Prophet's Sense of Humour

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) is an example for the Muslim to follow in every aspect of life, as it is mentioned in the by Allah the almighty in the Quran "In the Messenger of Allah is a good example for you to follow." [Quran Surah#33 Ayah #21]. Even in joking and having a good sense of humor Rasulullah has set an example for us. It is reported that the Prophet was asked by his companions: "You are joking with us." He said, "But I never say anything but the truth."

[Authentically reported in Sahih Bukhari]

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) used to joke, but he never said anything but the truth in his jokes. The Sahabah took the same approach to humor. There are many delightful reports about the jokes exchanged between the Prophet and the Sahabah. Among the stories related in the books of hadith and sirah is the report that the Prophet used to joke with the small child of one of the Sahabah, a boy called Abu 'Umayr, who had a small bird he used to play with. One day he saw the child looking sad, so he said, "Why do I see Abu 'Umayr looking sad?" The Sahabah told him, "The nughar [a small bird, like a sparrow - author] which he used to play with has died, O Messenger of Allah." The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) began to gently joke with the child, saying, "O Abu Umayr, what happened to the nughayr?" [Nughayr: diminutive of nughar. - author. In Arabic, this is a play on words, because of the rhyme between the boy's name and that of the bird. - Translator. This story was reported inHayat al-Sahabah, 3/149]


A man came to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) to ask him to give him a beast to ride. The Prophet jokingly told him, "I will give you the offspring of a she-camel to ride." He said, "O Messenger of Allah , what will I do with the offspring of a she-camel?" The Prophet said: "Are riding-camels born except from she-camels?" [Reported by Imaam Ahmad, Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi, with a Sahih isnad.]

An old woman came to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala) that I will enter Paradise." He said jokingly, "O Mother of So-and-so, no old women will enter Paradise." The old woman went away crying, so the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said, "Tell her that she will not enter Paradise as an old woman, for Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala) says: (We have created [their Companions] of special creation, and made them virgin-pure [and undefiled]) [Quran 56:35-36]." [Reported by al-Tirmidhi, it is hasan
because of the existence of corroborating reports.]