When I referred to humor in classic texts in my first review of LM (seems so long ago now) I was thinking specifically of humor literature and humor in literature written by credible (in terms of scholarship and/or piety) authors in pre-modern times. When I started to think more carefully about what a piece on “humor in classic text” would entail, the first thing that came to mind was the stories told about the sahaby al-Nu’ayman. So I realized that writing on this subject I would have to begin by wondering about humor in the community of the sahaba first. But even then I realized that by itself such reflection would be insufficient. We have to ask the question of how things developed from there. I also took note of the fact that this is no theoretical exercise (as I said before I’m not writing a scholarly work here). The fact of the matter is that I posed this question in a very particular context: I felt that some reaction to the humor of LM was unrealistically restrictive. My argument (refined and better articulated in a phone conversation with my brother) is that (a) Muslims, including many of us that found some of the humor in LM uncomfortable, do not hesitate to laugh at similar humor in a non-Muslim context (a rather funny story about this follows below); (b) In Muslim societies, this sort of humor is normal both in art and in daily life; and (c) historically humor has mattered to Muslims, and the particular sort of humor we’re talking about has been ok with Muslims. So whatever it is that I am writing about classic humor is not a neutral, objective, open-ended investigation of how we may form an overall picture of classic humor. What I am actually doing is looking to see whether my assertions above stand up to scrutiny. In other words, integrity and honesty are important in this investigation. Completeness and the discernment of a holistic picture are not. The result is that this is an argument by example: it says something about existence and absolutely nothing about prevalence, preponderance, or norm-setting.
So let me take up my assertions one by one. A strong warning is appropriate at this juncture: some of what follows will push the envelope — it has to if I am going to be honest in chasing down my assertions. In practice, we have multiple responsibilities as Muslims and as decent human beings (there ought to be considerable overlap between these two categories :D ) with respect to humor of the sort I will bring up here. Those responsibilities will inshaa Allah be the subject of another piece (perhaps the fourth in this series). Until then, please don’t feel too guilty if you laugh, and don’t be too hard on me if you don’t :) .
Many years ago now I was a graduate student at Stanford. The highlight of my week was the Friday evening gathering of the ISSU (Islamic Society at Stanford University). Back then we were mostly graduate students and all male. Many of us were overweight, most were either foreign students or had lived overseas long enough to have thick accents, and almost all had healthy beards :) . I’m just trying to paint an accurate image here so you can develop some perspective on this story. Anyhow, the format of the weekly gathering was to begin with a meal (we rotated the cooking in teams) then read Quran and have a presentation (the presentations also rotated). Maghrib was done at the beginning or whenever its time came in. Ishaa was typically deferred to the end of the Jalsa (Ar. for sitting - that’s what we called it back then; today it’s more affectionately known as TGIJ and its audience has changed dramatically - you can check out the ISSU website from my blogroll). On one occasion, the food was particularly filling (some of you know what I mean) and one brother finished eating, got up off the floor, sat on one of the couches in the room, leaned back, stretched his legs in front of him, and stuck his hand in his belt. Simultaneously and spontaneously three other bros looked at him and shouted, “Al Bundy! Al Bundy!” 
. If you don’t know what I am talking about, try to find out about this really awful TV show called “Married . . . With Children.” The irony of course is not limited to the fact that these three brothers were immediately and simultaneously struck by the image of Al Bundy, but that almost no one in that room, and we were considered a fairly conservative bunch by pretty much everyone, needed to ask “who the heck is Al Bundy?” :) . (A further irony for me personally was upon coming to McMaster and finding out that my very good buddy here was a co-founder of the Married with children fan club - he blogs on hadithuna too, but at least for this article shall remain unnamed).
So generally, regardless of how “conservative” we are (within limits) we live our lives, we watch, we listen, and we laugh!
OK. Second point. Anyone that’s lived in a Muslim-majority country has seen movies or theater, heard jokes, etc. Like everyone else we have humor that spans a broad spectrum in terms of its audacity or raciness. The astaghfirulllah - sub7anallah - inshaa Allah joke is a well known example that transcends cultural boundaries. (For moral responsibility and social implications you’ll have to wait till part four ;) ). Jokes about marriage, multiple marriage, marriage in paradise, in-laws, etc. all of them center around the comedy in relationships and gender roles. Even the “affectionate” official-sounding titles males tend to bestow on their wives or females claim for themselves (the government, the powers that be, the warden, etc.) are a testament to the perceived richness of marital relations as a source for humor.
