What is the criterion for what is called a joke or anecdote, which may be a lie?
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The questioner : What is the criterion for what is called jokes or anecdotes, and when do they become a lie?
Does a person narrate a story that did not happen in order to make the people around him laugh?
The Shaykh : Yes. If a person gives an example by telling a story, that is fine. For instance, if he says, "Let me give you an example of a man who said such-and-such or did such-and-such, and the result was such-and-such," there is nothing wrong with that.
Some scholars even said regarding the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Kahf 18:32] that this is a parable and not an actual reality. And in the Qur'an, [Az-Zumar 39:29] So if a person mentions a story without attributing it to a specific individual, but as if something happened and the outcome was such-and-such, there is nothing wrong with that.
However, if he attributes it to a specific person and it is a lie, then it is forbidden; it becomes a lie. Likewise, if the intention is to make the people laugh, it has been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Bulugh al-Maram 16:80 Yes.
Does a person narrate a story that did not happen in order to make the people around him laugh?
The Shaykh : Yes. If a person gives an example by telling a story, that is fine. For instance, if he says, "Let me give you an example of a man who said such-and-such or did such-and-such, and the result was such-and-such," there is nothing wrong with that.
Some scholars even said regarding the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And present to them an example of two men: We granted to one of them two gardens of grapevines
وَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ مَثَلاً رَجُلَيْنِ جَعَلْنَا لِأَحَدِهِمَا جَنَّتَيْنِ مِنْ أَعْنَابٍAllah presents an example: a slave owned by quarreling partners and another belonging exclusively to one man - are they equal in comparison? Praise be to Allah! But most of them do not know.
ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلاً رَجُلاً فِيهِ شُرَكَاءُ مُتَشَاكِسُونَ وَرَجُلاً سَلَماً لِرَجُلٍ هَلْ يَسْتَوِيَانِ مَثَلاً الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لا يَعْلَمُونَHowever, if he attributes it to a specific person and it is a lie, then it is forbidden; it becomes a lie. Likewise, if the intention is to make the people laugh, it has been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):