Anger: Gateway to all evils

IN the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Allah SWT Says: “Those who spend (in Allah’s cause) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress their anger, and who pardon men, verily, Allah loves the al-Muhsinun (the good-doers).” Surah Imran (3:134)

Islam, as a comprehensive way of life, acknowledges the significance of emotions and their intricate connection with human spirituality. Emotions are not seen as mere random occurrences, but rather as opportunities for introspection and growth. Anger holds a unique place, offering a chance for individuals to cultivate self-awareness and attain moral development. By navigating the landscape of anger, adherents can uncover the depths of their own souls, discerning what drives their emotional responses and learning to temper them with wisdom and virtue.

Anger is a psychological state that results from inner agitation and desire for revenge. And when this agitation becomes more violent, it intensifies the fire of anger. A violent commotion engulfs ones brain on account of which the mind and the intellect lose control and become powerless. At that time, the inner state of a person resembles a cave where fire has broken out, filling it with flames and suffocating clouds of smoke that leap out of its mouth with intense heat and a fiery howl. When that happens, it becomes extremely difficult to pacify such a person and to extinguish the fire of his wrath; whatever is thrown in it to cool it down becomes a part of it, adding to its intensity. It is for this reason that such a person becomes blind and deaf to guidance and good etiquettes. In such a condition, all such efforts as counsel, advice, and exhortation fail to appease the person. The more one tries to pacify it through humble requests and efforts, the more violent it becomes until the angry person physically harms someone or seeks revenge.

In the hadith, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (RA):“A man said to the Prophet, ‘Give me advice.’ The Prophet SAW, said, ‘Do not get angry.’ The man asked repeatedly and the Prophet answered each time, ‘Do not get angry.’ Bukhari & Muslim.

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) knew that if a person controlled his anger he would be able to control everything else. That is why the Prophet SAW mentioned in another hadith: “The powerful man is not the one who can wrestle, but the powerful man is the one who can control himself at the time of anger.” Controlling anger can be an indicator of the strength of one’s personality.

“Don’t become angry” doesn’t mean that it is impermissible to have any sort of anger, because that would be outside human ability. There is a rule in Usul al-fiqh which states that it is not permissible for someone to be held accountable for that which he can’t control. Anger is part of human nature. The real question is, what is the permissible level of anger? How can we handle that anger when we do become angry?

When the Prophet (SAW) insisted on not getting angry, he implied that controlling one’s anger is a comprehensive act. Anger opens the door to all bad qualities and staying away from it opens the door to all good qualities. One of the Prophet’s SAW companions said, “Anger is the key to all evil.”

There are different strategies for handling anger, depending on the person and situation. If a person gets angry, then he or she should exercise the following

Muhasabah (holding the self accountable) for the mistakes committed, what led to them, and how to overcome them in the future. Examining the self and holding ourselves accountable is important training and a source of discipline and self-improvement. In various hadiths, the Prophet (SAW) teaches us methods to help with anger:

Seeking refuge in Allah: The Prophet (SAW) said, “I know a word, the saying of which will cause him to relax, if he does say it. If he says: ‘I seek Refuge with Allah from Satan’ then all his anger will go away.” When we seek refuge in Allah, we should say the words with understanding and reflection, not simply recite the words.

Changing your posture: The Prophet of Allah SAW said, “When one of you becomes angry while standing, he should sit down. If the anger leaves him, well and good; otherwise he should lie down.”

Keeping quiet: The Prophet (SAW) said, “If one of you becomes angry then he should stay silent.” This is an important practice because when we are angry our actions and speech may be disproportionate and unjust.

Wudu can also be a shield against anger: The Prophet (SAW) said, “Anger comes from the devil, the devil was created from fire, and fire is extinguished only with water. So when one of you becomes angry, he should make wudu.”

However, sometimes anger can be good. The Prophet SAW never got angry except when the commandments of Allah SWT were violated. But, if we do feel anger for the sake of Allah SWT, we should make sure that we are not actually getting angry for our own ego or interests. We should express the anger in the right way; just because the anger is for the right cause does not give anyone license to behave badly. There should also be some benefit in the anger. If expressing the anger leads to more harm than benefit, then it should be avoided based on the principle of weighing benefit and harm. For example, when giving advice: say it in a good way, use good words and the best manners, and be careful not to escalate into a quarrel.

There are many harmful effects of getting angry. These effects can harm us physically, psychologically, socially or emotionally. It is well known today that anger causes many health problems and can be a symptom or cause of mental illness, especially if not controlled. There are wisdoms behind shariah injunctions, and improving overall well being is one of the many benefits of controlling anger.