So now we’re down to my last statement. Historically, humor has been important to Muslims, and the particular sort of humor we’re talking about has been ok with Muslims. We can further break this statement down into three components. (Depending on your inclinations you may wish to bemoan this “obsession” with lists and analyzing every thing into its component parts as an engineering tendency, or as being squarely in the tradition of our illustrious scholars such as Imam Ghazaly. Either way I beg your indulgence.)
The first component is to look at the significance, importance, and/or prominence of humor in Islamic intellectual history. The second component is to consider “racy” humor or sexual innuendo in jokes in the general history of Muslim communities (i.e. regardless of the authoritativeness or Islamic credentials of authors and purveyors of this type of humor). The final component is to consider the attitude specifically of authoritative voices (scholars, pious individuals, respected writers, etc.) with regards to the same matter. As an afterthought, we should also cast a brief glance on classical discourses on sexuality.
Obviously, this is getting way too long again. So at the risk of leaving you with an undesirable cliffhanger I am going to stop here and take up these questions in installment three inshaa Allah.
Salaam Yaser!
nice update with the bio!
“I have a growing compilation of jokes about Egypt, marriage…” [I would love to hear them sometime!!…especially the ones about egypt! maybe you can send them to me?]
i’m in electrical engineering too! (third yr but at uwo).
i like the post especially the line “Historically, humor has been important to Muslims, and the particular sort of humor we’re talking about has been ok with Muslims.”
I think Humour has certain psychological effects that can be extremely desirable and benefitial in certain situations.
abdul
ps. looking forward to the next post! [and don’t worry too too much about the length….i wouldn’t have minded reading a few more paragraphs…]
isnt it amazing that your life changing books are so different than the way you talk about these topics? :) You are unique… comedy is important… questions to you: or maybe if you want to talk about them in your blogs: are you going to address the other extreme who is rarely serious even when they try? Comedy and a good time in the life of really busy people? Comedy for an ummah that is maybe always stressed lately? how about comedy from the current bios you were reading some Islamic Movemenet figures were knowng for unebelieavle accomplishments yet very funny and simple in their personal life jus ta few thoughts…
hey yaseer salaam,
had one question –> Ihya by Imam Ghazzaly….is that the same as the translated english version of “Purification of the Heart” by Hamza Yusuf?
Is there an Ihya text in english?
abdul
salaam abdul
The purification of the heart is a translation of a different text called Matharat al-Quloob (literally Purification or Purifier of the Heart). Ihya Uloom al-Din has been translated. There are so-so translations of the complete text, and there are excellent translations of parts of the text. most of the really good translations are published by the Islamic Texts Society (ITS) and are the work of either T.J. Winter or Muhtar Holland. but there are also other translations other than the ITS ones of some parts of the book (for example there is a volume called Duties of Brotherhood in Islam which is a translation of part of the Ihya).
Salam Dr. Yaser,
Jazak Allah Khayr for these writeups on humor.
A few points for you to consider and perhaps address in your future posts:
1. I feel that your analysis does not address the gender component that can be present in humorous social interactions. It’s one thing for a group of brothers or sisters to joke and laugh together but I think other aspects of akhlaq come into play when mixed audiences are present or are being presented to.
2. I feel it is important to address the temporal nature of a humorous interaction as well. When brothers or sisters joke around, the joke and laugh have a specific context and duration that normally all present understand. In the case of situational comedies and specfically LMotP, this dimension changes and I think it has more serious consequences. As I think you said before, this is not necessarily a show for young Muslim adolescents and teens.
3. With respects to your concerns about the “restrictive” nature of reactions to LMotP, I would hazard to guess that many of the people who are reacting don’t normally watch sit-coms and are watching LMotP because of the Muslim dimension. That leads me to make the point that reactions to humor will naturally be culture and/or narrative specific. I think this is an important consideration as one responds to criticisms of LMotP.
And God knows best.
