Comedy clubs.. another entertainment refuge for the suburban capitalist regular old American… “American Islam” hasn’t left those alone, entering these same bars and clubs, playing off their Muslim identity. Once a realm for drinks and smoke, subtract the drinks and its ok. Comedians such as these are the opening acts for large conferences (the crowd in one of the videos is huge), or the Muslim boy bands that have been identified earlier.
I said in the earlier posts “The situation with Muslims today is that the West defines principles (inputs), and we get a culture out of it (western culture), and then Muslims attempt to filter the result through ‘Islam’.” Comedians are a great place to see that filter get abandoned. Stand up is all about breaking taboos, and Islam does have a component which enforces taboos in order to foster a concept of the sacred and profane.
Interestingly enough in Islamic history, while there are recorded stories of saintly people which had an amusing twist (Nasruddin Hoja), there was never a concept of a court jester whose aim was to amuse people for the sake of their amusement, break taboos for the sake of breaking them, all while pocketing a pretty penny.
So as you watch/listen to these comedians, reflect on the fact prayer is used as an tool of entertainment. Look at the shots of the hijab laden crowd, and the western suit wearing comic. Examine how American values regarding dating and picking up girls have been incorporated and become part of ‘the act’ received by mainstream American Muslims. Reflect on the very history of comedians.
So here we have it. Laugh up. Or cry?
the truth on 
m.a.kidwai,CME/IND.RLY.(retd.) on 
Bismillah
Salaams…
subhanAllah… i could actually feel my IQ dropping while i watched only parts of each of those… and didn’t even crack one smile, i might add. that stuff isn’t even funny, and i don’t understand how something can call itself Islamic while openly mocking Islam. that’s not just laughing at Muslim foilables, it was openly mocking Islamic lifestyles.
Assalamu alaikum, I didn’t find it funny either. I was actually quite, hmmm, how do I say it? Let’s just call it unimpressed, I couldn’t even make it through the first clip.
bismillah
wa ‘alaykum as salam
Even the “funny” parts are only “funny” because they are so stupid. I don’t know why we, as Muslims, have to resort to this sort of entertainment. What does it do for us? The laughter is cheap and at what cost? At some point I asked my husband if this falls into mocking of the deen and people?
I never really looked into these things with such deep thought. I’m really disgusted by what’s happening and I don’t see the benefit for me, my family, and our community. It’s more of a distraction from community, from Allah, another pulling factor that takes us away from things that truly matter. Whatever happened to sharing stories to make people laugh, think, and real funny jokes that don’t resort to bashing anyone and using stupid language? I want that! It’s something I try to encourage in my home and our circle of friends since I’ve removed this entertainment from our home.
When I was growing up, my parents told us stories. We used to hang out at night at a neighbors house and we heard stories (albeit scary ones sometimes). I look at other cultures, non Muslim and Muslim alike, and I see that the people come together more with each other, talk about their lives, and share their stories and wisdom. In America, it’s as if we must resort to this entertainment because our lives are so devoid of this goodness that feeds the soul.
may Allah grant us all His Mercy. Ameen