Muhammad’s (ﷺ) Mirth
Mirth is a feeling one experiences upon receiving, or with the renewal of a blessing, or brushing off an affliction. Man’s evaluation of the causes of mirth differs according to his values and principles. Whoever loves people shares their mirth and grief and whoever loathes people rejoices if they experience a discomfort.
Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) mirth was closely related to Allah’s satisfaction, anything that satisfies Allah pleases Him and vice versa. His companion Abu Bakr (may Allah bless him) says, When the Prophet received good news, He used to prostrate himself to thank his Lord the Almighty.”
He rejoiced if Allah’s mercy for His creation was mentioned.
One day, He (peace be upon him) was with His companions telling them about a servant providing a statement of his account on the Day of Judgment, where Allah overlooks the servant’s sins, Abu Zarr (may Allah bless him) says that “The Messenger said, ‘I know that person well who will enter Jannah first and also that person who will be the last one to be taken out of Jahannam. On the Day of Qiyaamah a person will be brought forward to the court of Almighty Allah. It shall be commanded that all the minor sins of that person be put forward to him and the major sign be concealed. When the minor sins are disclosed to that person, he will accept that he committed them, as there will be no room for refuting them. (He will begin to tremble and say in his heart that these are only the minor sins, what will happen when the major sins are exposed.)
During this it shall be commanded that for every sin of that person, he be given the ajr (reward) of a good deed. Upon hearing this person he will say I still have many sins left to account for, that are not seen here. Abu Dhar says, ‘The Prophet (peace be upon him), while narrating the words of that person began laughing until his mubarak teeth began to show. (The reason being that the person himself disclosed the very sins he was frightened of).”
Here, the Prophet laughed out of wondering at the servant’s craving for Allah’s mercy and so was man created craving for more. This servant was in hell experiencing torture, desiring death but couldn’t find it, thus Allah got Him out of it showing him His little sins informing him of His forgiveness. Substituting each bad deed with a good one, with the result that the servant coveted more asking about major sins wishing for Allah’s forgiveness, thus Muhammad (peace be upon him) laughed at that servant’s greed.
Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) laughter here, while telling of this scene to His companions, opened the way for hope in the affluence of Allah’s mercy, overlooking the sins of his servant giving him more good than expected. The Prophet also laughed when His companions received something good. As the hypocrites were arguing about the lineage of Usama bin Zaid, as his father was white, while his mother was black, Aesh (my Allah bless her) says, “Allah’s Apostle came to her in a happy mood with His features glittering with joy, and said, ‘Have you not heard what the Qaif has said about Zaid and Usama? He saw their feet and remarked. These belong to each other (they are father and son).”
One day, the Prophet got up cheerfully, as Anas bin Malik (may Allah bless him) narrates that “Allah’s Apostle slept and afterwards woke up smiling. When asked for the reason of His smiling, He said that he saw a good vision about the future of His nation.”
He laughed to mollify His companions for they experienced pains and His life. Something else: He laughed in answer of an offense; how often a smile unlocked hearts, softened tough souls and turned many people to good. People differ in manners. Some are soft or harsh, others are scholars or illiterate. How many a situation Muhammad (peace be upon him) handled with a broad smile; Anas bin Malik (may Allah bless him) says, “I was walking with Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) who was wearing a najrani cloak with a very thick border when a Bedouin happened to meet Him. He took hold of the side of his cloak and drew it violently. I noticed that the violence of jerk had bruised the neck of Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
The Bedouin said, ‘O Muhammad! Give me out of Allah’s wealth that which you possess.’
Messenger of Allah turned to him and smiled and directed that he should be given something.”
A smile in a situation like this is a matchless and strange one; it is the type of mildness that only the prophets possess, and a gentle prophetic smile that eased the condition of that poor, foolish and tough man. In another narration, that same hadith tells how the Prophet’s companions were around and got extremely angry at the man’s act and almost killing him; but for the Prophet’s gesture and smile, the man kept strangling him till the Prophet beckoned to them to give the man what he liked, what kind of patience and mercy!
The Prophet laughed wondering at the reaction of people; while at the Battle of Tail, He favored return and told His companion, “We will return (to Medina) If Allah wills.”
