"Dealing with Anger in Islam":

In Islam, anger is viewed as a potentially destructive emotion that needs to be controlled and channeled appropriately. While not inherently forbidden, uncontrolled anger can lead to harmful actions and negative consequences for oneself and others. Islamic teachings emphasize the importance of managing anger and seeking refuge in Allah SWT from its negative effects.

1. Anger as a natural emotion:

• Islam acknowledges that anger is a natural human emotion, but it's crucial to manage it effectively.
• The Prophet Muhammad SAW advised, "Do not get angry," repeated multiple times, highlighting the importance of controlling this emotion.

2. The dangers of uncontrolled anger:

• Uncontrolled anger can lead to violence, aggression and the violation of others rights.
• It can damage relationships lead to regrets, and negativity impact one's physical and mental health.
• Islamic texts describes anger as a vice that, when unchecked can cause destruction.

3. The importance of control and moderation:

• The Prophet Muhammad SAW emphasized that the truly strong person is not who can overpower others in a fight, but one who can control their anger.
• Islamic teachings encourage patience, forgiveness and forbearance as ways to manage anger.
• Seeking refuge in Allah SWT from Shatan, making Ablution and changing one's position are also recommended practices for calming down when angry.

4. Righteous anger:

• While most anger is discouraged there are situations where anger can be justified, such as when the commandments of Allah SWT are violated.
• However, even when expressing anger for a righteous cause, it's essentail to do escalating into conflict.
• The focus should be on rectifying the wrong while maintaining respect and avoiding personal attacks.

5. Seeking knowledge and guidance:

• Seeking knowledge about the teachings of Islam on anger and practicing self reflection can help Muslims better understand and manage this emotion.
• Consulting with knowledgeable individuals and seeking guidance from religious scholars can also be beneficial.

Deal with Anger:

When your temper flares, put relaxation skills to work. Practice deep- breathing exercises, imagine a relaxing scene, or repeat a calming word or phrase such as "Take it easy". You might also listen to music, write in a journal of do a few yoga poses - whatever it takes to encourage relaxation.

Anger is one of the evil whispers of shaytan, which leads to so many evils and tragedies, of which only Allah SWT knows their full extent. For this reason Islam has a great deal to say about this bad characteristic, and the prophet Muhammad SAW describes cures die This "disease" and ways to limit it's effects, anong which are the following:

Seeking refuge with Allah from the Shatan:

Sulaman ibn Sard said: "I was sitting with the Prophet Muhammad 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  Muhammad 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 Allah SWT from the Shatan what he feels (his anger) would go away". 

The Prophet Muhammad SAW said:

" If a man gets angry and says I seek refuge with Allah SWT his anger will go away."

Keeping silent:

The Messenger of Allah SWT 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 kufr/ disbelief or curses, or the word of divorce which would destroy his home, or words of slander which would bring him tha enmity and hatred of others. So, in short keeping silent is the solution which help one to avoid all that.

Not moving:

The messenger of Allah SWT said: 

      " If any of you becomes angry and he is standing. Let him sit down, so his anger,let him lie down."

The narrator of This Hadith ja Abu Dharr and there is a story connected to his telling of it. He was taking his camels to drink at a trough that he owned when some other people came along and said " who  can compete with Abu Dharr and make his hair stand on end?" A man said, " I can, so he brought his animals and competed with Abu Dharr, with the result that the trough was broken. Abu Dharr was expecting help in watering his camel, but instead the man misbehaved and caused the trough to be broken. Abu Dharr was standing, so he sath down, then he laid down. Someone asked him, O Abu Dharr why did you sit down then lie down?" The Prophet Muhammad SAW said: and quotes the Hadith.

According to another report, Abu Dharr was watering his animals at the trough when another man made him angry, so he sat down.

Among the benefits of this advice given by the Prophet Muhammad SAW is the fact that it prevents the angry person from going our 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 one will become overexcited. Lying down makes it even less likely that he will do something crazy or harmful

Al-Allamah al-Khattabi may Allah have mercy on him, said in his commentary on Abu Dawud:

" One who is standing is in a position to strike and destroy, while the one who is sitting is less likely, to do that, and the one who is lying down can do neither. It is possible that the Prophet Muhammad SAW told the angry person to sit down or lie down so that he would not do something that he would later regret. And Allah knows best."

Following the advice of the Prophet Muhammad SAW:

Abu Hurarya may Allah be pleased with him, reported that a man said to the prophet Muhammad SAW, advise me "He said " Do not become angry." The man repeated his request several times, and each time the Prophet Muhammad SAW told him, " Do not become angry ".

According to another report, the man said: "I though about the Prophet Muhammad SAW said, and I realized that anger combines all kinds of evil ".

Do not become angry and Paradise will be yours:

This is an authentic Hadith. Ibn hijr attributed it to al-Tabrani.

Remembering what Allah has promised to the righteous who keep away from the causes of anger and struggle within themselves to control it, is one of the most effective ways of extinguishing the flames if anger. One of the Hadiths that describe tha great reward for doing this is: "Whoever controls his anger at the time when he has the means to act upon it, Allah will fill his heart with contentment on the day of resurrection."

Another great reward is described in the prophet's words. "Whoever control his anger at the time when he has the means to act upon it, Allah SWT will call him before Allah mankind on the day of resurrection, and will let him choose of whoever he wants. And others is it classified as Hasan.

Knowing the high status and advantages offered to those who control themselves:

The messenger of Allah SWT said: 

     " The strong man is not the one who can overpower others;rather the strong man is the one who controls himself when he gets angry."

The greater the anger the higher the status of the one who controls himself. The Prophet Muhammad SAW said: " the strongest man is the one who, when he gets angry and hua face reddens and hua hackles rise, is able to defeat his Anger."

Anas reported that the Prophet Muhammad SAW passed by some people who were wrestling. He asked, " what is this? They said: So and so is the strongest, he can beat anybody." The Prophet Muhammad SAW said, Shall I not tell you who is even stronger that him? The man who he is mistreated by another, controls his anger, has defeated his own shatan and the Shatan of the one who made him angry ".

Following the Prophet's example in the case of anger:

The Prophet Muhammad SAW is our leader and has set the highest example in this matter, as is recorded in a number of Hadiths. One of the most famous was reported him, who said: " I was walking with the messenger of Allah SWT and he was wearing a Najrani cloak with a rough collar. A Bedouin  came and seized him roughly by the edge of his cloak, and I saw the marks left on his neck, by the collar. Then the Bedouin ordered him to give him some of the wealth of Allah SWT that he had. The Prophet Muhammad SAW turned to him and smiled, then ordered that he should be given something."

Knowing that resisting anger is one of the signs of righteous:

The righteous are those praised bt Allah SWT in the Quran Kareem and by hua Messenger of Allah SWT. Paradise as wide as heaven and earth has been prepared for them. One of their characteristics is that they spend In prosperity and in adversity, repress anger and pardon men, Allah SWT loves.

These are the ones whose good character and beautiful attributes and deeds Allah paak has mentioned, and whom people admire and want to emulate. One of their characteristics is that when they are angry, they forgive."

Listening to reminders:

Anger is a part of human nature, and people vary in their anger. It may be difficult for a man not to get angry, but sincere people will remember Allah SWT when they are reminded and they will not overstep the mark.

Example:

Ibn Abbas reported that a man sought permission to speak to Umar ibn Al Khattab then he said: " O son of al-Khattab, you are not giving judging fairly between us." Hazrat Umar was so angry that he was about to attach tha man, but al-Hurr ibn Qays who was one of those present said", O amir Al Muminin , Allah paak said to his Prophet Muhammad SAW: showing forgiveness, enjoin what is good and turn away from the foolish. By Allah, Umar could go no further after al-Hurr had recited this ayah to him, and he was a man who as careful to adhere to the book of Allah SWT.

This is how the  Muslim should be. The evil hypocrite was not like this when he was told the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad SAW and one of the companions said to him, Seek refuge with Allah from the Shatan. He said to the one who reminded him, " Do you think I'm crazy go away? We seek refuge with Allah SWT from failure.

