Allah 
The Almighty forbids us from mocking people as
He Says (what means): {O you who have believed, let
not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them}[Quran
49:11] Adh-Dhahhaak 
said,
The Almighty forbids us from mocking people as
He Says (what means): {O you who have believed, let
not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them}[Quran
49:11] Adh-Dhahhaak said,
This verse was revealed when members of the Banu
Tameem delegation were mocking the poor Companions like ‘Ammaar, Khabbaab,
Bilaal, Suhayb, Salmaan, and Saalim the slave of Abu Huthayfah, may Allah be
pleased with all of them, because of their shabby clothes. But there are other
opinions as well. It was said that this verse was revealed when ‘Ikrimah ibn
Abu Jahl, may Allah be pleased with him, came to Madeenah as a Muslim and the
people there would call him the ‘Son of the pharaoh of this Ummah’ whenever
they saw him. So, he complained to the Prophet 
and this verse was revealed. It was also said that this verse was
revealed when Thaabit, may Allah be pleased with him, ridiculed a man because
of his mother in Jaahiliyyah [pre-Islamic ignorance] and the man was disgraced.
and this verse was revealed. It was also said that this verse was
revealed when Thaabit, may Allah be pleased with him, ridiculed a man because
of his mother in Jaahiliyyah [pre-Islamic ignorance] and the man was disgraced.
Commenting on this verse, Al-Qurtubi said, “Allah says here that those who believe in
Him and in His Messenger should not ridicule other believers as they may be better than them.
Also, women should not ridicule each other for the same reason.”
said, “Allah says here that those who believe in
Him and in His Messenger should not ridicule other believers as they may be better than them.
Also, women should not ridicule each other for the same reason.”
He also said, “Allah is referring here to
all sorts of mockery in this prohibition for the believers. Hence, it is
impermissible for any believer to mock another believer: either for being poor,
or for a sin that he has committed, or for any other reason.”
Al-Qurtubi added,
added,
In general, no one should dare to ridicule another
person even if that person was shabby, handicapped or inarticulate, for that
person may be more sincere or may have a purer heart than the one who is not
shabby or handicapped or inarticulate. In this case, ridiculing such a person
would be despising someone whom Allah has honored. The righteous predecessors
were keen on avoiding this to the extent that ‘Amr ibn Shurahbeel said, “If I saw a man suckling a goat and laughed at
him, I would fear that I might end up doing the same thing.” It was reported
that ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said that
affliction depends on what a person says. Hence, he said that if he mocked a
dog, he would fear that he would be turned into a dog.
said, “If I saw a man suckling a goat and laughed at
him, I would fear that I might end up doing the same thing.” It was reported
that ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said that
affliction depends on what a person says. Hence, he said that if he mocked a
dog, he would fear that he would be turned into a dog.
In his commentary on the verse (which means): {But you took them in mockery to the point that they made
you forget My remembrance, and you used to laugh at them}[Quran
23:110], Al-Qurtubi said that this verse is a warning against mocking,
despising or ridiculing the weak and the needy to the point that it would make
us forget remembering Allah and would thus keep us far from Him. In a Hadeeth
on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, she said, “I
said to the Prophet ‘It is enough for you that Safiyyah is such-and-such [meaning that she
was short].’ The Prophet replied:‘You have said a word that could
adulterate the water of the sea if it were mixed with it.’”She also said, “I once imitated a man before him
[ridiculing him] and He said:‘I would never like to
imitate anyone, even if I were to get such- and-such [a reward for it].’”
[Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi]
said that this verse is a warning against mocking,
despising or ridiculing the weak and the needy to the point that it would make
us forget remembering Allah and would thus keep us far from Him. In a Hadeeth
on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, she said, “I
said to the Prophet ‘It is enough for you that Safiyyah is such-and-such [meaning that she
was short].’ The Prophet replied:‘You have said a word that could
adulterate the water of the sea if it were mixed with it.’”She also said, “I once imitated a man before him
[ridiculing him] and He said:‘I would never like to
imitate anyone, even if I were to get such- and-such [a reward for it].’”
[Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi]
Another example is when Abu Tharr, may Allah be
pleased with him, abused a man by calling his mother bad names, the Prophet, , said to him:“O Abu Tharr! Did you abuse
him by calling his mother bad names? You still have some characteristics of
Jaahiliyyah in you.”[Al-Bukhari]
, said to him:“O Abu Tharr! Did you abuse
him by calling his mother bad names? You still have some characteristics of
Jaahiliyyah in you.”[Al-Bukhari]
In a Hadeeth on the authority of Umm Haani’,
may Allah be pleased with her, the Prophet, , said about the verse (which means): {and
commit in your meetings [every] evil} [Quran 29:29] that they used
to despise and mock people. [Ahmad and At-Tirmithi]
, said about the verse (which means): {and
commit in your meetings [every] evil} [Quran 29:29] that they used
to despise and mock people. [Ahmad and At-Tirmithi]
The polytheists of Makkah like Abu Jahl, Al-Waleed
ibn Al-Mugheerah and their likes would mock ‘Ammaar, Suhayb, Bilaal and other
poor believers; hence, Allah The Almighty revealed the verse (which means): {Indeed, those who committed crimes used to laugh at
those who believed.} [Quran 83:29]
It was said that ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with
him, was once walking with a number of Muslims and some hypocrites mocked them
and they exchanged derisory glances. When they returned to their people,
they said, “We have seen the bald one [i.e., ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with
him] today.” Hence, the above mentioned verse was revealed before ‘Ali, may
Allah be pleased with him, reached the Prophet, to inform him of what had happened .
to inform him of what had happened .
Sarcasm
and Derision are Forms of Mockery
Sarcasm and derision are forms of mockery. An
example of this is when one derides another for being poor, handicapped or for
committing a sin. Moreover, calling people by offensive nicknames is another
example of mockery. Al-Qurtubi said that calling people by offensive nicknames
means calling them by names or attributes that they hate. Allah The Almighty
generalized this rule and did not specify certain nicknames. It is
impermissible for any Muslim to call his fellow brother by any nickname or any
attribute that he hates. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule
[another] people; perhaps they may be better than them.} [Quran
49:11]
said that calling people by offensive nicknames
means calling them by names or attributes that they hate. Allah The Almighty
generalized this rule and did not specify certain nicknames. It is
impermissible for any Muslim to call his fellow brother by any nickname or any
attribute that he hates. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule
[another] people; perhaps they may be better than them.} [Quran
49:11]
There are several stories as to the revelation of
this verse. Anas and Ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with them, said that the
above mentioned verse was revealed when some of the wives of the Prophet, , ridiculed Safiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, for being short. It
was also said that this verse was revealed when ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased
with her, indicated by her hand to the Prophet, , that Safiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, was short. Moreover,
‘Ikrimah and Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with them, said that this verse
was revealed when Safiyyah bint Huyayy, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “O
Messenger of Allah! The women ridicule me and say to me, ‘O Jew...’”All
these examples show that calling people by offensive nicknames is a form of
mockery.
, ridiculed Safiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, for being short. It
was also said that this verse was revealed when ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased
with her, indicated by her hand to the Prophet, , that Safiyyah, may Allah be pleased with her, was short. Moreover,
‘Ikrimah and Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with them, said that this verse
was revealed when Safiyyah bint Huyayy, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “O
Messenger of Allah! The women ridicule me and say to me, ‘O Jew...’”All
these examples show that calling people by offensive nicknames is a form of
mockery.
They were mentioned in the verse as a way of mentioning the specific
cases after the general rule in order to emphasize its importance. The scorner
is the person who harms people by his tongue, while the mocker is the one who
winks with his eyes. Ibn Kaysaan said that the scorner is the one who hurts others
with bad words, while the mocker is the one who points to others with his eyes,
his head and his eyebrows.
said that the scorner is the one who hurts others
with bad words, while the mocker is the one who points to others with his eyes,
his head and his eyebrows.
The
Difference Between Mocking and Ridiculing
There are two differences between them. The first is
that ridiculing can be done by deeds or words, whereas, mocking is done only by
deeds. The second is that ridiculing is usually preceded by an act that causes
its doer to be an object of ridicule, while mocking is not preceded by such an
act. Mocking is usually accompanied by words that are uttered with a bad
intention. It occurs when the person seems to be serious while he conceals
joking. As-Saffaareeni said,
said,
“Mocking people and ridiculing them are
prohibited because Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule
[another] people; perhaps they may be better than them} [Quran 49:11]
Moreover, the Prophet prohibited this in many Hadeeths.”
prohibited this in many Hadeeths.”
Ridicule and the Germs of Arrogance and Pride
Only those whose souls are impure because of
arrogance and pride ridicule others. They endeavor to hurt others because of
the feeling of superiority that runs in their diseased veins. Satan ridiculed
Aadam (Adam), may Allah exalt his mention, and said, “I am better than him”
and so he became a loser. Had he thought carefully of the characteristics of
Aadam, may Allah exalt his mention, he would have realized that Aadam, may
Allah exalt his mention, was superior to him.
Mockery is one of the diseases of
Jaahiliyyah that should be avoided, especially at times of conflict and
disputes. It is one of the characteristics of the disbelievers and the
hypocrites that leads to the disunity of the society. In fact, it is an overt
violation of the Commands of Allah The Almighty, and it keeps one away from the
pleasure of Allah. Moreover, it makes one forget to remember Allah and causes
him to be inflicted with His punishment.