That distressed the companions (of the Prophet and they said, “Shall we go away without conquering it (the Fort of Taif)?”
Once the Prophet (peace he upon him) said, “Let us return.’
Then the Prophet said (to them), “Fight tomorrow.”
They fought and (many of them) got wounded, whereupon the Prophet Said, “We will return (to Medina) tomorrow if Allah wills. “That delighted them, whereupon the Prophet smiled.
When Amr bin Al-As (may Allah bless him), as the leader of the army at the Battle of Dhatas Salasil, and prayed without making ritual ablution. Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) added, “I had a sexual dream on a cold night in the Battle of Dhatas Salasil. I was afraid that if I washed I would die. I, therefore, performed tayammum and led my companions in the dawn prayer. They mentioned that to the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him)
He said,”Amr, you led your companions in prayer while you were sexually defiled?”
I informed him of the cause which impeded me from washing.
And I said, “I heard Allah say, ‘Do not kill yourselves (or one another). Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful: (Al-Nisa: 29)
The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) laughed and did not say anything.”
When Uday bin Hotem misunderstood a verse of the Qur’an, the Prophet corrected smilingly. When (this verse) was revealed, “Until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread (of night).” (Al-Baqarah: 187)
Uday said,”O Messenger of Allah, verily I keep underneath my pillow two strings, one white and the other black, by which I distinguish night from dawn.”
Upon this the Messenger of Allah said, “Your pillow seems to be very large. For the world khait implies the blackness of the night and the whiteness of that, dawn.”
The prophet shared His companions’ joy and laughter; sometimes one of them said something that made all laugh including the Prophet. jaber bin Sumrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked, “Did you sit in the company of the Messenger of Allah?”
He said, “Yes very often. He ( the holy prophet ) used to sit at the place where he observed the morning or dawn prayer till the sun rose or when it had risen; he would stand, and they ( his companions ) would talk about matters ( pertaining to the days ) of ignorance, and they would laugh ( on these matters ) while ( the holy prophet ) only smiled .‘’
When a man came asking him to supplicate Allah from rain as they almost perished. Anas says, ’’Allah’s Apostle, I was delivering the kutba (sermon) on a Friday when people stood up, shouted and said,’ O Allah’s apostle! There is no rain (drought), the trees have dried and the livestock are destroyed; please pray to Allah for rain.’
So Allah’s Apostle said twice, ‘O Allah! Bless us with rain.’
By Allah, there was no trace of cloud in the sky and suddenly the sky became overcast with clouds and it started raining .the prophet came down the pulpit and offered the prayer. When he came back from the prayer ( to his house ) it was raining and it rained continuously till the next Friday .When the prophet started delivering the Friday khutba (sermon) ,the people started shouting and said to him ,’ The house have collapsed and the roads are cut off; so please pray to Allah to withhold the rain.
So the Prophet smiled and said,’O Allah! Round about us and not on us.
So the sky became clear over Medina but it kept on raining over the outskirts (of Medina) and not a single drop of rain fell over Median. I looked towards the sky, which was as bright and clear as a crown.”
The smile never parted Him in all conditions; Jarir bin Abdullah (may Allah bless him) says, “Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him) did not screen himself from me since my embracing Islam, and whenever He saw me, He would receive me with a smile. Once I told him that I could not sit firm on horses. He stroked me on the chest with His hand and said, “O Allah! Make him firm and make him a guiding and a rightly guided man.”
A few moments before His death, the Prophet smiled at seeing His companions committed to obeying Allah, Anas bin Malik (may Allah bless him) says, “While the Muslims were offering the Fajr prayer on Monday and Abu Bakr was leading them in prayer, suddenly Allah’s Apostle lifted the curtain of Aisha’s dwelling and looked at them while they were in the rows of the prayers and smiled. Abu Bakr retreated to join the row, thinking that Allah’s Apostle wanted to come out for the prayer. The Muslims were about to be put to trial in their prayer (were about to give up praying) because of being overjoyed at seeing Allah’s Apostle. But Allah’s Apostle beckoned them with His hand to complete their prayer and then entered the dwelling and let fall the curtain.”
