more gluttonous bellies, more deceitful tongues, and more cowardly when meeting the enemy.” He meant the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and the believers! Thus they reviled the Messenger ﷺ and the best of his Companions, accusing them of cowardice, lying, and voracity in eating. Allah informed His Messenger ﷺ of what had happened, so the man who had spoken came to offer an excuse, only to find that the Qur’an had preceded him. He pleaded, “O Messenger of Allah, we were merely talking idly and joking.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ responded, “Was it Allah, His signs, and His Messenger that you were mocking?” (1)

That man had either been a believer—or at least possessed the root of faith, though weak—then fell into disbelief, or he had been a hypocrite who outwardly professed faith, only to expose his unbelief.

The danger is therefore enormous. A Muslim must restrain his tongue and never joke about matters of religion: about Allah, His names and attributes, about the Qur’an, the sunnah, or the guidance of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Joking, ridicule, and laughter are permissible only among people concerning ordinary affairs. But to cross the line into mockery of the Almighty Lord, His noble Messenger, or His upright religion thrusts a person out of Islam and into disbelief.