FatwaFederal TerritoriesSocial & Contemporary Issues
BAYAN LINNAS SIRI KE-255: KEBEBASAN MELAMPAU DALAM BERJENAKA
What is the ruling on joking in a way that mocks religion, and what are the ethics of humour in Islam?
Short answer
Making religion the subject of jokes is prohibited. Imam al-Nawawi held it to be haram and capable of leading to apostasy, while Ibn Hajar al-Haitami classed it as a major sin.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Bayan Linnas
- Topic
- Social & Contemporary Issues
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Making religion the subject of jokes is prohibited. Imam al-Nawawi held it to be haram and capable of leading to apostasy, while Ibn Hajar al-Haitami classed it as a major sin. Under the law it is a Shariah criminal offence under Sections 7 and 8 of the Shariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997. The ethics of humour include not exceeding limits, not making a person's dignity the object of jest, not deceiving and not toying with religious symbols.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Menurut imam al-Nawawi, perbuatan mempersendakan agama bagi seseorang muslim adalah haram bahkan boleh membawa kepada murtad.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “BAYAN LINNAS SIRI KE-255: KEBEBASAN MELAMPAU DALAM BERJENAKA”, 16 July 2022. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/bayan-linnas/5345-bayan-linnas-siri-ke-255-kebebasan-melampau-dalam-berjenaka. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-joking-that-mocks-religion/