What did the scholars say about laughter?
The Prophet ﷺ smiled more than anyone. He laughed until his molars showed. The scholars preserved the distinction between the laughter that lightens the heart and the laughter that hardens it.
2 passages from 2 books in the library
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 2 books by Imam al-Ghazali — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"While what is commendable is a smile that reveals the teeth without producing sound as was the laughter of the messenger of Allah"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"Moreover, you bring joy to Iblis, your fiercest enemy, when you are deprived of blessings like knowledge, piety, prestige, and wealth."
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