I tend to agree with Yusuf on his thrid point. I know few people who don’t watch sit-coms at all because they feel very uncomfortable with them. They may have watched them in the past but they have “quit” long time ago. The actually use the term “quit” and I like to respect that. When they were encouraged to watch LM they had different expectations from those who still tune in to sit-coms every once in a while or even on regular basis. As soon as they realize that LM is just another sit-com they will stop watching it and I don’t think I should talk them out of it. I think that spirituality is tied to a person’s comfort zone. Allah knows best.
Jazakallah khair. I find some islamic jokes and humor dis-my-tasteful, but I value humor and its function in our islamic society. We need it to help us relax and keep it real. I appreciate the questions you’re posing on the difference between our standards for the muslim community and our standards for the non-muslim community, as well as the value of humor throughout islamic history. Please excuse me if I’ve missed an important piece….I wonder how much of a culture of humor existed at the time of the prophet (SAS) and his companions. I can imagine him laughing and joking at certain times and places. I can’t imagine that there would develop out of that a culture of humor with some of the jokes and acts we see today on t.v. or on stage. I can’t imagine that he would endorse it SAS, whether it was performed by muslims or non. Am I wrong?
We live in a different time and place and we need sources of relaxation and stimulation that cater to our needs. Perhaps *we* need a culture of humor that they didn’t. But I find that the culture of humor developing around our needs and preferences is still doomed to be inappropriate in my understanding. (e.g. sexual innuendos and inappropriate dress, mocking people, exaggeration, and beyond that, to employing people to act scenes out and hosting shows and events). Does it have to be that way?
I wonder if it’s healthy for us to dissect this phenomenon so much that an individual like me is asking myself these questions about culture. Isn’t humor just a simple part of life. Individuals should adopt as much or as little or it as we want. If we turn it into a distinct cultural phenomenon with all of its baggage, people will be taking sides of a fence over something that is and will be of benefit to us all in whatever dosage we prefer. Or do you think its just a matter of time before everyone’s on the same side of the fence, and we need to discuss it to get there? I guess what I am wondering is, where are we going with this?
Besides all this, I find it very healthy for me to use this opportunity to question myself and my assumptions, and for us to further discover the possibilities for all that we may adapt and become as Canadian Muslims and as human beings. Questions have to be asked and conclusions drawn for ourselves in order to know who we really are.
I look forward to hearing what you think br. Yaser. (Please don’t crush me too quickly! :)
Salaam,
I think this statement from above answers a part of my question: “In other words, integrity and honesty are important in this investigation. Completeness and the discernment of a holistic picture are not. The result is that this is an argument by example: it says something about existence and absolutely nothing about prevalence, preponderance, or norm-setting.”
(I did read the post before I responded to it :) Yikes)
I still wonder how you think (a) (b) and (c) above will inform our culture from hereon. And I wonder how our endorsement of individual cases will impact the way in which humor is perceived and adapted by our community.
Yaser!!!
come back!!!!!!! I miss the posts! its the longest time with no updates!!
i need to read something!!!
Jazaakallahu khayran for the encouragement :)
It’s the 3rd post — it’s taking me a long time to write it the way I want to. I will inshaa Allah update tomorrow with something else while I keep working on the third post.
Salaams Dr. Yaser,
I stumbled upon your blog from Hadeel’s blogroll (I’m there too) and enjoyed reading the Little Mosque and the Humour commentary…
I am somewhat struggling in my opinion of Little Mosque with regards to the “racy” humour… (I’m thinking of writing a post on this, but haven’t gotten around to it yet…) basically, it’s not so much the “appropriateness” of it that’s bugging me, for so many reasons, including the fact that I realize that the primary audience for the show is actually the majority of Canadian society and not just the muslim population…. and reading Zarqa Nawaz’s Q and A was helpful as well…. but…
Well, let me start off by saying that I unequivocally think the show is a good thing. I think it’s important, I think it’s necessary, and I think that the goal I feel it sets out to achieve (portraying muslims as human beings, regular people, etc.) is much greater than any harm it does along the way. Not to mention, it really is healthy to laugh at ourselves.
