not leave the mosque after the Fajr prayer until the sun rose. They would be laughing and he would be smiling.” (Muslim).

He also said, “Another time for making light was after the ‘Isha prayer. Humor is permitted with family uncles and siblings. It is more preferred if it serves the purpose of advice and guidance, or if it creates friendship and warmth between people.”

Indeed, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) would laugh and joke often. He enjoyed playing with children, especially his grandsons Hasan and Husayn (RA). The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) allowed his grandson to climb atop his back while he was in prostration as reported by al-Hafid Abu-Na’im (RA) on the Authority of Abu Bakr (RA) saying,

“The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was leading us in prayer. Hasan, who was still a child, would come to him while he was in prostration, and sit on his back or sometimes on his neck. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) would lift him tenderly. When the prayer was finished, they (the Muslims) asked him: ‘O Messenger of Allah! You are doing to this boy what you do not do to another person?’ ‘He is my basil,’ he replied.”"

Another recording of the Prophet’s (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) life describes him laughing and joking with another man. The hadith says,

“A man broke his fast (intentionally) during Ramadan. The Messenger of Allah (saws) commanded him to emancipate a slave or fast for two months, or feed sixty poor men. He said, “I cannot provide.”

The Apostle (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “Sit down.” Thereafter, a huge basket of dates was brought to the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). He said, “Take this and give it as charity.” He said, “O Messenger of Allah, there is no one poorer than I.” The Messenger of Alla (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)h thereupon laughed so that his canine teeth became visible and said, “Eat it yourself"


 
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Re: The Pleasant Humour of Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)

One of the hadiths which shows the Prophet's (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) sense of humour and enjoyment of fun is the report that Ahmad gives from 'A'ishah (RA) who said: "I went out with the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) on a journey. At that time I was a young girl and was quite slender. The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) told the people, 'Go on ahead,' so they went ahead, then he said to me, 'Come, let us have a race.' So I raced with him, and I won. He let the matter rest until I had gained weight. Later, I accompanied him on another journey. He told the people, 'Go on ahead,' so they went ahead. He said to me, 'Come, let us have a race.' So I raced with him, and he won. He began to laugh, and said, 'This is for that."






In al-Adab al-Mufrad, Bukhari reports from Bakr ibn 'Abdillah who said: "The Companions of the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam ) used to throw melon-rinds at one another, but when the matter was serious, they were the only true men."

An example of the Sahabah's sense of humour, which made the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) laugh, is the report given by Imam Ahmad from Umm. Salamah (radhiallahu `anha). Abil Bakr (radhiallahu `anhu) went to do business in Busra, and with him were Nu'ayman and Suwaybit ibn Harmalah (radhiallahu `anhuma), both of whom had been present at Badr. Suwaybit was in charge of food on the journey, and Nu'ayman said to him, "Feed me!" Suwaybit said, "Not until Abu Bakr (radhiallahu `anhu) comes." Nu'ayman was a fun-loving man with a sense of humour, so he went to some people who had brought livestock with them, and said, "Will you buy a sturdy Arab slave from me?" They said, "Yes." He said, "He has a big mouth, and he may tell you that he is a free man. If that means that you do not want to take him, then forget the matter, and do not cause trouble for me with him." They said, "No problem, we will buy him." So they bought him for ten young she-camels. Nu'ayman brought the animals back, and told the people: "There he is!" Suwaybit said: "I am a free man!" They said, "He has already told us all about you," and put a rope around his neck and led him away. Then Abu Bakr came, and was told what had happened. He and his companions went and returned the animals and took Suwaybit back. They told the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) what had happened, and he and his Sahabah would laugh about the story for a year afterwards.

It is reported Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, "I joke but always tell the truth." His wife Aishah (RA) said, "he was always making us laugh in the house." One of his names is ad-dahhak—the smiling one
 

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