"Do not get angry" (Bukhari)

Abu Huraira (RA) narrates that the Prophet (SAW) said: “Do not get angry” (Bukhari)

In Islam we are told that we should try our best to control our anger. The one who controls his anger will attain great reward from Allah (SWT). In the Qur’an Allah tells us that the ones who swallows his anger and follows up with forgiveness, for them will be a great reward. To control one’s anger is very hard, it is harder than fighting the person you are angry towards, but what we have to realise is that we do not benefit ourselves with violence, however by controlling our anger and doing good will gain us the pleasure of Allah and huge reward.

The scholars say that the one who does not control his anger is similar to the one who is drunk. Now we know how bad it is to be drunk. Acting without thinking, going ballistic for no valid reason; the scholars say that the drunk is equivalent to the one who gets angry. When you are angry you do anything that you wouldn’t normally do/say, at this stage you wouldn’t even be able to differentiate between your mother and your wife, you wouldn’t be able to think. Acting upon or anger can lead to unforeseen consequences and that is why we should always try our best to swallow our anger.

Many people would say, well the Prophet (SAW) got angry so why isn’t it deemed bad for him. What we need to understand is that the Prophet (SAW) never got angry for himself. For example he would act up when the Quraysh were mocking him and were physically hurting him; he would only get angry when it was an attack on Islam. In Islam violence should be seen as a last resort and even when it comes to the point of violence it is still frowned upon under certain circumstances.

Allah tells us to be the ‘middle path’ or a ‘middle nation’, “Thus we made you a middle nation” (2:143) He tells us this in the middle of Surah Baqarah and what it means is that we as Muslims should not be too lenient or too strict or not too angry nor too calm because if we’re too angry we will fight for no valid reason and there will constantly be conflict and if we are too calm then the people will walk all over us. So when is the right time to get angry? Imam Ghazali mentions that anger is only acceptable at the right time, in the right place, with the right reasons and at the right intensity. This is how specific it has to be in order that we should show our anger. There was a story about ‘Ali (RA) in battle charging towards a man, ‘Ali (RA) had him and was about to kill him for the sake of Islam but just as he was about to kill him the enemy spat on ‘Ali (RA) and ‘Ali (RA) became angry and ended up not killing him. Why? Because at first ‘Ali (RA) was going to kill the enemy for Allah but when the enemy spat on him, ‘Ali (RA) realised that if he had proceeded to kill the enemy it would have been due to his anger.

There are four main reasons why people get angry:

1)      When the situation is related to food, shelter, life. These things are directly threatening your family and your life.

2)      Position, dignity and protecting one’s honour.

3)      When it’s your own culture or values that are threatened.

4)      Jealousy   

The only reason from this list which is permissible is: when a situation is related to food, shelter, life. These things are directly threatening your family and your life. This is because a person needs to generally defend his family and his shelter and his life.

Even though jealousy is on the list there are two types of jealousy which are permissible in Islam and this is from a Hadith of the Prophet (SAW). A person can be jealous of someone’s zeal and enthusiasm for knowledge and the second type is to be jealous of the Hafiz who stays up in the night to read the Qur’an for Allah.

There is a medicine for knowledge. It not pills or liquid that you have to consume but a thing that you read. In a Hadith the Prophet (SAW) advised a person to seek refuge in Allah (SWT) from the accursed Shaytaan when he observed him arguing with another person. The person became red with anger and the veins of his neck got swollen. The Holy Prophet (SAW) said, “Indeed I know of a supplication which is read, will get rid of the condition in which he is in.” The supplication is: “I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytaan”.
Another way to get rid of your anger is to change the position you are in. For example if I am angry while standing up I should sit down, if I am angry while sitting down I should lie down and if I am angry while lying down then I should stand up and walk around.
The last way to calm your temper is to do wudhu. When you think of anger it brings the image of fire and smoke into your mind so what gets rid of fire? Water, therefore it is good to do wudhu if you are angry.

In life there are 3 stages of life where a human being’s feeling and reactions change.

1)      When you constantly crave attention – Young age (infant/toddler)

2)      When you react strongly to actions – Teenage years

3)      When you are more mature and you think of the reasons behind actions made – Adult

Here’s some advice on how to deal with these types of people. For the child who craves attention what a parent should do is give the child the attention, play with the child and strengthen the bond between parent and child. For the teenager who has a hot temper and is quick to react to the decisions parents make what parents should strive to do is discipline the child, teach it good morals and manners and raise them up to be a mature adult. For the adult who is more mature a parent should befriend their child and show them compassion. 

And Allah knows best.

