Introduction

In societies that are far from religion, some people spend a lot of time investigating other people's deficiencies and exposing their weaknesses, for they are excessively devoted to this life and desire to be superior to every one else. One of their techniques is to mock someone else's defects, weaknesses, and errors in the mistaken belief that they are thereby covering up their own faults. For this reason, people who do not adopt the Qur'an's morality frequently adopt this moral defect and mock others while simultaneously worrying about being mocked themselves. Therefore, they use their mockery to create an atmosphere of cruelty for each other.

However, this is just one facet of the character of those who mock others. In fact, they mock particularly those ideas that they do not want to accept.

The results of this activity can be seen in how the unbelievers behave toward religion. Throughout history, there have been some people who resisted following the true path to which Allah invited them through His prophets and His books. Instead, they have followed satan's path and have rejected both His revelation and belief in the Day of Judgment. Without any doubt, the source of this inexplicable behavior is the person's arrogance. As Allah tells us in the Qur'an:

Your god is One God. As for those who do not believe in the hereafter, their hearts are in denial and they are puffed up with pride. (Surat an-Nahl, 22)

When the true religion is explained to them and when they are told to abandon the wrong path if they want to avoid spending eternity in hell, people who do not believe in Allah and the hereafter refuse to do so. To prove that they are following the correct path with their inferior minds, the unbelievers mock the religious morality and those who adhere to it. Such an ill attitude allows them to believe that they can simply do away with the Qur'an's morality, which contradicts their own ideas.

Of course, all unbelievers are trapped in a great error, for they can never realize their goals regardless of what they say or do. In the Qur'an, Allah reveals the good news that the true faith will always be supreme and that the unbelievers' efforts will be fruitless:

… The unbelievers' stratagems are nothing but errors. (Surah Ghafir, 25)

They desire to extinguish Allah's light with their mouths. But Allah refuses to do other than perfect His light, even though the unbelievers detest it. He sent His messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to exalt it over every other religion, even though the idolaters detest it. (Surat at-Tawba, 32-33)

As in the past, so in the present and in the future, there will always be people who scoff at those facts because they do not believe or cannot understand. However, Allah tells us that such people will meet a very painful end if they do not abandon their attitude:

Messengers before you were also mocked, but those who jeered were engulfed by what they mocked. (Surat al-An‘am, 10)

They deny the truth each time it comes to them, but news of what they were mocking will certainly reach them. Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them, which We had established on earth far more firmly than We have established you? We sent down from heaven upon them an abundant rain and made rivers flow under them. But We destroyed them for their wrong actions and raised up further generations after them. (Surat al-An‘am, 5-6)

In addition, such people should know that mocking the believers, as well as making provocative and slanderous comments about religion, are only leading them toward endless torment. Moreover, such activities only exalt in the hereafter those whom they are supposed to hurt in this world: the believers. In the Qur'an Allah reveals this important secret:

To those who do not believe, the life of this world is painted in glowing colors and they laugh at those who believe. But on the Day of Resurrection, those who fear [and respect] Allah will be over them. Allah provides for whoever He wills, without any reckoning. (Surat al-Baqara, 212)

In the Qur'an Allah states that throughout almost every period of history, those who have denied the faith have exhibited the same immoral behavior, used the same words, cited the same examples, and committed the same acts. Mockery is one type of such behavior. The common behavior displayed by those who do not live by the Qur'an's morality is one of Allah's unchanging laws. Therefore, believers who encounter such behavior are actually pleased, because they are experiencing a truth mentioned in the Qur'an. In fact, they actually take pride in it, because they know that this shows that they are true believers. The knowledge that they will be rewarded in the hereafter for their patience in the face of such behavior further increases their pleasure. As we can see, people who reject or oppose the Qur'an's morality cannot really harm the true believers. When they consider this truth, the believers understand even better that all such mockery is really an honor, for Allah says in the Qur'an: "… you will hear many abusive words from those given the Book before you and from those who are idolaters. But if you are steadfast and guard against evil, that is the most resolute course to take" (Surah Al ‘Imran, 186). We are given the good news that in the hereafter, those who mocked the believers will be brought low:

Say: "Shall I inform you of the greatest losers in their actions? People whose efforts in the life of this world are misguided, while they suppose that they are doing good." These are the people who reject their Lord's signs and the meeting with Him. Their actions will come to nothing, and on the Day of Resurrection We will not assign them any weight. This is their repayment – hell – because they did not believe and mocked My signs and My messengers. Those who believe and do right actions will have the Gardens of paradise as hospitality, remaining in them timelessly, forever, with no desire to move away from them. (Surat al-Kahf, 103-108)

The book in your hand explains these truths and describes the trap into which unbelievers fall when they try to mock others. In addition, the concept of mockery is examined from different angles and is explained in light of the Qur'an.