In jest intended seriously, playful wording carries criticism or another serious purpose.
«إِذَا مَا تَمِيمِيٌّ أَتَاكَ مُفَاخِرًا فَقُلْ عُدْ عَنْ ذَا كَيْفَ أَكْلُكَ لِلضَّبِّ»
“If a Tamīmī boasts before you, say: Set that aside—how do you eat the lizard?”
The apparent jest delivers pointed ridicule in response to boastfulness.
In tajāhul al-ʿārif, a knowledgeable speaker feigns uncertainty for wonder or emphasis.
«أَلَمْعُ بَرْقٍ سَرَى أَمْ ضَوْءُ مِصْبَاحٍ»
“Is this a flash of lightning or the glow of a lamp?”
The questioning intensifies the extraordinary brightness. Jest uses humour for a serious point; feigned ignorance uses apparent questioning despite knowledge.