^^^Some of us tend to fall into this 'better than you' feeling perhaps cos we got knowledge or maybe due to seeing outward behavior of an individual out of touch with the deen.

I do buy that point of some people getting too serious - I don't think it's just youthful exuberance, it cuts across. You know, when you are told this world or dunya is a temporary abode and place to strive for, it connotes 'serious mode activated'.

Maybe getting the balance between the prophet's (pbuh) warning against laughing unnecessarily and smiling being a sunnah is difficult for some.

Understanding traditions in perspective does pay here to curb excessiveness. Trivialties are best avoided in this 'jokes'.

As per the topic, some men still think it's unmanly to play, joke, gist or even communicate with their spouses. They forget their islamic responsibilities to the women they protect and nurture in the deen. If you create this very strict, mercy environment, the synergy between you and your wife will be master-slave.

There’s this Muslim lady in my PG class I used to say Salam to, there aren’t many Muslims in my class so its natural that I should accord her certain regard, after a while she just started acting up and forming a straight face whenever am around. I wasn’t interested in her or anything like that so reduced my communication and kept a distance.. I no fit do drama…

.

So much confusion in one religion. They are even debating whether it is sunnah to laugh or not

tbaba1234:
hehehe...

I remember, i was walking down the road in Lagos once and i saw a brother with a beard from afar... I said to my self: i am going to give this bro salams when i get close...

Oh boy, when i got close, the frown was so scary that i couldn't even do it. It was terrible...

Smiling is a sunnah, guys...

You should have given your brother an excuse; perhaps he's troubled with serious issues, perhaps he's been overwhelmed with urban stress, perhaps he just didn't notice you, perhaps he is angry or sad at something.

So many reasons can make a person frown up. During my undergraduate days, many people used to accuse brothers of frowning and not responding to tesleem. But they forgot that these brothers are also students like them; they have bad days and times.

From exam and test results to financial issues and even family matters. And worse is that many of those will still find time to study religious texts and attend madrasah despite all the above.

So, there are many reasons why a brother might not smile at you. Don't be in a haste to judge them.

kemiola89:
^^^ I think it a common trait among those bearded brothers. Talking from experience.

Don't expect me to smile at you! Are you my wife ni or my mother or sister?

Go and meet your father to smile at you or your brother. Or better still, go and get married.

It isn't Sunnah for a man to smile at strange women and vice versa especially when both parties are youths. And it's even worse when both are unmarried or away from their spouse.

But if it's an elderly woman and a young boy and there's no fear of fitnah then there's nothing bad in smiling. Or if it's in group.

Newnas:


You should have given your brother an excuse; perhaps he's troubled with serious issues, perhaps he's been overwhelmed with urban stress, perhaps he just didn't notice you, perhaps he is angry or sad at something.

So many reasons can make a person frown up. During my undergraduate days, many people used to accuse brothers of frowning and not responding to tesleem. But they forgot that these brothers are also students like them; they have bad days and times.

From exam and test results to financial issues and even family matters. And worse is that many of those will still find time to study religious texts and attend madrasah despite all the above.

So, there are many reasons why a brother might not smile at you. Don't be in a haste to judge them.

I am not judging the man.

The frown simply scared me.