Spiritual Discussions For The Treatment of Anger - Part 3 of 3

PRECRIPTION FOR REMOVING ANGER

Sheikh Thanwi RA prescribed a treatment for a person whose anger always overpowered him. He advised him that when his anger cooled down, he should ask for forgiveness from the one to whom his anger had been directed. He should apologise to him in a gathering, for this method will break his pride. It will also prevent him from losing his temper with people, for fear of being disgraced in an assembly or in public. When anger overpowers one, immediately divert the mind towards one's own faults and shortcomings. Ask ourselves how would we like to be treated by Allah SWT if He were to punish us for our wrong doings? Would we not like that Allah forgive us? In the same way just as we love to be excused and pardoned, we too should become merciful and forgiving towards those who have wronged us. After all, the person can never have wronged us to the extent that we have sinned in front of Allah. Yet, what is Allah's treatment towards us? Time and again Allah has spared us through His benevolence and tolerance; if Allah so wishes, He could destroy us now! Allah is so kind and tolerant towards us, we are dependant on His forgiveness always, then why should we not forgive that person?

Sheikh Thanwi RA has said that one should set aside some time daily, ponder over one's own faults and tell oneself: "I am the worst person on the face of this earth." In this way, his pride will be uprooted. Then one will not become angry, because anger is created from pride. At the time of anger, one should think in this way that: "I am the worst of all people, then what right do I have to get angry at a person better than myself?"


SPECIFIC PRESCRIPTIONS BY THE USE OF ZIKR

By reciting the following wazifah, one's anger will decrease:

As a prescription, we may read the whole 'Bismillah ....' twenty one times after every Solat and blow over oneself. Recite 'Bismillah ....' three times and blow into food and water before eating or drinking. InshaAllah, Allah's mercies will be manifested in just the same way as sand appears shiny and white when the rays of the sun shine upon it. Once the rays disappear, the sand looks dark and black again. By reading this wazifah, the rays of Allah's mercy will descend upon our hearts and cool our anger. For any specific illness or problem, one should choose a name from among Allah's Great Names and recite it abundantly. The effects of these Holy Names will surely affect its reader. Example, if "Ya Salaam" is read on someone with a serious illness, its effect will bring peace and safety from the disease for the sick person. If one is afflicted with poverty, read "Ya Mughni", and Allah will bless him with wealth. Similar are the effects of "Ya Rahman" and "Ya Rahim". Recite "Ya Allah, Ya Rahman, Ya Rahim" in abundance to remove anger. However, read only as much as can be tolerated, for sometimes by reading excessively a type of dryness affects the mind, and it may also prove too hot for the mind. Nowadays, people are weak. Thus by too much of wazifah reading, some people have even become insane. Therefore, we should not read any wazifah more than can be tolerated, and also take advice in this matter from a spiritual guide. If one cannot manage to read 'Bismillah...' twenty one times, read it seven times, and if one cannot do that even, read it three times, because nowadays people are too busy and seem to have no time for reading.

Also recite 'Ya Ar Hamar Rahimiin' in abundance. The same should also be recited if one is in any difficulty pertaining to debt, children, not being able to get married or even for trouble from enemies. In this case, one should recite Salawat to Rasulullah SAW at the beginning, then recite 'Ya Ar Hamar Rahimin' five hundred times, and read Salawat at the end again. InshaAllah, one's problems will end.

It is narrated in one Hadith that when a person says 'Ya Ar Hamar Rahimin", Allah sends an angel to the reciter, to ask what he wants, as Allah's special mercies are directed upon him. Thus, by reading this wazifah, one's anger also cools down, while worldly tasks too get accomplished at the same time. If one cannot read it five hundred times, then read only 111 times, and if this also proves difficult, then read it seventy (70) times only. If not 70 then 7, and if not 7 then 3 and if not 3, then once only. Allah's name is so powerful and great that by reciting it even just once with love and sincerity, one will derive great benefits. What can be more easy, than this. Only a lazy person would refuse to do even this much. Some scholarly elders have also prescribed the recitals of "Wal Kazimeenal Ghaiz" 7 times and blow it in water. Drink this water for cooling one's anger. The reading of Salawat is also very beneficial against anger. At the time of anger, one should recite "Audzubillah" in full.

Similarly, "La Hawla Wala Quwwata Illa Billah" too has a special effect. By reading it in abundance, one attains Taufiq (ability) to make Amal (performance of good deeds). The words "La Hawla" mean that there is no power to stay away from sins, and "Wala Quwwata" means that there is no power to do good. "Illa Billah" means, except with the help of Allah. Thus, by reciting this wazifah, one attains the treasure of Taufiq, for it is a treasure from the treasures of Jannah.


THE BLESSINGS OF RECITING "LA HAWLA QUWWATA ILLA BILLAH"

The Muhaddithin have written in the commentary of "La Hawla Quwwata" that by means of its recitation, one attains the Taufiq of staying away from sins and the initiative towards the doing of good deeds, thereby finally reaching Jannah. Jannah has two treasures, i.e. - the performance of good deeds, and abstention from sins. Both will be attained by reciting "La Hawla". If perchance one feels an urge towards sinning, one should immediately recite "La Hawla Wala Quwwata Illa Billah". Coming back to the subject of "Anger" - one should forgive the mistakes of others by thinking of Allah's mercy for His creation. Would we not want Allah to have mercy upon us and forgive us on the Day of Judgement? Therefore, we should also overlook and forgive the mistakes of Allah's servants today, so that we too can secure His forgiveness tomorrow.

