Through many statements the Messenger s.a.w. draws our attention to anger and its great harm, in order to prevent a trivialization of anger.
Anger spoils a person's character and also his praiseworthy efforts, because it leads to rash and hasty actions.
The mistakes arising from rash actions can possibly no longer be undone.
What ultimately remains is often a bitter realization: the insight into one's own misconduct and the resulting palpable humiliation of having to apologize to others.
There is therefore good reason why the Messenger gave one and the same answer to different questions:
A man came to the Messenger and said: Give me advice.
The Messenger replied: Do not become angry.
The man repeated his request several times and again and again the Messenger replied: Do not become angry.
(narrated by Bukhari & in a slightly different wording by Tirmidhi)
A man came to the Messenger and asked:
O Messenger of Allah! Show me a deed that will lead me to Paradise?
He replied: Do not become angry and Paradise is yours.
(narrated by Al-Hakim)
The Messenger was asked:
What protects me from the anger of Allah, the Almighty?
He replied: Do not become angry.
(narrated by Ahmad)
In this connection the story is told of a man whom the Messenger called Himar Ibn Malik. He belonged to the people of Aad, to whom the Prophet Hud was sent. He possessed a large piece of land with many plantations and had many children. One day, however, these perished in a great storm, whereupon the man raged violently: O my Lord, I have served You for 40 years, but from today I will no longer worship You. From that day on he furthermore called upon every Muslim to leave Islam. If one did not comply with this demand, he was killed by him. After some time Allah then sent a devastating fire that burned him and his land. Had Himar Ibn Malik resisted his anger and not let himself be misled by it, and said that to Allah ta'ala belongs what He gives, and to Him belongs what He takes, and borne his suffering patiently and hoped for the reward of Allah, then a mighty reward would have been assured to him. Thus he harmed himself and his anger led him to Hell.
Anger can cause such mighty harm that it can bring about the anger of Allah and thereby prevent entry into Paradise — and there is nothing worse than this!
Nothing befalls the Muslim of exertion, illness, worry, sorrow, harm, or grief, not even the prick of a thorn, without Allah thereby erasing something of his sins.
(narrated by Al-Bukhari)
Be therefore steadfast in the trials of life, bear your suffering patiently, and suppress anger!
If there are compelling religious reasons, then your justified agitation is entirely understandable and by no means reprehensible, since it signals steadfastness and zeal in the religion.
Thus it is reported in numerous traditions that the anger of the Messenger became visible in his face, namely when he heard of injustice or disobedience.
Truly, the best man (in conduct) is the one who becomes angry with difficulty and is easily appeased.
And the worst man (in conduct) is the one who becomes angry quickly and is appeased with difficulty.
Anger is a glow in the heart of man that is kindled.
Do you not see the redness of his eyes and the swelling of his neck veins?
Whoever of you feels something of this, let him sit down...
(narrated by Ahmad)
In people who become angry quickly, Satan senses opportunities to lead them astray. For this reason Satan loves angry people.
Anger comes from Satan and Satan was created from fire and fire is extinguished with water.
When one of you becomes angry, then let him perform the ablution.
(narrated by Abu Da'ud)
When one of you becomes angry while standing, then let him sit down.
If the anger nevertheless does not leave him, then let him lie down.
(narrated by Abu Da'ud)
Through calm and relaxation the anger subsides, and thus an outburst of rage can be avoided.
Changing one's posture leads to relaxation, and the greatest calm prevails when the tongue is silent.
Teach and make easy. Do not make difficult and do not become angry.
When one of you becomes angry, then let him be silent.
(narrated by Ahmad)
Say in Arabic, if necessary several times, the following words: I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan: Auzubillahi minas-shaitan-nir-rajiem.
Two men argued in the presence of the Messenger, until one of them became angry.
The Messenger said: I know a word that would take away his anger if he said it: I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan.
(narrated by Ahmad)
The Messenger calls upon us to avoid anger and to beware of the things that could trigger it, such as enmity, feelings of revenge, discontent, haste, and hurry.
He gives practical advice to those who cannot avoid anger, on how they should conduct themselves.
Control yourself, take plenty of time, and do not act according to anger!
True strength of character proves itself in the control of anger.
The strong one does not prove himself by throwing others (in combat) to the ground.
Strong is the one who controls himself in anger.
(narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
And strive (through good deeds) for the forgiveness of your Lord and (for) a Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, and which is prepared for the God-fearing, who give in good and bad times and who suppress their wrath and who forgive people. And Allah loves the doers of good.
(Ali-Imran, 133-134)
Al-Qurtubi writes in his Qur'an commentary:
It is reported of Maimun Ibn Mahran that one day guests were invited to his house for a meal. When his maidservant was busy serving broth on a tray, she stumbled. The tray fell on him in the presence of his guests, so that he was drenched with the broth. Thereupon Maimun wanted to strike her. But she said: My lord, act according to the word of the Exalted: ...and those who suppress their wrath... ! He said: I have (just) done so. She said: Then act according to what follows: ...and those who forgive people... ! He said: I forgive you. The maidservant then said: And Allah loves the doers of good. Maimun said: I am kind to you — you are (from now on) free for the good pleasure of Allah!
O Lord, purify our hearts and protect us from the whisperings of Satan and grant us grateful tongues that remember You often. Help us when anger arises within us, by reminding us of the practical advice of the Messenger and by our acting upon it.
