Policy Press

Muslims and Humour

Essays on Comedy, Joking, and Mirth in Contemporary Islamic Contexts

Edited by Bernard Schweizer and Lina Molokotos-Liederman With Yasmin Amin

Published

May 26, 2022

Page count

306 pages

ISBN

978-1529214673

Dimensions

234 x 156 mm

Imprint

Bristol University Press

Published

May 26, 2022

Page count

306 pages

ISBN

978-1529214680

Dimensions

Imprint

Bristol University Press

Published

May 26, 2022

Page count

306 pages

ISBN

978-1529214680

Dimensions

Imprint

Bristol University Press
Muslims and Humour

This thought-provoking collection offers a multi-disciplinary approach on the subject of humour, Muslims, and Islam.

Beginning with theoretical perspectives and scriptural guidance on permissible and restricted humour, the volume presents a variety of case studies about Muslim comedic practices in various cultural, political, and religious contexts.

This unprecedented scholarship sheds new light on common misconceptions about humour and laughter in Islam and deftly tackles sensitive themes from blasphemy to freedom of speech.

Chapter 9 is available Open Access via OAPEN under CC-BY-NC-ND licence.

Bernard Schweizer is Professor Emeritus of English at the Department of English, Philosophy and Languages at Long Island University.

Lina Molokotos-Liederman is Affiliated Researcher at the Woolf Institute and Scientific Collaborator at University of Fribourg.

Yasmin Amin recently completed her doctoral studies at University of Exeter with a dissertation titled, “Humour and Laughter in the Ḥadīth”.

Introduction - Bernard Schweizer and Lina Molokotos-Liederman

PART I Theoretical Perspectives on Islam and Humour

1 Ridicule in the Qur’an: The Missing Link in Islamic Humour Studies - Mostafa Abedinifard

2 Laughter in the Discursive Tradition? Emotions of Muḥammad as the Topic of a Pious Arabic-English Reader - Georg Leube

3 Humour in Islamic Literature and Muslim Practices: Virtue or Vice? - Walid Ghali

PART II Muslim Humour Practices in Islamicate Societies: Textual Media

4 Using/Abusing the Qur’an in Jocular Literature: Blasphemy, Qur’anophilia, or Familiarity? - Yasmin Amin

5 A 'Stupid Lur' Mocks Allah and Mullah: Sociocultural Implications of the Luri Jokes Cycle - Fatemeh Nasr Esfahani

PART III Muslim Humour Practices in Islamicate Societies: Visual Media and Performance

6 Al- Bernameg: How Bassem Youssef Ridiculed Religious Fundamentalists and Survived the ‘Defamation of Religion’ Charge - Moutaz Alkheder

7 Arab Cartoonists and Religion: The Interdependence of Transgression and Taboo - Chourouq Nasri

8 Hizbullah’s Humour: Political Satire, Comedy, and Revolutionary Theatre - Joseph Alagha

9 ‘Putting the Fun Back into Fundamentalism’: Toying with Islam and Extremism in Comedy - Mona Abdel-Fadil

PART IV Muslim Comedy in North America

10 Queering Islam in Performance: Gender and Sexuality in American Muslim Women’s Stand-up Comedy - Jaclyn A. Michael

11 Comedy as Social Commentary in Little Mosque on the Prairie: Decoding Humour in the First ‘Muslim Sitcom’ - Jay Friesen

Conclusion - Bernard Schweizer and Lina Molokotos-Liederman

Bibliography on Islam and Humour