Salam, Ikhlas. 

Thank you very much for your question, which is a delight to answer.

There is nothing more off-putting in life than miserable people, is there? In being so preoccupied with how seriously we look upon our Muslim beliefs, we sometimes can give the impression to others that Islam is not any fun at all and that somehow it is wrong to laugh and joke. Nothing could be further from the truth.

A while back, I wrote an article for IslamOnline.net called "Lifting the Veil on Mr. Straw." It was a serious reply to the comments British Minister, Jack Straw, made about the way Muslim women dress.

I really took him to task in the article! Soon afterwards, I did a Live Dialogue with IslamOnline.net and someone from Mr. Straw's Blackburn constituency joined in with a comment. He said that instead of getting all upset, we should actually thank Mr. Straw, because sales of hijab in the hijab shop in Blackburn have actually gone through the roof since Straw's comments. I had to laugh, and I thanked the brother for his sense of humor.

Visiting the UK just recently and speaking in a number of different universities, I was impressed not only by the great faith and good example of the Muslim students who came to listen, but also by their sense of fun. They could weep when listening to words about our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) or about Allah's kindness and compassion towards us. Then they could laugh and joke 10 minutes later about so much of the silliness surrounding Islam and Muslims in Britain.

In answering your question, brother, it is important to remember that Islam is not just a religion, but a complete way of life. It covers every aspect of our lives. Our lives are made up of very ordinary days, but they are also filled with days of sadness and days of great rejoicing, and Islam has something to say and something to contribute to all of this. However we feel, Islam helps us. Whatever we think, Islam informs our thinking.

It is most important to laugh and joke, then, and to show the world that Islam brings great happiness to our lives. It is not a faith of sin and punishment, but one of total hope in the mercy and the greatness of Allah.

Muslims do not look for someone to save them. What would he save them from? Instead, they know that Allah has given us everything we need to cope with the troubles and the trials of life.

Last year I visited the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah. It was a truly beautiful and blessed time. Many things stick in my memory, but one very simple incident stays with me especially.

A man came into the mosque, followed by his four sons. He looked very severe, with a long beard and a frown on his face. His sons ranged in age and height as they followed him, the tallest first and the youngest last. The boys showed the greatest respect for their father and he, in turn, knew the great duty he had been given of bringing them up well.

They prayed together on entering the mosque and they then lay down in the heat of the afternoon. After a while, the youngest boy, who must have been about six years old and could not lie still for too long, began to tickle his father's toes.

After a few moments, father and all four sons were hugging and tickling and kissing one another. This brought smiles to the faces of all around, but it also made us give thanks to Almighty Allah.

We could thank him for the good example of this family, praying together, respecting and caring for one another, but also filled with joy and happiness at being together. What a pity a television camera could not have shown these Muslims!

Islam, then, is not miserable. There are so many examples of our Prophet (peace be upon him) laughing and joking with his Companions and his wives, or allowing the young Al-Hasan and Al-Hussain to interrupt him at Prayers so that he could play with them.

Muhammad was the greatest man to have lived. He was the gentlest and the kindest. Almighty Allah chose him to reveal His message to humankind. Yet Muhammad knew how to have fun.

As Muslims we, too, should be strong as well as gentle. We need to take our responsibilities to Almighty Allah and to our families and to our Muslim brothers and sisters very seriously, but we should also be so happy at being Muslim that our happiness can be seen on our faces.

Making our celebrations fun, then, should be a natural part of being Muslim. We need to re-kindle our love for Islam and then we will be happy — and it will show.

I remember at the last `Eid, it was shown on the television the first day of the feast in Saudi Arabia when the king of Saudi Arabia, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, was seen sword-dancing with his subjects. It was a most beautiful sight. Islam is beautiful and we should let the whole world know this by the way we speak about it and the way we act.

We do not need alcohol or haram things to have fun in Islam. In fact, the beauty of Islam is that we can be very happy and have great fun just by doing things that Allah has made lawful.

Start by being truly faithful to the five daily Prayers and to recitation of the Glorious Qur'an. Read about the life and example of our beloved Prophet. If we do this, returning to what it really means to be Muslim, the joyful way we celebrate our feasts will astonish those around us.

We do not need to copy or even compare ourselves with the way non-Muslims celebrate their festivals. The joy of Islam will bring us happiness.

Do not look for what to do to have a happy `Eid. Look, instead, at what to do to become a good Muslim. If you achieve that, your feasts will be forever happy in sha' Allah.

I hope this answers your question. Please keep in touch.

Salam.

Useful Links:

Recognizing True Joy in Life

The Joy of Life