The cartoon controversy revisited with a twist.

The Muslim reaction to cartoons blew my mind away, it still does and baffles me beyond words. As I have thought about it, I realize that for me humour, irony, wit, satire are ways to truth. I therefore set to find some information on Islam and humour.

I found two amazing sites. One site, laetusinpraesens not only addresses how Islam views humour but also looks at every other religion's take on humour. Its truly eye-opening. But before posting an illuminating quote as to why almost all religions take a dim view of humour, I want to quote from someone who has AMAZING site called Taking Humor Seriously and shares my deepest conviction that humour has a profound spiritual dimension, that it is "an organ of comprehension".

"I see humor as the higher capability and disposition of Intelligence, one which enables persons who develop this organ to comprehend Goodness, Truth and Beauty. Humor is a part of the philosopher's armamentarium with which he seeks wisdom. It is not the mere ability to laugh at ribald buffoonery or mindless inanity--as is now supposed. It is a definite organ of comprehension which requires disciplined practice and a finely honed sensibility.

Humor is a fundamental power of the human soul and an objective criterion by which we distinguish between the good and the bad, the true and the false, the genuine and the counterfeit, and the mature and the immature. If most people no longer possess this higher capability--do not even know of its existence--this does not mean that this organ is not presently active in those who apprehend and exercise it."


http://www.hermes-press.com/humorb.htm


The following excerpt from laetusinpraesens I think sheds light on the reaction to the cartoons.

"It is curious that sacred literature in general tends to be totally lacking in humour. The tendency is for humour to be considered incompatible with the serious business of religion and salvation, as explored by Vassilis Saroglou (Religion and sense of humor,2002)":

It appears that, from a psychological perspective, religion associates negatively with personality traits, cognitive structures and social consequences typical to humor:

incongruity,

ambiguity,

possibility of nonsense,

low dogmatism

and low authoritarianism,

playfulness,

spontaneity,

attraction to novelty and risk,

lack of truthfulness and finality,

affective and moral disengagement,

loss of control and order as implied by emotionality,

and finally transgression, especially transgression of prohibitions related to aggression/dominance and sexuality.


For specific Islamic views on humour and laughter, from Islamic scholars and the Koran, scroll down to "Recognized need for humour in religion and spiritual development".


http://www.laetusinpraesens.org/musings/humourx.php



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"Humor is not a mood but a way of looking at the world. So if it is correct to say that humor was stamped out in Nazi Germany, that does not mean that people were not in good spirits, or anything of that sort, but something much deeper and more important"

Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), Austrian philosopher (from Taking Humor Seriously)


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Did the site mention Sufi humor? Sufis have told jokes and stories forever; they are humorous and yet teach something as well. The Mullah Nasradin stories are the most famous.

As for the cartoons-a drawing does not humor make. My objections to some of the cartoons was that it perpetuated a stereotype about Muslims that isn't true, but that, sadly, I have found many people, even some people here, falling into. I am glad that some of these folks (especially DUers) took the opportunity to learn a bit about Islam and how it functions, which is for the best. As for the Beloved Prophet (pbuh), I'm sure he would have said not to bother with them, but take care of your fellow beings instead.

quotes from the Koran suggest that humour and laughter is not deemed as being very valuable at all and Ayatollah Khomeini's view is beyond chilling, see below.

" The Al-Islam.org through its Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project (Allah: The Concept of God In Islam) points to issues relating to laughter:

*Laughter is not at all dignifying. Whenever a Muslim laughs, he/she is supposed to seek Allah's forgiveness and say, "Allahomma la tamqutni" (O Allah! Do not despise me!").

Such is the Islamic code of conduct. Yet there are numerous references to the Prophet laughing in hadith the authenticity of which leaves much to be desired.

*Whenever you laugh, you ought to remember verse 82 of Surat Bar'a: "So they shall laugh a little and weep much as a recompense for what they earned" (Qura'n, 9:82).

*Imam Ja'fer al-Sadiq quotes his fathers citing the Messenger of Allah saying,
"A good deal of jesting is not at all dignifying, while a good deal of laughter wipes out iman (conviction)."

*One of the pieces of advice given by the Messenger of Allah to Abu Tharr al-Ghifari was this one which is recorded in 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida: "Strange how one who knows that there is the fire (of hell) and who still laughs." He has also said, "Beware of much laughter, for it causes the death of the heart." The Messenger of Allah always smiled but never laughed.

