Mockery

Mockery means to make fun of others.

The Arabic word for Mockery is ISTIHZAA.

To mock a person is bad behaviour because it hurts a person’s feelings.

Explanation

Some children and even adults’ mock people by imitating (acting) how a person walks, talks or looks. Sometimes people mock others by calling them names such as “Fatso”, “nerd”, “shorty”, etc.

When we mock them, we are finding faults with Allah’s creations.

How would you feel if you walked with a limp or spoke with a stammer, and people teased and made fun of you?

You will surely feel hurt and belittled. Here is an incident about our beloved Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) treatment of a girl who was insane.

During the time of our beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), there lived in Madinah an insane (mad) girl. She used to walk through the streets talking to herself.

Some people paid no attention to her, but there were others who used to mock or tease her. One day, while our beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) sat talking to his companions (sahabah), this girl appeared and asked if our beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) will do her a favour. He said that he will do whatever he can for her. So, she asked him to accompany her to the streets.

Our beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) did not mock or reject her request. He asked the companions to excuse 2 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

him and he accompanied her through the streets of Madinah, until she was happy.

People were surprised at the concern and affection shown by our beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) for a girl who was neither important nor sane.

This teaches us to be extra patient and caring for those people who are physically or mentally handicapped.

Allah (The Exalted) tells us in the Qur’an in Surah Al-Hujurat, Surah 49, verse 11:

O People who Believe! Men must not ridicule other men for it could be that the ridiculed are better than the mockers, nor must the women ridicule other women for the ridiculed women may be better than the mockers; and do not insult one another, nor assign evil nicknames; how base it is to be called a sinner after being a Muslim! And whoever does not repent – then it is they who are unjust.

From the above verse we learnt that Allah (The Exalted) commands or orders us not to mock or make fun of one another.