1. Using comedy for Dawah

Question: May Allāh give you good, the questioner says: Is it from the means of Da’wah to utilize comedy and making people laugh in order to capture their hearts towards the religion? What is the correct method? May Allāh reward you with good.

Shaykh Fawzān: Da’wah is not by way of jokes, clowning and humor. Da’wah is by the Book and the Sunnah and preaching, it is not by humor or making the people laugh or things like this. This is not from kindness. Perhaps someone will say this is from kindness. Kindness is not joking that leads to comedy. This is from the things that trivialize the status of the caller. If they see him jesting, clowning and so forth, he will diminish in their view. He will become like a comedian, he will not be a caller to Allāh. He will become like an actor. These things trivialize the significance of the call and the status of the caller. The person should give Da’wah in a serious manner, on the way of the Book and the Sunnah. And it does not appear in the Book and the Sunnah that comedy and joking is from Dawah to Allāh the Exalted. Allāh said to His Prophet:

{125} ادْعُإِلَىسَبِيلِرَبِّكَبِالْحِكْمَةِوَالْمَوْعِظَةِالْحَسَنَةِوَجَادِلْهُمْبِالَّتِيهِيَأَحْسَنُ

“Invite (all) to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious.” (16:125)

With wisdom, means with knowledge; and putting the affairs in their proper places. You speak to the ignorant person with that which he will understand; you speak to the learned person with that which he will understand. You address the leader in a manner which is befitting. Every person is address in a manner which is suited for them. This is from wisdom. Also wisdom is knowledge, thus do not give Da’wah while you are ignorant. And beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious. Comedy is not included in this. Joking has not come as a means of Da’wah. This trivializes the significance of the Da’wah and this diminishes the status of the caller; and he will become cheap in the eyes of the people, because he is shameless, and distasteful. Thus we do not invent things in the Da’wah that are not from its methodology.

Translated by Rasheed ibn Estes Barbee

2. The Ruling on Plays and Skits

Question: What is your view on putting on skits (comedy sketch/plays) in the Masājid when that is for the purpose of Da’wah?

Answer: This is something newly invented; it is not from the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ in the Masājid or other than them, it is not permissible. The Messenger ﷺ or the Muslims after him did not use skits or plays in the Masājid.

Translated by: Raha ibn Donald Batts

Translation Source: http://mtws.posthaven.com/ (Masjid Tawheed wa Sunnah)