[Washington Post] Sarfraz Manzoor - What comes to mind when you hear the word "Muslim"? It's more likely to be beards, bombs and burqas than stand-up comedians. Muslims aren't exactly famous these days for lightheartedness. But why is this? Why do other cultures and religious groups seem able to withstand mockery, while Muslims seem chronically hypersensitive? Earlier this year, I sat in a West London hall watching a heavily bearded Muslim man, Azhar Usman, an American comedian who tours with two fellow Muslims in a show they call "Allah Made Me Funny." Everywhere I looked, British Muslims of all ages were doing something you hardly ever see: laughing - as if in defiance of the extreme voices that overpower theirs in the public square. The irony is that "Allah Made Me Funny" springs from a tradition that stretches back to the days of the prophet Muhammad himself, who by all accounts enjoyed a good laugh; indeed, he had a companion with the honorific title "jester of the prophet." It's only recently that Muslims have become sensitive about religious jokes.
2007-12-21 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive