Masoud Ahmad Khan: April 8, 2012 (Anger & Forgiveness)

Salaamu Alaykum,

I hope and pray you are doing well and am sorry for this very late reply, and hope you won’t mind it being shared with others so we may all benefit.

I suffer similarly to you in regards to not coping well with anger and find that I am one having little patience with oppression and injustices as well, and with me, it is an ongoing struggle [more] easily remedied in discussion than in practice.

Some passing thoughts on the subject is to give you glad tidings as it is a sign of faith to feel anger for the sake of Allah when injustices occur. The Prophet never got angry except for the sake of Allah which is the first step to achieve. The second step is to find the correct way to vent our anger according to the circumstances, without resorting to an unhealthy accumulation of suppressed anger.

Before venting our anger prematurely, we need to purify it first for the sake of Allah so we can release it properly for the right reasons and in the right way. Generally, anger, when not for the sake of Allah, is from satan, and the Prophet indicated in this instance to seek refuge in Allah from satans prodding’s and suggestions, whose influence can be brought on by our indulgence in sins, which weakens our resolve and defenses against him. In [addressing] this state of anger, our Prophet further advised us to perform ablution, prayer, and sit or lie down to cool the effects brought on by the heat of anger, as well as to cool and calm the circulation of blood traveling through the body, as satan is similarly wont to course through man as mentioned in a narration.