O Allah, give us the knowledge that benefits us, and give us the benefit through this knowledge; increase our knowledge and remind us of what we have forgotten. Amin!
From Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari:
I asked: O Messenger of Allah, which Muslim is the best?
He replied: The one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe.
(narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Messenger Muhammad!
Allah praises forgiveness in anger:
...and when they (the God-fearing) become angry, they forgive.
(Ash-Shura, 37)
And seek help in patience and prayer.
(Al-Baqara, 153)
Patience is among the highest virtues of a Muslim. It grants him endurance and an immense strength to be able to confront both inner and outer influences.
Steadfast people reach their goals through patience and endurance, whereas impatient people usually resign too quickly and give up their hope of reaching their goals.
In interaction with the knowledge that promotes your ability to discern, patience offers you great protection from sins.
Your patience is perfect when you fulfil the following three characteristics:
The Holy Qur'an makes it clear that man will be tested on earth:
And We will (certainly) test you with a little fear and hunger, as well as the loss of a part of the wealth and of the persons (close to you) and the (lack) of fruits.
And give glad tidings to the patient.
(Al-Baqara, 155)
The Messenger promises the steadfast a high reward, which expresses itself in the good pleasure of Allah, and warns the impatient of the anger of Allah, saying:
When Allah, the Exalted, loves a people, He tests them. Whoever is then content, the good pleasure (of Allah) is due to him, and whoever is angry, the anger (of Allah) is meted out to him.
(narrated by Ibn Majah)
Patience thus shows itself in the constancy of your actions.
For the performance of the duties, a great reward is promised to you.
Patience protects you from reprehensible deeds and preserves for you the purity in your heart and a beautiful character.
Islam teaches man to show patience both in times of comfort and of discomfort.
The Messenger said:
Truly, the situation of the believer is astonishing.
Every state is good (for him) and this is granted to no one other than the believer.
If something joyful befalls him and he gives thanks for it, it is good for him.
If something unpleasant befalls him and he shows himself steadfast in it, (also) this is good for him.
(narrated by Muslim)
Be grateful when good befalls you, and employ the gifts in a righteous manner and remain patient in doing so!
Among the trials is also that one or another receives more in wealth, provision, children, health, knowledge, and so forth.
Strive sincerely for steadfastness and ask Allah to equip you with more patience!
Whoever is patient and forgives: this is certainly (a sign) of firm resolve.
(Ash-Shura, 43)
By the patient are meant those who are steadfast right at the beginning of a trial.
Only in this moment does the patient person distinguish himself, since his steadfastness during the first confrontation with a trial points to the control and firmness of his heart and thereby signals his applied knowledge.
Truly, the patient will be granted an unlimited reward.
(Az-Zumar, 10)
Only this first decisive moment, in which patience is shown, brings about the unlimited reward promised by Allah.
Once the first pain after a trial has passed, as a rule most people are able to show patience.
One day the Messenger approached a woman who was weeping over the grave (of her small child).
The Messenger said to her: Fear Allah and persevere in patience.
She did not know that it was the Messenger, and replied: Go away from me, for you have not been afflicted with what I have been afflicted.
She was told: It is the Prophet. She (thereupon) went to the house of the Messenger and said: I did not know that it was you.
He said: Patience is at the first confrontation.
(narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
And be patient with a beautiful patience.
(Al-Ma'arij, 5)
Whoever does not let the effects of trials show on him adorns his character with a beautiful patience.
Allah praises the believers who live steadfastly in Islam in good as well as bad times:
Those who, when a misfortune befalls them, say: Truly, we are (created) by Allah and to Him (the place of our reckoning) we return.
Those will be granted the forgiveness of their Lord and His mercy — and those are the rightly guided.
(Al-Baqara, 156-157)
...and He rewards mightily, according to the severity of a trial:
From Anas: I heard the Messenger say: Allah, the Exalted, says:
When I test My (believing) servant in his two eyes (by his becoming blind) and he perseveres patiently, then I reward him (for it) with Paradise.
(narrated by Al-Bukhari)
Said asked the Messenger: Which person is subjected to the severest trial?
The Messenger replied: The prophets, then those who come after them, then those who come after those.
The man is tested according to his religion (level): his trial will be severe if his religion is firm, and correspondingly (weaker) if there is negligence in his religion.
The trial only leaves the servant once he walks about on the earth free of sins through it.
(narrated by At-Tirmidhi)
Allah ta'ala does not immediately and mercilessly punish every sin committed.
He describes Himself with the name As-Sabur, the exceedingly Patient, and designates with this name His attribute that He mostly does not immediately subject sinners to their just punishment, but gives them time for turning away from sins (At-Tauba) and for repentance.
Hold to the most important principle of the Islamic educational system, which can be summarized in the following words: faith, righteous deeds, and patience.
The Sura Al-'Asr proves in a few words, most impressively, that the righteous, through Islamic education, will be preserved from final ruin:
By the afternoon! Truly, man is in loss.
Except those who believe, do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to patience.
Most people try again and again to compensate for their worries and problems through things that, as is well known, cannot solve a single one of their problems, but beyond that generate many new problems. Ultimately they fall into discontent in this world and in the next.
Dear brother and dear sister, be steadfast and meet the trials with resolve. Act righteously and prepare much good for the one mighty Day from which there is no escape, and in doing so exercise patience and ask Allah for His grace!
For whom Allah wills good, He tests him.
(narrated by Al-Bukhari)
No one receives a better gift than patience.
(narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Messenger Muhammad!