The extent to which the founder of Islam laughed is a concern in Islam -- as with founders of other religions. is said to have smiled rather than laughed. In a Hadith, The Prophet Muhammad (p) is quoted as saying: "O followers of Muhammad! By Allah, if you knew what I know, you would weep much and laugh little." "

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Ayatollah Khomeini's view of humour is chilling:


Amir Taheri (Spirit of Allah, 1985) cites Ayatollah Khomeini's comment on the matter when endeavouring to combat the presence of music in Iran:

The aim of creation was for mankind to be put to the test through hardship and prayer. There are no jokes in Islam. There is no humor in Islam. There is no fun in Islam. There can be no fun and joy in whatever is serious. (page 259)

is one that has been taken out of context. It is part of a longer passage talking about an invasion, and is talking about the foes of Islam laughing now but that they won't later, because they will be vanquished.

As for the other quotes, I note that they are not from Sufis or moderate Muslims I know, all of whom do laugh and smile. You've got to remember that fundamentalist Islam isn't everyone, and that even someone as well known as the Ayatollah Khomeini does not speak for all Muslims, or even all Shias. In Islam, there is no priest or head honcho that gives orders that everyone must obey. Each Muslim is responsible for his/her relationship with God, and the way they get there varies widely. I'd be considered a heretic by Khomeini (hey, Sufis were recently arrested and tortured in Qom, Iran) because of my liberal Sufi views. Sufis are known to dance, to sing, and to play musical instruments. There's a big argument between Sufis and some fundamentalist Shia/Sunni over this-and guess what? It's based on interpretations of Hadiths and not the Qur'an.

Personally, I've yet to meet a dour Muslim-definately haven't met a dour Sufi.

The comment is from a guy who takes exception at Muslim humour. http://www.altmuslim.com/perm.php?id=860_0_26_0_C27



"bring me one hadith where the prophet muhammad alaihi asalaam laughed.. his laughter was nothing more than a smile that was wide enough to see his molars and secondly most of the stuff that is aimed at islam today to make people laugh makes fun of our deen ,, so no thank you you can make fun of it and laugh along with the idiot that makes fun of it, a group of people at the time of the prophet were joking and they made fun of muslims just as a joke and the prophet alaihi asalaam told they committed kufr and he also said too much laughing kills the heart which means weakens ones iman or belief no one says you have to be stonefaced humorless person just be careful in how much you laugh and what you laugh at, a man may say something that would land him in the pits of hell without him knowing it as the prophet alaihi asalaam said (not exactly in those words) so with all do respect dont make fun of my deen, thank you."

Realize that about 30% of other Muslims consider Sufis heretics. I just know from my personal experience that laughter is a big part of spirituality. Realize the hadiths are not Qur'an, which, to Muslims, came directly from God. Hadiths are merely remembrances of what the Prophet (pbuh) said and did by his companions. Some of them aren't well cited, and many many many are open to interpretation! Take for example the ban on musical instruments. That is merely because of a hadith where the Prophet asked some people partying down the street stop playing - but it wasn't because it was evil, but because one of the companions was sick at the Prophet's house-and the Prophet merely wanted to make his friend comfortable. But to hear some Muslims tell it, playing a musical instrument is evil.

called Juvenalian satire, which the Encyclopedia Britannica defines as "any bitter and ironic criticism of contemporary persons and institutions that is filled with personal invective, angry moral indignation, and pessimism."

What I found illuminating is that in Islam there is "a marked intolerance of satire which may be considered and treated as blasphemy."

""Khaled Nusseibeh (Is Laughter Banned in the Holy City? 2000) argues that: "The Muslim faith encourages laughter to the extent that it is a religion that seeks to achieve human well being". There is however a specific concern with "excessive laughter" since it "deadens the heart" spiritually .""

Frankly I think Muslims have suffered from not having a familiarity with satire as it is such a powerful weapon agianst tyranny. Consider this

"Hitler was so wary of the danger of humor to the Third Reich that he had special 'joke courts' set up for, among other things, punishing people who named their dogs and horses 'Adolph.' As Hermann Goering instructed the Academy of German Law, the telling of a joke could be an act against the Fuehrer, against the state, or even against the whole Nazi Weltanschaung."

Taking Laughter Seriously
by John Morreall

All that's 'accomplished' is creating a width for the post that forces some others to scroll the window if they try to read it. It's a PITA.

Thanks. :hi:

Being such a fan of yours that reprimand cuts to the quick:(

... seemed harsh. :shrug: :hi:

not complain eh when some gets tossed this way. Actually I don't think it was harsh. I'm just teed off that I didn't know my stylistic touches would require people to scroll. I least I now know what causes it. :hi:

satire that is bitter, ironic and cutting.

My favorite local rag have risked their lives for satire. The cover is really something. And the "Faith-based funnies", too.

I agree with these guys. Islam needs to lighten the hell up. Anybody who would put someone to death for drawing a picture has a twisted sense of what it means to be holy.