Why Islam And Other Spiritual Systems Decry Anger? The Disease And Its Treatment
By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam
30 November 2023
Anger Can Affect Anyone, Regardless Of Religion, Caste,
Or Culture. It's Crucial For Individuals To Learn To Control It, Letting It Go.
Indeed Treat This As A Diease That Requires Proper Treatment, Considering Its
Nature, And Effects On The Mind And Soul.
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Anger is a significant social issue that can have severe
consequences, and its resolution is crucial for maintaining a healthy and
balanced lifestyle. Anger is one of the most disliked things in Islam. At
several places in the Quran and Sunnah, we come across numerous passages that
dislike angry behaviour. Instead, we find beautiful guidance that teaches us to
be forgiving and to stop acting out of anger. For example, Allah Almighty says
in the Quran, “Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and
who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of
good” (3:134)
Not only does Islam dislike the attitude of anger, but so do
other religions. Anger is something no good human being would like to adopt.
But this is also to know that an angry attitude can attack anyone regardless of
religion, caste and culture. Hence it is equally necessary for all people to
learn how to control it. The one who experiences anger must first learn how to
control it when it arises. He or she will have to consider anger's nature, its
effects on the mind and soul, and, in the end, how to let it go.
The reason Allah, the Exalted, created man and gave him
feelings of good and evil is to see what kind of passions a person feeds into
and how much control they have over them. "Anger" is a significant
feeling among these feelings.
According to verse 3:134 mentioned above, those who swallow
their anger and become forgiving are referred to as the favourite slaves of
Allah Almighty. Allah, the Exalted, according to Imam al-Ghazali, likes the
person who swallows anger above all other types of sips.
A companion approached the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) and requested some advice. "Avoid getting angry,"
the Prophet (peace be upon him) counselled him. If he had wanted to, he could
have given him advice on Zikr, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and other topics,
but instead, he taught him how to control his wrath. One of the main defences
of the recommendation to control anger is that rage is a collection of many
evils rather than just one evil. For this reason, Sufi scholars say that anger is
the mother of all maladies. (Ihya al-Uloom)
These days, being angry is considered a skill. Some people
would proudly declare, for instance, that "my scalp is hot, I don't care,
I just say it with a clear mouth, I can't tolerate anything." They use
these grandiose phrases as if they are discussing something important, but in
reality, they are all tricks of Satan, who utilises them as his instruments to
incite people to wrath and cause us and our loved ones to suffer.
Anger is not just a fleeting emotion; it is a disease that
profoundly changes a person's personality. Imam al-Ghazali says in this context
that persons who are able to manage their wrath are among scholars, Ulama,
saints, and virtuous people. Those who are furious, on the other hand, exhibit
dreadful facial expressions, lose their composure, and transform into a vicious
beasts. (Ihya al-Ulum)
A person can quickly go from reason to less rationality when
they are angry. He does not even realise that something is wrong with his head.
Some have said that being angry is the primary cause of idiocy and less logic,
as though anger had a major role in leading someone to act foolishly.
The following tips can help one manage their anger:
There must be a cause for anger since it becomes a permanent
feature of our emotions. Experts say that anger is a reaction, and fear is
always the result of ineptitude. One of the primary reasons of rage is fear.
For instance: When a man neglects his wife's rights, he is always plagued by
anxiety about how he will get home. How can the debts and maintenance be paid?
When he returns home, his wife will ask him about
unfulfilled commitments, medical costs, household rations, and child expenses.
He will become fearful of his shortcomings and become agitated anytime she
brings up any of these issues. He will become angry, fight, etc. to cover up
his inadequacy and dread of being encircled. In this situation, turning his
incompetence into competence is the only thing that can soothe his rage.
Various self-conceived beliefs can give rise to anger, such
as those concerning caste, family, tribe, colour, and the false notion that one
is better than another due to unwarranted discrimination. It's crucial to
understand that rage is a normal feeling and a component of human wants first and
foremost. Therefore, any anger management techniques will merely focus on
controlling the anger rather than completely eliminating it.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have 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." [Sahih/Authentic -
Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
This implies that actual power is not solely determined by
the strength of muscles and body. Strong people are not the ones who always
defeat strong people. Rather, a truly strong man is one who exercises
self-control and overpowers himself when he is in a state of anger.
"Anger" is a major factor in the sharp increase in
divorce rates. Some men take their wives' trivial issues to the point of
divorce out of anger, and most of them subsequently admit that they divorced
them out of anger and that they are ashamed of it and need to be taught
something in order to get their spouse back.
A useful remedy for controlling anger is to repeat the
punishment of God and the power of Allah in the mind during anger. You can also
control your anger if you avoid being around the person you are upset with or
in their vicinity. Movement-heated molecules, according to Imam Ghazali, are
the true source of heat in the human body. Because of the spirit of revenge,
the more he thinks, moves, responds, raises his hand, and reacts, the more he
will move in response. However, the heat will dissipate as soon as he moves
away, settles down, and ceases making such reactions. This will ultimately
soothe his irate mood.
To control anger, one must practise humility and remember
that there are those who are more important than themselves. Additionally, when
you become angry, step away from the person who is offending you, sit down,
drink some water, and begin reciting Taawwuz (I seek the protection of Allah
from Satan) aloud. If you do this, God willing, your anger will be restrained.
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Kaniz Fatma is a regular columnist for New Age Islam
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-q-a/spiritual-anger-disease-treatment/d/131218
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