Abdullah Ibn Masud (RA)

Abdullah Ibn Masud was one of the closest companions of the Prophet (SAW). His real name was Abdullah and his father’s name was Masud. He accepted Islam at a young age and offered to be in the service of the Prophet (SAW), the Prophet (SAW) accepted and Abdullah Ibn Masud would run various errands for the Prophet (SAW). Before his acceptance of Islam he used to take care of a flock of sheep for one of the chieftain on the Quraysh whose name was Uqbah Ibn Muayt. His tendency was to leave with the flock in the morning and return at nightfall. From a very young age he used to roam the mountains and stay as far away from the people of Makkah as possible.

One day while tending the flock he saw two middle-aged men walking towards him, their lips where dry, they were thirsty and tired. The two men greeted him and asked him, “Young man milk one of these sheep for us that we may quench our thirst and recover our strength.” “I cannot”, replied Abdullah Ibn Masud, “these sheep are not mine. I am only responsible for looking after them.” The two men did not argue but were pleased with the boy for his honest reply. These two men were in fact the beloved Prophet (SAW) and Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (RA). They had gone out to escape from the violent persecution of the Quraysh. Abdullah Ibn Masud was impressed by the Prophet (SAW) and soon became attached to him.

After Abdullah Ibn Masud (RA) accepted Islam he offered to be in the service of the Prophet. He used to attend with the Prophet (SAW) on expeditions, he used to wake him, he used to carry his miswak and do various other things for the beloved Prophet (SAW). He was continuously in the company of the Prophet (SAW) and quickly adapted to the manner of the Prophet (SAW) to the extent that it was said ‘he was the closest to the Prophet (SAW) in character’.

Abdullah Ibn Masud was a very intellectual person; he was one of the most learned in the topic of Qur’an and had beautiful recitation.  There was a story regarding his knowledge of the Qur’an. A man came to ‘Umar Ibn Khattab as he was standing on the plain of ‘Arafat and said: ‘I have come, oh Amir-ul-Mu’mineen, from Kufa where I left a man filling copies of the Qur’an from memory.’ ‘Umar Ibn Khattab became very angry and started pacing back and forth his camel. ‘Who is he?’ asked ‘Umar (RA). ‘Abdullah Ibn Masud (RA)’, replied the man. ‘Umar’s anger subsided and he regained his composure and said, ‘Woe to you, By Allah I do not know of any person left who is more qualified in the matter than he is. Let me tell you this.’  ‘Umar continued: ‘One night the messenger of Allah (SAW) was having a conversation with Abu Bakr (RA) about the situation of the Muslims. I was with them. When the Prophet (SAW) left we left with him also and as we passed through the mosque, there was a man standing in prayer whom we did not recognise. The Prophet (SAW) stood and listened to him, and then he turned to us and said, “Whoever wants to read the Qur’an as fresh as when it was revealed, and then let him read according to the recitation of Umm Ibn Abd (RA).” Such was the knowledge of Abdullah Ibn Masud.

Abdullah Ibn Masud was a brave person. There is a story from the time the Muslims were still few in number and the Quraysh still hadn’t heard the recitation of the Qur’an. The companions said, ‘Who is the man who can recite for them (the Quraysh)?’ ‘I shall recite for them ’volunteered Abdullah Ibn Masud (RA). ‘We are afraid for you’, they said, ‘we only want someone who has a clan that could protect them from their evil.’ ‘Let me’ Abdullah Ibn Masud (RA) insisted. ‘Allah shall protect me and keep me away from their evil.’ He went to the mosque until he reached Maqam Ibrahim. It was dawn and the Quraysh were still sitting round the Kabah. Abdullah began to recite Surah Rahman. The Quraysh looked at him and said, ‘What is Ibn Umm Abd saying? Damn him! He is reciting some of what Muhammad (SAW) brought.’
They began to beat him while he continued to recite. When he concluded his recitation, his face was covered with blood. ‘By Allah’ said Abdullah (RA) the enemies of Allah are more uncomfortable than I am at this moment. If you wish, I shall return tomorrow and do the same.’ ‘You have done enough’ they said ‘You have made them hear what they dislike.’

Abdullah Ibn Masud (RA) lived to the Khalifa of Uthman (RA). While he was sick Uthman (RA) came to visit him on his death-bed and Uthman asked Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn Masud: "What is your ailment (illness)? and Abdullah Ibn Masud (RA) replied, "My sins". "What do you desire?" asked Uthman (RA). "The Mercy of my Lord." Replied Abdullah Ibn Masud (RA). "Should i not give you your stipend which you have refused to take for years now?" Asked Uthman (RA). "I have no need of it." Replied Abdullah Ibn Masud. "Let it be for your daughters after you."

"Do you fear poverty for my children? I have commanded them to read Surah al-Waqiah every night for I have heard the Prophet saying, "Whoever reads Al-Waqiah every night shall not be afflicted by poverty ever." That night Abdullah Ibn Masud (RA) died with his tounge moist with the remembrance of his Lordand with the recitation of His book. 

And Allah knows best.