Knowing the bad effects:

The negative effects of Ander are many in short they cause damage to one's own self and to others. The angry person may utter words of slander and obscenity, he may attack others in an uncontrolled manner, even to the point of killing. The following story contains a valuable lesson:

Anger could lead to less than killing, such as wounding and breaking bones. If the one who caused the anger runs away, the angry person turns his anger on himself, so he may tear his  clothes strike his cheeks or have a fit, or fall unconscious or he may break dishes.

In the worst cases, anger results in social disasters and the breaking of family ties, divorce. Ask many of those who divorced their wives, and they will tell you: it was in a moment of anger. This divorce results in ministry for the children, regret and frustration a hard and difficult life, all as a result of anger. If they had remembered Allah SWT, come to their senses, restrained their anger and sought refuge with Allah SWT, none of this would have happened. 

The damage of health that results from anger can only be described by doctors, such as thrombosis high blood pressure, tachycardia and hyperventilating ،which can lead to fatal heart attacks.

The angry person should think about himself during moments of anger:

If the angry person could see himself in the mirror when he is angry, he would hate himself and the way he looks. If he could see the way he changes, and the way he looks. If he could see the way he changes, and the was his body and limbs shake, how his eyes glare and how out of control and crazy his behaviors is, he would despise himself and be revolted by his own appearance. It is well known that inner ugliness is even worse than outer ugliness,how happy the Shatan must be when a person is in this state! We seek refuge with Allah SWT from the Shatan and from failure.

Supplications:

Dua is always the weapon of the believer, whereby he asks Allah to protect him from.evil, trouble and bad behavior and seeks refuge with him from falling into the pit of kufr or wrongdoing because of anger. One of the three things that can help save him is: being fair at times of contentment and of anger. One of the Duas of the Prophet Muhammad SAW was:

  " O Allah SWT by your knowledge of the unseen and your power over your creation, keep me alive for as long as you know life is good for me and cause me to die when you know death is good for me. O Allah paak, I ask you to make me feel you in secret an sun public and I ask you to make me speak the truth in times of contentment and of anger. I was you not to let me be extravagant in poverty or in prosperity. I ask you for continuous blessing and fir contentment that does not end. I ask you to let me accept your decree, and for a joy of seeing your face and for the longing to meet you, without going through diseases and misguiding fitnah . K Allah paak, adorn us with the adornment of faith and make us among those who are guided. Praise bt to Allah, Lord of the world's.

What does Islam say about Anger:

If you are a person that is constantly angry, people are likely to dismiss your emotions viewing your short temperament as a personality trait. As a result, in situation where it truly calls for seriousness or justified anger, your reaction are overlooked or deemed insignificant majority of the time. In the other hand, id you are generally cheerful then your anger tends to carry more weight as it's understood that you are not the type to get angry over petty things. Others will recognize that if you are become angry, an serious like must have been crossed to provoke such a response.

A famous saying in the Arabic language summarizes this perfectly.

       " Fear the anger of the one who's typically forbearing".

But how does one actually control their anger:

Actively adopting techniques and practices they help you stay calm.in frustrating situations strengthen your emotional awareness and gives you the ability to maintain control, ni matter the circumstance.

Whenever it seems like your temper is starting to get the beat of you start to our your relaxation skills to work to help regain control. One of the simplest and most effective methods us practicing deep breathing exercises inhale slowly and deeply then exhale, focusing on your breath. You can also visualize a calming scene, such as a peaceful beach or quiet forest, something that will help you disassociate from the stressful situation, or start to practice positive self talk by repeating soothing phrases like stay calm or "take it easy" or " it is going to be okay"

If the situation is something that requires you to vent, instead of verbalizing it upon people a better option would be to textualism it. And that can easily be done by the habit of journaling.

The goal to find techniques that work best for you, allowing your mind and body to relax before your emotions take over. It's important to note that becoming attunes to you emotions is a gradual journey that demands patience. Being gentle with yourself, and allowing space for setbacks , is essential. This self compassion plays a significant role in determining how quickly you will experience progress in managing your emotions.

