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Hazrat Maulana Maseehullah Khan Saheb (R.A)
By: Hazrat Maulana Dawood Seedat Saheb (DB)
Bi ismihi Ta’ala Sha’nuhu
Explanation of anger and treatment thereof by Hadhratjee Moulana Maseehullah Jalalabadi R.A. extracted from the kitaab titled “Good Character”
Ghussa / Anger
Definition: Revenge in the form of erupting or exploding in anger, taken at some slight or personal injury.
Danger and consequences: Uncontrolled anger leads to rage, quarrels, hatred, violence and a host of other evils.
To be completely devoid of anger is the opposite extreme and manifests as cowardice, which also falls in the category of being despicable.
It must be pointed out that anger is an essential instinctive quality. Thus anger developing in an individual is not in his control, but the individual has the option of giving expression to the anger or not. The ideal therefore is anger reacting only to the demands of the shariat.
Prevention
1. Control of the nafs by means of mujaahadah and riyadhat
2. Development of patience and forebearance (sabr and hilm)
Treatment
1. Pause to reflect. Avoid reacting immediately to any situation.
2. Analyse the cause of the anger. Is it for the sake of Allah Ta’ala or is it for personal reasons?
3. Ask oneself, would I like Allah Ta’ala to treat me for my shortcomings as I am about to treat my detractor?
4. Recite “A’oozu……..” to repel shaitaan.
5. Change posture and position – if standing sit, if sitting lie down.
6. Drink cold water, or make wudhu with cold water.
7. Take up a book to read, or involve oneself in another activity.
8. Remove oneself from the situation by leaving the room.
9. Remind oneself that this is but a test from Allah Ta’ala and was written in one’s taqdeer (fate)
Correction is an important principle where one’s anger has exceeded the bounds of shariat – this is done as follows:
1. Make istighfaar.
2. Apologise humbly to the person on whom one has vented one’s anger
3. Impose a penalty on oneself, for eg. Make nafl salaah, keep nafl fast, give sadaqaa etc.