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, 2022Page count
306 pagesISBN
978-1529214673Dimensions
234 x 156 mmImprint
Bristol University PressPublished
May 26, 2022Page count
306 pagesISBN
978-1529214680Imprint
Bristol University PressPublished
May 26, 2022Page count
306 pagesISBN
978-1529214680Imprint
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.
“We needed a volume that thinks critically about how Muslims create religious humour that is both interdisciplinary and covers different cultural contexts. Thankfully, we now have that volume.” David Feltmate, Auburn University at Montgomery
“This collection is a welcome contribution to the study of humour in relation to Islam. It reveals that, contrary to popular belief, Islam is not hostile to humour and Muslims are as funny as non-Muslims.” Georges Tamer, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
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