Now that we have discussed some of the non-religious ways one we can get accustomed to their emotions, let's also look at all the ways Islam can help you progress in this journey.

To begin, it's important to first grasp what our religion teaches us about Anger. Allah SWT says in the Quran Kareem:

    " And hasten towards forgiveness form your Lord and a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for those mindful of  Allah SWT. They are those who donate in prosperity and adversity control their anger, and pardon others. And Allah loves the good doers.

This verse clearly mentions the believers who have a greater change of Attaining the highest level of reward. To specify z the following phrase from the verse indicates how Allah SWT clearly highlights that the people who are able to swallow their anger and extinguish it are the ones who developed the right relationship with Allah SWT and deserve the greatest reward id the hereafter paradise.

     " And those who restrain their anger."

There are countless Hadith where the prophet Muhammad SAW mentions the harm of anger on not only our current life but also the effect it will have on our hereafter. He then stresses on just how crucial it is to have self control when one is exposed to the emotion.

    "he strong person is not the one who throws his adversaries to the ground. Rather, the strong person is the one who controls himself when he is angry."

 Islamically it is important to identify the reasons and situations where it is acceptable to get angry. For example, the Prophet Muhammad SAW was known as an extremely gentle and calm person where he got angry.

What did it look like when the Prophet Muhammad SAW got angry:

A Hadith narrated by Ayesha (RA) further talks about the Prophet Muhammad's SAW nature and highlighted the very specific instances where he would express anger,       

      " Allah messenger never took revenge for his own sake but he did only Allah's legal bindings were outraged in which case he would take revenge for Allah's sake ".

Furthermore Atiyyah reported: the messenger of Allah SWT said,

      " Verily, anger comes from Satan and Satan was creates from fire. Fire is extinguished with water, so if you become angry perform Ablution with water."

It's evidence that anger is one of the key emotions stirred by shatan, Making it a vulnerable point for many. The Quran Kareem advises that when salat stirs us up with anger, the best course if action is to seek refuge in Allah SWT.

      " And if you are tempted by Satan, then seek refuge with Allah SWT. Indeed, he alone is the all hearing All- knowing.

The aim of this is to convey the message that anger originates from a dark and fiery place. Thus by practicing the remembrance of Allah SWT we can shift it and bring light and coolness to our affairs. This can be done easily by performing zikr or chanting Allah SWT names, reciting Quran Kareem z doing Ablution, praying or anything else that would help become a source of peace.

Ablution Acts as a powerful shield against this emotion, offering protection from the deceptive whispers of shaytan. By staying in a state of purity, one is better equipped to guard themselves from falling into the traps of anger, preserving both emotional control and spiritual well being. This was also recommended by the Prophet Muhammad SAW as a suitable act to do as it literally validates the idea of cooling down the body and soul from the heat of anger.

Lastly, another small piece of advice that the Prophet Muhammad SAW gave us clearly emphasize that changing physical posture can help control anger and it was reported by Abu Dharr where he states:.    

     " The Prophet Muhammad SAW said: " if one of you becomes angry while standing, he should sit down. If the anger leave him well and good; otherwise he should lie down ."

Conclusion:

In Islam, anger is recognized as a natural human emotion, but one that must be controlled and managed wisely. The Qur'an and Hadith offer clear guidance on how to deal with anger, emphasizing patience, self-restraint, and seeking Allah's help through remembrance and prayer. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) described the strong person not as one who overpowers others physically, but as one who controls themselves when angry.Islam teaches that unchecked anger can lead to injustice, broken relationships, and spiritual harm. Therefore, Muslims are encouraged to:

Seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan.

Perform wudu (ablution) to cool down.

Change their physical position (e.g., sit if standing).

Remain silent and reflect before acting.

Forgive others and seek peace.

By practicing these teachings, a Muslim not only improves their character but also strengthens their relationship with Allah and others. Ultimately, managing anger in Islam is part of striving toward taqwa (God-consciousness) and becoming a better servant of Allah.