Laughter is kind of expression which usually designate for humorous things. It is a very familiar daily activity in human life. Laughter can determine the psychology condition of someone to show a response something happened which is considered funny based on his motor neuron.
Islam considers laugher as a worship which is similar to smile. However, there is condition whereas someone out of control so his laughter is become excessive as it is mentioned on the danger of foolish in Islam, tips to relieve anxious in Islam, how to overcome anxious in Islam, the virtues of indulgent in Islam, restful mind in Islam.
Laugh out loud followed with big sounds and noisy is considered as a danger. It should be part of worship as Abul-Fath Al-Busti Rahimullah said,
” Do give a recess of your seriously nature, be relax by giving some laugh. Still, when you are joke with her, do treat her as if as you are putting a salt into your meals.”
It means that laugher or joke must be suitable with its content because when you are exaggerating it, it is like you are putting too many salt into your meals and the result is salty. That is happened when you are exaggerating your laugher. Read more about Importance of Surah Waqiah
Rasulullah SAW likes to laugher and as it is narrated by Abu Hurairah Radhiallahu’anhu, His relatives said,” يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ، إِنَّكَ تُدَاعِبُنَا
“Dear Rasulullah SAW! Actually, you are often makes funny with us.”
He answered,” إِنِّيْ لاَ أَقُوْلُ إِلاَّ حَقًّا.
”Honestly, I say no words except haq (the truth).”
The Danger of Excessive Laughter in Islam
Islam determines that something which is too much is considered as badly. Allah Ta’ala reminds His ummat with :
يَا بَنِي آدَمَ خُذُواْ زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وكُلُواْ وَاشْرَبُواْ وَلاَ تُسْرِفُواْ إِنَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ
“Dear the son of Adam, wear the best suit every time you walk in into mosque, eat and drink as you pleased and do not exaggerate. Indeed, Allah SWT does not like those who are exaggerating something.” (QS. Al A’raaf:31)
In fact, exaggerating laugher can cause unconsciously danger for us. Below are supporting information related to the danger of exaggerating of laugher in Islam. Read more about Dangers of Hedonism in Islam
- Stubborn
Rasulullah SAW advises Abu Hurairah Radhiallahu’anhu,
“(( وَلاَ تُكْثِرِ الضَّحِكَ, فَإِنَّ كَثْرَةَ الضَّحِكِ تُمِيتُ الْقَلْبَ.))
“Do not laugh a lot! Indeed, it will extinguish your heart.”
[AdSense-B] It is been warned by Rasulullah SAW that exaggerating laughter can cause the danger of ourselves because it seems that he does not have responsibilities to his entire life. Moreover, as a human life, it is our obligation to do worship to Allah SWT.
Someone who likes to exaggerate his laughter can remiss his entire obligation and tends extinguish his heart unconsciously. He will feel that all advises are not useful because he thinks it is only a joke.
2. Remove the bright of the face
Laugher can make our face neuron extracted and it is not good for a long condition because our face neuron can be broken. It is also can bring up wrinkles on our face so our face will not look as beautiful or handsome anymore.
“Do not exaggerate in laughing because it will extinguish of your heart and lessen of your bright face.” (Hadisth Bukhari Muslim)
[AdSense-A]
3. Make someone thinks apathies
He forgets all his obligations and responsibilities so it makes him unconsciously lost that Allah SWT was create of him. Read more about Dangers of Gossip in Islam
4. Give impression that he is not serious person
Laugher indicates that we should be relax in facing our life, still, if we are often seeing too many laugher, it will makes other thinks that we are not serious person and it will be danger for ourselves.
5. Likewise forget a doomsday
The prophet of Muhammand Shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said,”
عُرِضَتْعَلَيَّالْجَنَّةُوَالنَّارُفَلَمْأَرَكَالْيَوْمِفِيالْخَيْرِوَالشَّرِّوَلَوْتَعْلَمُوْنَمَاأَعْلَمُلَضَحِكْتُمْقَلِيْلاًوَلَبَكَيْتُمْكَثِيرًاقَالَفَمَاأَتَىعَلَىأَصْحَابِرَسُوْلِاللَّهِصَلَّىاللَّهُعَلَيْهِوَسَلَّمَيَوْمٌأَشَدُّمِنْهُقَالَغَطَّوْارُءُوْسَهُمْوَلَهُمْخَنِيْنٌ
“Heaven and Hell are being appeared to me, and then I see no goodness and badness today. If you knew something which is known, you will be less to laugh and many cries.”
Rasulullah SAW reminds us not often to laugh because He wants humankind remembers that there will be existence after we live in the world which is the doomsday.
Thus, too much laugh can make someone forget there will be life after life and it is surely poor for him. It is the reason we are demanded to improve ourselves in Islam, how to gratitude the bounty of Allah SWT, and how to be restful in Islam.
6. Breaking courtesy
As Muslim, we are restricted by roles and courtesies which are bounded to our life so that we are not doing deviation in live. Exaggerating laughter is considered as one of type deviation in courtesies. As an east person, the habit exaggerating laughter is considered impolite and not appropriate with the norms. Read more about List of Unforgivable Sins in Islam
7. Can interfere the relation with others
The danger of exaggerating laughter has a big impact as Allah Ta’ala said,”
يَاأَيُّهَاالَّذِينَآمَنُوالَايَسْخَرْقَوْمٌمِنْقَوْمٍعَسَىأَنْيَكُونُواخَيْرًامِنْهُمْوَلَانِسَاءٌمِنْنِسَاءٍعَسَىأَنْيَكُنَّخَيْرًامِنْهُنَّوَلَاتَلْمِزُواأَنْفُسَكُمْوَلَاتَنَابَزُوابِالْأَلْقَابِبِئْسَالِاسْمُالْفُسُوقُبَعْدَالْإِيمَانِوَمَنْلَمْيَتُبْفَأُولَئِكَهُمُالظَّالِمُونَ
“To all devout people, do not let some of the men group humiliated the other group, it might be those who are humiliated are better than the group. And do not let also some of the ladies group humiliated the other group. It might be those who are humiliated are better than the group. Do not reproach yourself and do not nick name others with a label contained mocking. Indeed, the worst nick name being given are those who are the bad after his faithfully and tawwabah. Those are considered as despotic person.” (QS. Al-Hujurat:11)
8. Make noises
The volume of your voice when laughing must be harder, especially when you are laughing in crowed. For example when you are having a test or exam, the noisy voice will make your concentration blur so you can finish the exam calmly.
9. Disturbing others amenities
Too many laughing can interfere others companions due to the noisy voices. It is the reason we are expected not too laugh loudly especially in the crowded so we will not labeled as the moody destruction.
10. Unbalancing hormone in the body
In order to be effective and efficient, our hormone must work to be balance in its relation because when we are laughing too much, it will increase our serotonin hormone in the brain. When serotonin increasing, it will interfere other hormones function in our body so it will impact the other hormones functions. Read more about Muslim’s Obligation to Other Muslims
May this article can improve our knowledge and be as our reminder to always control ourselves in everything as well as our laughter in order to keep our Islam Faith Strong.