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- Author or Editor: Bernard Schweizer x
This thought-provoking collection offers a multi-disciplinary approach on the subject of humour, Muslims and Islam.
Beginning with theoretical perspectives on the subject and scriptural guidance on permissible and restricted humour, the volume presents a variety of case studies about Muslim comedic practices in various cultural, political, and religious contexts.
This unprecedented scholarship sheds new light on common misconceptions about humour and laughter in Islam and deftly tackles sensitive themes from blasphemy to freedom of speech.
Chapters 9 is available Open Access via OAPEN under CC-BY-NC-ND licence.
The contributions in this volume explore a wide variety of humour practices related to Islamic/Muslim contexts. Egyptian TV satire in the wake of the Arab Spring is the subject of Moutaz Alkheder’s chapter on Bassem Youssef. Chourouq Nasri explores cartooning as a popular comical artform in the Arab world, examining how cartoonists navigate boundaries on comical licence. Ethnic joke cycles in Iran are documented in Fatemeh Nasr Esfahani’s chapter, addressing both their conventional ethnic thematic and their religious subversiveness. The Qur’an, too, provides material for smiles, and Yasmin Amin discusses a plethora of deliberate appropriations (and misappropriations) of Qur’anic verses and passages (so-called iqtibās) for humorous effect. Joking as an anti-fundamentalist weapon – especially aimed against ISIS – is employed from both within the Arab world and from the West, as illustrated in Mona Abdel-Fadil’s chapter. Joseph Alagha explores roles played by levity in Hizbullah’s cultural programme, noting Hizbullah-internal disagreements about the status of humour. Shifting from humour expressions in the Muslim world to comedy by Muslims in North America, Jaclyn Michael explores the boldly uninhibited female Muslim stand-up acts in America, analyzing their take on gender, sexuality, and race. Jay Friesen looks closely at the successful Canadian TV series Little Mosque on the Prairie, finding that conventional comical sitcom strategies take precedence over any putative Muslim comical sensibilities.
If one looked to the formative figures of the three monotheistic world religions for an indication of the role that laughter plays in each of the three respective faiths, then one would have to conclude that Islam is the most explicitly pro-laughter religion among them. Prophet Muḥammad clearly appears to have had a penchant for merriment, and the various authoritative ḥadīth collections record scores of instances where the Prophet was smiling, chuckling, or laughing. By contrast, Christian religious thinkers following Saint Chrysostom have repeatedly pointed out that ‘Christ never laughed’ (Kuschel, 1994: 27; Viladesau, 2018: 213). Indeed, anybody scouring the four Gospels for indications of Jesus in the act of laughing will come away empty-handed (though Christ did display a range of other emotions from sadness to joy and anger). As for the most important prophet in Judaism, Moses does not appear to have had a mirthful disposition (Morreall, 2001: 294–295). As judged from scenes in the Hebrew Bible – and as reflected in statuary and paintings the world over – Moses was a solemn man, given to delivering stern commands or berating his restive followers rather than encouraging levity. But, as Part I in our collection illustrates, when it comes to Prophet Muḥammad, a different picture emerges, namely, that of a man who liked to laugh.
The book highlights the mercurial power of humour and comedy within contexts relevant to Muslims and Islam. The volume includes both theoretical and practical perspectives to challenge the notion of a monolithic and fixed understanding of Islam, especially in relation to humour. Featuring scholars from a broad range of academic disciplines, the collection offers balanced perspectives on these issues. As a publication focused on Muslims, Islam and humour, the volume offers a better understanding of the diversity of Muslim humour practices and Islamic sensibilities towards humour; it also encourages debates about issues that have not been previously brought together in a comprehensive scholarly volume. The book will make a difference in the way (mostly Western) audiences conceive of humour practices in relation to Islam and Muslims. In this way, it can help to undermine negative stereotypes, fostering a spirit of nuanced thinking and better understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims, thus making a powerful contribution in the interfaith cultural space.
The book highlights the mercurial power of humour and comedy within contexts relevant to Muslims and Islam. The volume includes both theoretical and practical perspectives to challenge the notion of a monolithic and fixed understanding of Islam, especially in relation to humour. Featuring scholars from a broad range of academic disciplines, the collection offers balanced perspectives on these issues. As a publication focused on Muslims, Islam and humour, the volume offers a better understanding of the diversity of Muslim humour practices and Islamic sensibilities towards humour; it also encourages debates about issues that have not been previously brought together in a comprehensive scholarly volume. The book will make a difference in the way (mostly Western) audiences conceive of humour practices in relation to Islam and Muslims. In this way, it can help to undermine negative stereotypes, fostering a spirit of nuanced thinking and better understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims, thus making a powerful contribution in the interfaith cultural space.
The book highlights the mercurial power of humour and comedy within contexts relevant to Muslims and Islam. The volume includes both theoretical and practical perspectives to challenge the notion of a monolithic and fixed understanding of Islam, especially in relation to humour. Featuring scholars from a broad range of academic disciplines, the collection offers balanced perspectives on these issues. As a publication focused on Muslims, Islam and humour, the volume offers a better understanding of the diversity of Muslim humour practices and Islamic sensibilities towards humour; it also encourages debates about issues that have not been previously brought together in a comprehensive scholarly volume. The book will make a difference in the way (mostly Western) audiences conceive of humour practices in relation to Islam and Muslims. In this way, it can help to undermine negative stereotypes, fostering a spirit of nuanced thinking and better understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims, thus making a powerful contribution in the interfaith cultural space.
The book highlights the mercurial power of humour and comedy within contexts relevant to Muslims and Islam. The volume includes both theoretical and practical perspectives to challenge the notion of a monolithic and fixed understanding of Islam, especially in relation to humour. Featuring scholars from a broad range of academic disciplines, the collection offers balanced perspectives on these issues. As a publication focused on Muslims, Islam and humour, the volume offers a better understanding of the diversity of Muslim humour practices and Islamic sensibilities towards humour; it also encourages debates about issues that have not been previously brought together in a comprehensive scholarly volume. The book will make a difference in the way (mostly Western) audiences conceive of humour practices in relation to Islam and Muslims. In this way, it can help to undermine negative stereotypes, fostering a spirit of nuanced thinking and better understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims, thus making a powerful contribution in the interfaith cultural space.
