What do you call a spirits who are laughing when you pray?

When someone experiences uncontrollable laughter during prayer, especially if it feels external to their own natural emotions, it is often referred to as "laughing in the Spirit" or "holy laughter" within certain Christian charismatic and Pentecostal traditions. This phenomenon is interpreted by many as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit, bringing joy, healing, and breakthrough.

However, other perspectives exist, including interpretations that attribute such laughter to demonic influence, the flesh, or even mental illness.

Within Christian contexts, particularly charismatic and Pentecostal circles, "laughing in the Spirit" is often described as a powerful, intense, and sometimes uncontrollable laughter that originates from God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.  Those who experience it often report a profound sense of joy, peace, and even physical healing. Proponents suggest that this laughter can be a sign of God releasing joy, breaking chains of oppression, or providing strength during difficult times.  Some testimonies describe it as a "belly laugh" that is more intense and higher-pitched than one's natural laughter, sometimes lasting for extended periods and even causing physical soreness. Biblical passages like Psalm 126:1-3, which speaks of mouths being filled with laughter when the Lord restored Zion, and Job 8:21, which mentions God filling mouths with laughter, are sometimes cited to support the idea that God can and does cause laughter.

Conversely, critics and skeptics, including other Christians, often question the divine origin of "holy laughter." Arguments against it being from God include the observation that laughter is not explicitly listed as one of the nine gifts or fruits of the Holy Spirit in the Bible (though joy is).  Some argue that such manifestations lack biblical precedent, pointing out that Jesus is never recorded laughing in the Bible, and the apostles in Acts spoke in tongues, not laughed, when filled with the Holy Spirit. Concerns are also raised about the potential for deception, as Satan can masquerade as an "angel of light" and produce experiences that feel good but are not from God. The concept of "self-control" as a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) is often invoked, with critics suggesting that uncontrollable laughter contradicts this principle. Some also propose that such laughter could be a manifestation of the flesh, peer pressure, or even a symptom of mental illness, noting that some psychiatric conditions can cause uncontrollable laughter.

In Islamic tradition, the act of laughing during prayer (salat) is generally considered to invalidate the prayer itself. There is a consensus among scholars that loud, intentional laughter breaks the prayer.  If the laughter is quiet and does not involve two clearly emitted letters, it might not invalidate the prayer, but loud laughter certainly does. Smiling, however, does not invalidate the prayer. There is some disagreement on whether laughter during prayer also nullifies wudu (ablution), with the majority opinion holding that it does not.

Ultimately, the interpretation of uncontrollable laughter during prayer varies significantly across different religious and spiritual perspectives.