The Quran forbids mockery and gives the reason in the same breath: the people you laugh at may be better than you 49:11. The same verse forbids insulting nicknames. Mockery is pride with a smile on its face.
From the Quran
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِنْ قَوْمٍ عَسَىٰ أَنْ يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِنْهُمْ
From the Prophet ﷺ
«بِحَسْبِ امْرِئٍ مِنَ الشَّرِّ أَنْ يَحْقِرَ أَخَاهُ الْمُسْلِمَ»
Seen in the prophets
When Musa told his people that Allah commanded them to slaughter a cow, they asked: "Are you making fun of us?" He answered: "I seek refuge in Allah from being one of the ignorant" 2:67. For a prophet, mocking people was something only the ignorant do.
Nuh built the ark far from the sea, and every time a group of his people's leaders passed by, they mocked him 11:38. He kept building. Mockery has always been the weapon of people with no argument.
The Prophet ﷺ was mocked in Makkah for years. Allah did not tell him to mock them back. He told him: "We are enough for you against the mockers" 15:95.
What it is not
Not every joke is mockery. The Prophet ﷺ teased a little boy about his pet bird: "O Abu 'Umayr, what happened to the little nughayr?" Bukhari 6129. A joke that makes someone feel seen is fine. A joke that makes them smaller is not.
Today, in practice
Don't laugh at someone's accent, weight or clothes, not even in the group chat.
Don't share the video of someone's worst moment.
Drop the nickname they never liked 49:11.
Small, practical steps. This is friendly advice, not a ruling.
Your manner for the week
تَرْكُ السُّخْرِيَة Not mocking
Choose one manner and carry it for seven days. It is saved on this device only, nobody else sees it.
Their moments
Sources on this page
Quran 2:67Quran 11:38Quran 15:95Quran 49:11Sahih Muslim 2564
Quran meanings are given in plain English, close to the Arabic. Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com.