Is joking and humour allowed in Islam?

Yes. Joking is permitted and was part of the Prophet's own character. Anas said: "The Prophet used to mix with us, so much so that he would say to a younger brother of mine, 'O Abu 'Umayr, what did the little bird do?'" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6129). When the Companions asked him, "You joke with us?", he replied: "Indeed, I do not say anything but the truth" (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1990, hasan) — and that is the first limit: a joke must not be a lie. The Prophet warned: "Woe to the one who speaks and lies in order to make people laugh — woe to him, woe to him" (Sunan Abi Dawud 4990; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2315, hasan). The second limit is that a joke must never mock or belittle anyone (Quran 49:11), and the third is that it must never touch Allah, His verses, or His Messenger, for the Quran treats that as a grave matter entirely (Quran 9:65-66). Likewise, frightening a Muslim or taking his belongings "as a joke" is not allowed, and constant laughter that hardens the heart and consumes one's time is blameworthy even when nothing forbidden is said.

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