I guess my issue is really more to do with the fact that if the goal is to portray Muslims accurately and show that there are so many variations, then it’s not necessarily being done very well… Take the “convert” episode. I can believe that the businessman and his wife (can’t remember either of their names) would do the whole “party” and “vice” thing to try to scare away the very annoying marlon, and I can believe that Rayanne’s character would rebuff when he tells her she’d make an obedient wife, but really, what are the chances that Rayanne’s character, who wears full hijab and has shown her distaste for her parents’ pda in the past, would put on a blonde wig and dance in front of non-mahrams to scare the guy away? What are the chances that Fatima’s character would wear the apron she wore and make the joke she made? I don’t think either of those was at all true to character, and it bothers me because if we’re trying to portray the diaspora of REALISTIC muslims, then Rayanne’s character, who is supposed to represent the young, practicing, but “with the times” muslimah, is now doing something out of character, and Fatima, who is supposed to represent the “conservative, from another country” muslimah, is WAAAAAAY out of character… and non-Muslims are getting their cues from this show as to what our norms are and what is beyond what we consider “acceptable”…
Whew! Okay, that was quite the rant… I should get going, but I’ll wait patiently for your next commentary on LM and humour in Islam…
Take care (and I’ll be adding you to my blogroll if you don’t mind. And I’d love to be added here if you don’t mind as well)…
wassalaam,
Noha
“Back then we were mostly graduate students and all male. Many of us were overweight, most were either foreign students or had lived overseas long enough to have thick accents, and almost all had healthy beards ”
Basically you were a bunch of FOBs is that what you’re really saying?
Muslims need to lighten up. For me, humour the best method for dawa; non-Muslims find it much easier to approach me with their wierd (do you wear that thing in the shower?) when they realize I can be funny and laid back about being Muslim. A little cheekiness never killed anyone…. right?
Assalamualaikum
For Abdul:
http://www.ghazali.org/site/ihya.htm
The whole english translation is there.
Sadly, I left this massive comment on this post a couple of hours before the site went for maintenance and then when the site was back, my comment was gone! Either I said something offensive that needed to be “moderated”, or the server ate it :(
The gist of my comment was that I have mixed feelings about LM, but that I believe the benefits FAR outway the negatives here. Same as Hadeel said, I think we’re much more approachable when we seem to have a sense of humour… JAK for the great insight Dr. Yaser, and I can’t wait to read post #3 on this topic (p.s. I’ve put you in my blogroll; hope that’s okay)
Noha
I just realized now that your comment, as you mention, is not there any more. for what it’s worth i read it just before the site went down (and then i had to go out of town so not sure when the site came back up). i will inshaa Allah get back to posting things here later tonight and i will add you to the blogroll here. More on LM later inshaa Allah.
Woohoo!!!! JAK Dr. Yaser. Very cool. At one point, I hope to post my own two-cents (or likely two-billion dollars, considering how long-winded I tend to be) on LM in a post on my own blog… Until then, I await more of your input :D
Salaam Noha,
I will work to recover your lost comment insh’Allah :)
Salam ya sidi,
inta imta 7atigi hina li rooh ‘albak, Bay Area?
seebak min Canada wi bardaha, ta3ala hina li shams al-huriya.
tahya masr ;-)
munir
Thanks Suleiman for recovering Noha’s comment. It is a great addition to the discussion. I would like to agree with Noha that there is zero percent chance that Ryanne would wear a wig or that Fatima would wear that apron (it was so funny though, lol). However, I think that all Canadians (assuming that canadians are as smart as everybody else :) ) thought the same thing. What are the odds that a conservative christian Canadian would wear a wig and dance in her chapel to push away a convert. What are the odds of a very conservative old lady from the priarie wearing that apron that Fatima wore. It is zero percent chance as well :) This scene was meant to be rediculous and everyone would, I guess, feel that way.
Again I feel that we as muslims are not in touch with main stream culture and therefore many of the hints and gestures are taken too innocently. In a previous blog entry Yaser assumed that Ryanne was offended that Ammar was checking her out when she was actually offended he claimed that he wasn’t distracted. Again Noha, assumed that Ryanne, because conservative, didn’t like her parents’ PDA when she said “get a room” or “disgusting”. In my opinion, she was just making the same comments any Canadian who is not a muslim would make sarcastically in the same situation. Am I the only one seeing it this way? :)
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article ic Humor — Step Two at Yaser M. Haddara, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.