By Abdullahi Jamaa
Anger is not a new thing to us, we all know what anger is, and we have all felt it almost on daily basis: whether as a brief irritation or as full-fledged temper.
It is an emotional feeling of antagonism towards someone or something you feel has deliberately done you wrong. Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion.
However when it gets out of control and turns destructive, it can lead to problems—problems at work, in your personal relationships, and in the overall quality of your life.
Raging and disproportionate anger can cause problems. Increased blood pressure and other physical changes associated with anger make it difficult to think straight and harm your physical and mental health.
In anger you will certainly feel compunction. Many a times it can make you feel as though you’re at the mercy of an unpredictable and powerful emotion. One must learn how to control anger before it asserts its destructive control.
According to scientists some people really are more “hot-headed” than others are; they get angry more easily and more intensely than the average person does. There are also those who don’t show their anger in loud spectacular ways but are chronically irritable and grumpy.
Easily angered people don’t always curse and throw things; sometimes they withdraw socially, sulk, or get physically ill. It is truly frustrating to be in this kind of situation where emotional outbursts control the way you act and live.
While modern-day psychology has elaborate interventions in dealing with the problem, the Islamic management of anger is undoubtedly the best way to handle the unenthusiastic feeling of desperation.
Abu Hurayrah (RA), reported that a man said to the Prophet (SAW), “Advise me.” He said, “Do not become angry.” The man repeated his request several times, and each time the Prophet (SAW) told him, “Do not become angry.”
As the prophet (SAW) said the strong man is not the one who can overpower others in wrestling rather, the strong man is the one who controls himself when he gets angry. Resisting anger is one of the signs of righteousness and a Muslim must strive very hard to confront it.
In Islam we say anger is one of the evil whispers of Satan, which leads to so many evils and tragedies. For this reason Islam has a great deal to say about this bad characteristic, and the Prophet (SAW) described cures for this “disease” and ways to limit its effects, among which are the following:
Seeking refuge with Allaah from the Satan
The Prophet (SAW) if a man gets angry and says, ‘I seek refuge with Allaah,’ his anger will go away.” This is the religious first step in instantly withdrawing from a raging anger.
Sulayman ibn Sard said: “I was sitting with the Prophet (SAW), and two men were slandering one another. One of them was red in the face, and the veins on his neck were standing out. The Prophet (SAW) said, ‘I know a word which, if he were to say it, what he feels would go away. If he said “I seek refuge with Allaah from the Satan,” what he feels (i.e., his anger) would go away.’”
Keeping silent
The prophet (SAW) said: “If any of you becomes angry, let him keep silent. This is because in most cases, the angry person loses self-control and could utter words of disbelief or curses, or the word of divorce (talaaq) which would destroy his home, or words of slander which would bring him the enmity and hatred of others. So, in short, keeping silent is the solution which helps one to avoid all that.
Changing positions
The prophet (SAW) said: “If any of you becomes angry and he is standing, let him sit down, so his anger will go away; if it does not go away, let him lie down.”
Among the benefits of this advice given by the Prophet (SAW) is the fact that it prevents the angry person from going out of control, because he could strike out and injure someone, or even kill – as we will find out shortly – or he could destroy possessions and so on.
Sitting down makes it less likely that he will become overexcited, and lying down makes it even less likely that he will do something crazy or harmful.
Perform ablution
Abu Dawud narrated that the prophet (SAW) said “Anger is instigated by Satan. Indeed Satan has been created from the fire, the fire is extinguished with water. So when any one of you is angry, then he should perform ablution.”
