45. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The strong man is not one who is good at wrestling, but the strong man is one who controls himself in a fit of rage.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
[45] وعن أبي هريرةَ أنّ رسولَ الله قَالَ : « لَيْسَ الشَّدِيدُ بالصُّرَعَةِ ، إنَّمَا الشَدِيدُ الَّذِي يَملكُ نَفْسَهُ عِنْدَ الغَضَبِ » . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيهِ .« وَالصُّرَعَةُ » : بضَمِّ الصَّادِ وَفَتْحِ الرَّاءِ وأَصْلُهُ عِنْدَ العَرَبِ مَنْ يَصْرَعُ النَّاسَ كَثيراً . في هذا الحديث : مَدْح من يملك نفسه عند الغضب . قال الله تعالى : ﴿ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴾ [ آل عمران (134) ] . والغضب : جماع الشر ، والتحرز منه جماع الخير ، وقال رجل للنبي : أوصني . قال : « لا تغضب » ، فردَّد مرارًا . قال : « لا تغضب » . وقال عمر بن عبد العزيز : قد أَفْلح مَنْ عُصِم من الهوى ، والغضب ، والطمع .
Commentary:
That is why we see that people with weak characters suppress their anger when dealing with their superiors but take it out on those weaker than them. A weak man will take his frustrations out on his family, a woman on her children, the rich on the poor. Giving free rein to one’s anger results only in crime against Allah’s creatures. It is natural to feel anger in certain situations but the successful person is he who is able to control the expression of his anger. Not all crimes in Islam are recognized as crimes in secular law, but what matters to a Muslim is how their action is viewed by Allah. Anger is justified when the crime is against Allah and his Messenger, but even then it is best handled with a cool mind.
Hazrat Ali (radi Allahu anhu) said: “A moment of patience in a moment of anger prevents a thousand moments of regret.”
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