7th Century Jewish Comedians

James Arlandson's article Muhammad and the Jews appeared today in The American Thinker. It is a very well written and detailed (all sources are listed) article concerning Muhammad's dealings with the Jewish residents in Yathrib (now Medina) in the 7th century.

After reading Mr. Arlandson's article, I couldn't help but remember a quote from the Ayatollah Assahola Ruhollah Khomeini - namely, that humor isn't allowed in Islam.

And from the article, it looks like it wasn't allowed in 7th century Arabia, either:

In April 624 (or a month or two later) after his victory at the Battle of Badr in March, a battle which made his position in Medina more secure, Muhammad expelled the one clan that dominated the trades in Medina: Qaynuqa. One day a Muslim woman was conducting business in this Jewish section, and some Jews (or one Jew) fastened her skirt to a nail. When she stood up, she was exposed. A Muslim happened to be present and witnessed the practical joke and the ridicule, and killed one of the pranksters, who avenged their friend’s death in turn.

How many times have the Three Stooges - Moses "Moe Howard" Horwitz, Lawrence "Larry Fine" Feinberg, and Jerome "Curly Howard" Horwitz - pulled this prank? Geez, can't anybody take a joke?

Looks like the slapstick comedian of the 7th century also had some a co-humorist:

For example, shortly before Muhammad’s surprise victory at Badr, Abu Bakr, one of [Mohammed's] chief companions, barged into a Jewish school, led by two rabbis. Abu Bakr called one of the rabbis “to fear God and become a Muslim because he knew that Muhammad was the apostle of God who had brought the truth from Him and that they would find it written in the Torah and the Gospel.” One of the rabbis sassed him, saying that Allah must be poor, if Muhammad has to borrow money from the Jews. Enraged, Abu Bakr struck him hard on the face, telling him: “Were it not for the treaty between us I would cut off your head, you enemy of Allah!”

Personally, I can easily see Jacob "Rodney Dangerfield" Cohen making this joke. He could've added his signature "I don't get no respect!" line after the slap and the threatened beheading. Jacob "Jackie Mason" Maza and Melvin "Mel Brooks" Kaminsky would've been strong seconds. Maybe if Jerry Seinfeld had been the rabbi, none of this would've happened, because I'm sure Jerry would've had a subtle rebuke that Abu Bakr would've missed.

Knowing that women always claim "sense of humor" is so important, it's easy to see why Mohammed Atta and his buddies had to go to strip clubs to get girls to talk to them. It probably also explains why the Iranian nutjobs want to keep pretty Persian girls like Dineh Mohajer and Catherine Bell covered up all the time.

Oh, and by the way, I can take a joke, and will glad tell/hear any about my ethnicity.