Joking; A Double-Edged Sword
Laughing is a divine blessing and a natural state for man. It has many benefits. For example it reduces stress, curbs depression, and gives people a lot of mental energy.
Kidding and joking are among ways for making others and yourself laugh. If they are done in a balanced way, they would be beneficial and considered a good characteristic. But if one does not consider a limit and goes too far, it can cause offense and annoyance.
There are few verses in the Quran talking about kidding and joking. So it is important to read and think about these verses to know how the Holy Book views kidding.
God says in Verses 29-31 of Surah Al-Mutaffifin: “The sinners laughed at the believers and winked at one another as they passed them by. When they returned to their people they returned jesting.”
The word Fakiheen at the end of Verse 31 is taken by some interpreters to mean jesting and joking.
According to these verses, evil-doers and unbelievers used to laugh at believers and mock them.
Joking in itself is not bad and there is no problem in it. However, these verses criticize what unbelievers did because they used laughing and joking to humiliate, mock and make fun of believers. That is why what they did is considered improper.
But laughing and kidding are ok in general as we see humor and joking in the Seerah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and his interactions with the companions and others.
