Joking with Friends

8-7-2025 | IslamWeb

Question:

I have seen a fatwa here that insulting someone even if they don't mind is haram my question what count as insulting for example if i say to friend you don't know how to study ,you are a lazy person, etc or if they do a mistake in a sports i say to them why have you done this ,that was a very silly mistake etc does such things counts as an insult
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

These words, you have mentioned, do not seem to be an insult, as they are commonly exchanged among people, especially friends, without any feelings of sadness or offence from the other party.

Mockery and insult towards others is prohibited if it involves harm to them, not if they are not harmed by it. Furthermore, mocking a person who approves of it is not considered forbidden mockery, as the reason for prohibition, which is harm, does not exist. Al-Ghazali may Allaah have mercy upon him said: As for the one who makes himself a subject of mockery, and perhaps enjoys being mocked, then mockery towards him falls under the category of joking. This includes what is praiseworthy and what is blameworthy.

Allah knows best.

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