On Humor: The Capacity to Laugh

"As a group, Bahá'ís for the most part have the capacity to laugh at life as well as at themselves. If they don't they certainly should have; there are aspects of the Bahá'í community which are worthy of comic analysis. For example, being a world-wide and diverse community, Bahá'ís are asked to live in unity and harmony with their fellow Bahá'ís. This can mean involving oneself with people one would never normally meet or even stand the sight of, let alone socialise with. The fact that Bahá'ís do so regardless is as funny as it is admirable. They have needed wisdom and a very developed sense of humour to have even attempted this, let alone achieve it. Wisdom, humour and indeed joy are the bridges that connect the material with the spiritual, and are essential ingredients in 'walking the spiritual path with practical feet'. Bahá'ís should indeed take their cue from 'Abdu'l-Bahá, whose wit is known to have been razor sharp and is rumoured to have advocated a time after an evening meal as 'laughter time'."

Omid Djalili and Annabel Knight, "Humour and Laughter"