Page 366 - Bigotry: The Dark Danger
P. 366
Bigotry:
The Dark Danger
The Idea of Avoiding Humor
It will be useful to touch on the prohibition of humor here. Suc-
cessful humor is an art; people who achieve it are generally people
who produce great works by combining art and intelligence. Humor
sometimes brings joy to one's surroundings. It can sometimes
express criticism that cannot be made openly in a more covert but
acceptable and conciliatory way. When employed in a way that
bestows joy on the other party, that advises with sincerity but that
also speaks to the heart, humor is a great blessing. Like all forms of
art, humor is a blessing that expands people's horizons and brings
delicacy and subtlety to communities. Humor is also a fine aspect of
democracies. Fanatics are led into a life with no delicacy; a crude and
soulless life, by turning their backs on such a blessing.
Everything that the fanatics claim on the subject of joy, laughter
and humor, as described above, is wholly refuted by the Qur'an. Our
All fanatics' negative
claims concerning joy,
laughter and humor are
refuted by the Qur'an.
Our Prophet (pbuh) and
the Companions lived in
a state of great happi-
ness, in line with the
spirit of the Qur'an.
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