Humorous Talk of the Companions

From Hayatus Sahabah (The Lives of the Companions)

---

Qarrah rahimahullaah said: That he asked the Ibn Sirin rahimahullaah if the companions radiallaahu 'anhum of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam  played jokes on one another. At this he said, 'They too were humans beings and nothing else.' [Al Haithami Vol VIII p89]

Auf Ibn Malik Ashjai radiallaahu 'anhu said:

That at the time of the battle of Tabuk he went to see the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. At that time the Prophet was sitting in a small round shaped tent of leather. Auf saluted the Prophet and he returned the salutation. He further asked him to come into the tent. At this Auf said, 'Should I come in, the whole of me?' The Prophet said, 'Yes, come in the whole of you.' Then he entered the tent. [Abu Daud, al Bidayah Vol VI p46]

[Walid Ibn Uthman ibn Abi al Aliyah rahimahullaah says that Auf had said this because of the smallness of the tent (op cit)]

Abi Malikah radiallaahu 'anhu said:

That once 'Aaisha radiallaahu 'anhaa uttered some humorous words before the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. At this 'Aaisha's mother said to the Prophet, 'O Messenger of Allâh! Some of the pleasantries of this tribe trace their origin in the tribe of Kinanah'. At this the Prophet said, 'This tribe itself depends on our humour.' [al-Bukhaaree, Chapter of Adaab (manners) p41]

Bakr Ibn Abd Allâh radiallaahu 'anhu:

That the Companions radiallaahu 'anhum of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam used to throw melons on one another by way of joke. But they became valiant when faced with the realities of life or its hardships. [al-Bukhaaree, Chapter of Adaab p41]

Rabiah Ibn Uthman radiallaahu 'anhu said:

That a certain Bedouin came to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. He seated his she camel outside the holy Mosque and himself went inside to meet the holy Prophet. Some of the companions of the Prophet said to Nuaiman Ibn Amr al Ansari, 'If you slaughter this she camel and satisfy your hunger, the holy Prophet will pay its penalty'. The narrator says that very soon Nuaiman slaughtered the she camel. When the Bedouin came out of the Mosque and saw all this, he began crying out, 'O Muhammad! Some one has slaughtered her.' The holy Prophet came out and asked the people who had done that. The people told him that Nuaiman had done that. Now the Prophet went out in search of him. He found Nuaiman in the hose of Dabaah daughter of Zubair Ibn Abd al Muttalib. He had hidden himself in a cell and had put branches and dry barks and leaves of the date tree over his body. Someone cried out that he had not seen him. But this very man pointed to the place where Nuaiman was hiding. The Prophet took him out from there and his face was covered with dust and leaves of the date tree. The Prophet asked him who had asked him to do that. He said, 'O Messenger of Allâh! These very men who had told you about my whereabouts, had asked me to do that'. The holy Prophet began removing the leaves and barks from his head and face and remained laughing. The narrator says that later on the Prophet paid the price of the she-camel to that Bedouin. [Al Istiab, Vol III p575 and Isabah Vol III p570]

Umm Salamah radiallaahu 'anhaa said:

That Abu Bakr radiallaahu 'anhu went to the city of Busra on a trade mission. With him were Nuaiman and Suwaibit ibn Harmalah, and both were the two who had fought in the battle of Badr. Suwaibit was in charge of the provisions of the caravan. Nuaiman asked him to give him food. At this Suwaibit said, 'Wait a little and let Abu Bakr come'. Nuaiman was a witty and humorous fellow. He went to a group of men who had brought beasts of burden. He said to them, 'Will any of you purchase a slave?' They replied in the affirmative. Nuaiman said, 'That Arab slave is a plausible fellow and it is just possible that he might say that he is not a slave. If you leave him because of his words then blame me not, and break not the deal'. Those traders agreed to this. These men purchased him for 10 she-camels. Nuaiman brought the she-camels and pointing towards Suwaibit, he told them that that was the slave. The traders said, 'We already know that you will say this' (i.e. that he isn't a slave). Now the traders tied Suwaibit by his neck and wanted to take him to their place. In the meantime Abu Bakr came there, and he was informed about all of this. Abu Bakr and his companions when to those merchants and returned them to their she-camels. Thus they bought back Suwaibit. Later on when the Prophet was informed about this incident, he laughed. The Prophet and his companions continued laughing over this incident for the whole year. [Ahmad, Abu Dawud , al Tayalsi, al Isabah, Vol II p98, Al Istiab Vol II p126 and Vol III p 576]