Chill Out ! It was Just a Joke!

"Chill Out ! It was Just a Joke!" - A popular statement said by many when they are corrected in jokes they are not supposed to say.

Although Islam permitted joking it placed some restrictions on it. Some of those restrictions may be dangerous and even take one out of Islam if violated - may Allah guard us from that.

1. One cannot joke about something that includes within it the mocking of Islam, Islamic ordains, Islamic sunnahs or any aspects in Muslims physical appearances or actions they may do according to Islam:

This dangerous matter that many fall into takes one out of Islam automatically.

Example:

a) One has the choice of using a miswak (Muslims toothbrush) prior to prayer or wudu' -  that is sunnah. If someone mocks it, it will take him out of Islam.

b) A women must wear the appropriate hijab among foreign men, if she does not that is a sin. However if someone mocks it they become a kaafir.

c) Same with the beard, prayer, or hajj… etc.

Reminder on the Grave !

When the son of Adam dies and his soul departs and he is placed in his grave, then he is in the first stage of the Hereafter, because the grave is the first of the stages of the Hereafter.

It was narrated that Hani’, the freed slave of ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan said: "When ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan stood by a grave he would weep until his beard became wet. It was said to him, “You remember Paradise and Hell and you do not weep, but you weep because of this?” He said: “The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘The grave is the first of the stages of the Hereafter; whoever is saved from it, what comes afterwards will be easier for him, but if he is not saved from it, what comes afterwards will be worse for him.’” And the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “I have never seen any scene but the grave is more frightening than it.” [At-Tirmithi]

In the grave, two angels, who are charged with questioning, come to him and ask him what he used to believe in this world, who was his Lord, what was his religion and who was his Prophet. If he gives a correct answer, that saves him, but if he does not answer them they inflict a severe and painful beating on him.

If he was one of the righteous, angels with white faces come to him, but if he was one of the evildoers, angels with dark faces come to him. This is one of the tribulations that he will suffer through.

Building an Islamic Society.....

From a social perspective, the teachings of Islam aim to bring together all Muslims to be a unified entity, in conformity with the words of the Prophet (saws): “The example of the believers as regards their mutual love and compassion is like that of a single body. If any of its parts aches, all the other parts share in the sleeplessness and fever.” [Muslim] The strong among them support the weak, and the rich help the poor. Social solidarity manifests in the Muslim community such that its objectives and implications are realized. There are many Shari‘ah texts and provisions describing the Muslim community and how it should embody the spirit of solidarity.

There are multiple objectives for such solidarity that incorporate all the needs of the individual and the community, whether material or moral. Social solidarity means that Muslims should work together, each through his position and status, to preserve the public interests of the community as a whole and the private interests of the individuals, so that everyone in the community would feel that his rights are fulfilled and he, accordingly, is eager to fulfill his duties and obligations towards other members of his community. The scope of this solidarity then expands to encompass all people (not only Muslims). Allah says: "O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted." [49:13] Allah honored Man and commanded us to treat all children of Aadam accordingly (with respect). He says: "And We have certainly honored the children of Adam." [17:70]

Fruits of Oppression...

The following are real life incidents mentioned by a Shaykh:

There was once a man who hired a worker; this worker would work, day after day, but not receive any payment. One day, the worker demanded his pay, but the employer refused to give him his money. It seems that the employer was in the habit of oppressing people and not giving them their money, to the point that it became a normal practice for him. The worker reminded the employer about Allah and His punishment, without any results.

The worker started telling others of his predicament, and the news spread, which made the employer become even more oppressive towards him; he wished to get rid of the worker, thinking that by firing him, or deporting him to his country, the case would end. So, sure enough, he fabricated a story against him, the result of which was that the worker was arrested and deported. The employer rejoiced at the result, but he forgot that an oppressed person’s supplications are never turned away by Allah; He says to the oppressed, in response to his supplications, as in the Qudsi narration: “I swear by my Might and Glory! I shall support you.”

Thinking well of others relieves the heart !

Nothing relieves the heart and makes one happy more than thinking well of others. It protects one from the harm of worrisome thoughts that disturb his peace of mind and exhaust the body. Thinking well of others leads to a sound heart, strengthens the ties of cordiality and love among the individuals of a community, and frees the hearts from hatred and rancor. The Prophet (saws) said: “Beware of assumptions, for assumption is the falsest of speech, and do not be inquisitive, and do not spy upon one another, and do not vie with one another, and do not envy one another, and do not hate one another, and do not shun one another; be fellow-brothers and slaves of Allah.” [Bukhari and Muslim] If only the members of the Muslim community would adhere to this sublime behavior, their enemies would never dare to attack them and their famous policy of “divide and rule” will never succeed because the hearts are united and the souls are pure.

Ways to Think Well of Others:

 

There are certainly many ways that a Muslim can think well of others; some of which are:

 

1- Supplication

 

Supplicating to Allah is the gate to every goodness. The Prophet (saws) would ask his Lord to grant him a sound heart.

 

2- Putting Oneself in the Place of Others