Spiritual harms of Over indulging in Fun & Amusement:

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One hadith states: !o not la"gh too m"ch# $or too m"ch la"ghter deadens the heart.% &'"khari( )dab
al*+"$rad# ,"nan -irmidhi# ,"nan .bn +a/a# +"snad )hmad0
)nd in some narrations( there is an addition( 12or verily e3cessive la"ghter kills the heart and removes
the light o$ one%s $ace(4 or in another version( 12or verily e3cessive la"ghter corr"pts the heart.4
&'ayha5i( ,h"%ab0
-his latter version helps e3plain 6hat is meant by the version o$ 1killing the heart(4 namely( that the
death o$ the heart re$ers to its spirit"al corr"ption.
1.$ yo" kne6 that 6hich . kno6( yo" 6o"ld la"gh little and 6eep m"ch.4 7'"khari8
-his is not to say that la"ghter or h"mo"r m"st be avoided altogether# $or la"ghter and light*hearted
h"mo"r( in moderation( are prophetic ,"nnahs that bring abo"t /oy and relie$ to onesel$( and to others.
-here is little virt"e in al6ays being grave and solemn: )nd that 9e it is that makes to la"gh and makes
to 6eep. &:;:4;0
<et to overind"lge in la"ghter is a lethal poison that kills the heart spirit"ally and( as .mam +"na6i
points o"t: +aking a habit o$ la"ghing diverts one $rom deliberating over matters o$ importance.%
72ayd al*=adir ,harh al*>ami al*,aghir( 2:1:?8
@hen li$e becomes little more than 1a b"ndle o$ la"ghs(4 then the heart%s spirit"al death has 6ell and
tr"ly set in.
.mam +"na6i gives a more detailed e3planation o$ the spirit"al death o$ one%s heart as he states( citing
vario"s .mams( 1A3cessive la"ghter leads to a hardening o$ the heart( 6hich in t"rn leads to
heedlessness &o$ the !ivine0( and the death o$ the heart occ"rs not e3cept by heedlessness.4
9e $"rther comments( 1Betting acc"stomed to la"ghter distracts one $rom re$lecting on matters o$
signi$icanceCone 6ho la"ghs e3cessively does not have a respect$"l demeanor &hayba0# he does not
command respect at all. One 6ho is characterized by it has no meaning$"l tho"ght nor 6orth.4
9e adds( 1A3cessive la"ghter and e3citement regarding 6orldly a$$airs is a lethal poison that $lo6s in
one%s veins and removes $rom the heart $ear &o$ divine p"nishment0( sadness &over one%s sins0( and
remembrance o$ death and the terrors o$ the !ay o$ )rising# this( then( is the death o$ the heart. )nd
they re/oice over the li$e o$ this 6orld( yet the li$e o$ this 6orld 6ith respect to the a$terli$e is nothing
b"t temporary( paltry am"sement% 7="r%an 1;:268.4
Alse6here in his master$"l commentary( .mam +"na6i states( 1Da"ghter that kills the heart is that
6hich occ"rs d"e to re/oicing over this li$e and being pride$"l in one%s /oy thereo$. -he heart has
&spirit"al0 li$e and deathEits li$e is by contin"o"s obedience( 6hile its death is by responding to the
call o$ other than )llah( s"ch as o$ one%s ego( st"bborn 6hims( or ,atan.4
2inally( .mam +"na6i states that the reason 6hy e3cessive la"ghter kills the heart is beca"se the root
o$ e3cessive la"ghter is love o$ this 6orld( 6hich is the ca"se o$ every sin# and once the heart is dead( it
does not respond to )llah 6hen 9e calls him &to obedience0. 72ayd al*=adir ,harh >ami% al*,aghir8
-ragically 6e are no6 a c"lt"rally obese society( contin"o"sly $eeding on an e3cessive diet o$ trivial
am"sement and entertainment. -his over*cons"mption o$ la"ghter and $rivolity( as noted be$ore( diverts
most o$ "s $rom more serio"s considerations: 6ar( $amine( disease( environment( economy(
disintegration o$ society and social cohesion and the breakdo6n o$ $amily# as 6ell as those e3istential
iss"es more serio"s still that relate to o"r +aker( the )$terli$e and o"r p"rpose o$ being. O"r contin"ed
addiction to all this /oviality and diversion has made "s a society 6herein 6e are( in the 6ords o$ Feil
Gostman%s de$tly entitled book( )m"sing O"rselves to !eath.
+ay )llah protect "s $rom these $itnahs o$ +odern age. )ameen.