Words and Types of Humor and Sarcasm Represented in the Discourse of the Qur’an

This article analyzes the words and types of humor and sarcasm represented in the Qur’an. Humor in the Qur’an is not similar to the comic situations in human worldly life, rather the subtle (naghz) words and warnings or the pleasant and painful remarks are among the mostly indirect Qur’anic expressions, which include many metaphorical, analogical, and allegorical types. These types contain subtle points that sometimes cause exhilaration and sometimes bewilderment of the listener. The main questions are: What kind of typology do these species have? “What procedure do they enjoy? And what are their theological and aesthetic functions?” This article first refers to the background of the discussion and then to the words representing humor and the types and patterns of satire, and analyzes them in terms of typology and the way each genre functions by giving examples of Qur’anic verses. These types range from subtle statements to allegorical short stories, and aggressive humor such as sarcasm, snide remarks, vituperation, satire, and parody. With the help of these genres, the Qur’an creates a kind of situation that is sometimes pleasant and humorous, sometimes satirizing the evil-minded and caricaturing the face of hypocrites, and sometimes it is allegorical and especially ironic. Of course, these species have been intermingled in such an efficient way that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish among them.