One of the signs of the pious servants of Allah is that they go through some difficulties themselves but refrain from causing difficulties to others. Who are the pious servants of Allah (the Abrars)? They are those who would not even harm an ant, and when they witness the disobedience of Allah taking place, they are greatly displeased and pained. These are the two signs of Allah's pious servants. We should make sure that no harm comes to anybody from outside, especially in the state of anger which can be so overpowering that one may badly hurt another. Usually, the strong thrive upon the weak by giving vent to their anger on the latter, but when a stronger person comes along then ones anger cools off very fast!


RAZZAQ

A thought had once come to the mind of the Prophet Musa AS as to how does Allah SWT sustain His creation. Allah SWT commanded the Prophet Musa AS to strike his stick upon a rock. The rock broke into two and from within - came out a tiny little insect with a green leaf in its mouth, eating its sustenance. Yet there was no hole in the rock for it to have come out to look for its food. When the insect emerged from the rock, it was reciting a wazifah which meant, "purity belongs to Allah who is watching me and who knows my place of living. He remembers me and does not forget to sustain me". Here Allah SWT was showing the Prophet Musa AS how He sustains His creation. The above incident is recorded in the commentary of the verse "Wa maa min daabatin," in the treatise - Ruhul Ma'ani by Allamah Alusi RA.

On another occassion, once Musa AS's lamb ran away from the flock. Musa AS ran behind it for miles in order to catch it, and in the process, he hurt his feet over thorns till they were bleeding. The same thing also happened to the lamb, until it finally stood at one place, breathing heavily, unable to run any more. The Prophet Musa AS caught the tired little animal and instead of being angry at it, tears flowed out of his eyes as he consoled the animal saying: "O sheep, if you did not feel sorry for Musa, at least you should have pitied yourself. Why did you put yourself into so much trouble?" Before removing the thorns from his own feet, Musa AS first removed the thorns from the sheep, then rubbed and pressed its legs, lifted it up onto his shoulders and carried it back to its flock.

The above incident took place before the Prophet Musa AS was given Prophethood. Imagine what we would have done to the animal if it had caused us so much trouble and pain. Perhaps we would have beaten the poor animal or even slaughtered it. But the Prophet Musa AS showed no sign of anger; but instead he showed great mercy for the weak creation of Allah Ta'ala. Imam Fakhrudin Razi RA writes that the Angels said to Allah: "O Allah! This person is worthy of becoming a Prophet because of his qualities of tolerance and patience. O Allah! do make him a Prophet."

Allah Ta'ala replied to the Angels: "I have already chosen him to be my Prophet." Those from whom Allah has destined high stages, He imbues them with noble qualities and strength of tolerance. It is not right that in a slight fit of anger one becomes mad. Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wasallam said:

"A strong man is not one who pushes down another, but a strong man is one who controls his anger."

A villager who had newly accepted Islam and did not know the etiquettes of the masjid, once entered the masjid and began to urinate inside it. The Sahabah RA ran to stop him, but Rasulullah SAW stopped them, saying that they should let him first finish. When he had finished, Rasullullah SAW called him and spoke to him most kindly, explaining that mosques are for the performance of Solat, the Zikr of Allah, the Tilawat of the Qur'an, and as such they should be kept clean. It is bad to dirty or pollute places of worship. Nabi SAW then told the Sahabah RA to bring a bucket of water, throw it over the urine and wash the place.


TOLERANCE

Saiyidina Umar Al-Khattab RA was a caliph for ten and half years. Christian rulers quivered with awe and fear at the very mention of his name. One day he addressed himself thus: "O Umar! you were grazing camels once, but today you rule as the Commander of the Faithful (Amirul Mu'mineen). This is all due to the blessings of the chief of the Ambiyaa - Muhammadr Rasulullah SAW. Once someone asked him about his anger to which he replied: "Before my conversion, my anger was directed against Islam, now it is directed against the Kuffar. I now honour even a Muslim of low birth and lineage.


HUMILITY

Bilal bin Rabah RA was a negro slave, and of very dark complexion, but Saiyidina Umar RA used to call him: "O my chief Bilal! Just imagine, an individual from the leaders of the Quraish, a respectable and beloved wazir (minister) of the Prophet SAW is addressing a negro slave as "O my chief!"

Rasulullah SAWs two wazirs were such that he (SAW) sought advice from them even in the late hours of the night. They were Saiyidina Abu Bakr RA and Saiyidina Umar RA. One day, by mistake, Umar RA said to Bilal RA: "You are dark complexioned." Umar RA immediately realised his mistake and was extremely sorry for uttering such words. He lied down on the ground and asked Bilal RA to walk on his body so that his mistake can be forgiven on the Day of Qiyamah.

Bilal bin Rabah RA refused to walk on his body, saying: "You are beloved to Allah's Nabi SAW and are also his father-in-law. Your daughter is the wife of Nabi SAW and the mother of the Ummah. How can I place my feet on your sacred body? I have forgiven you for the sake of Allah."

Once during the days of his Caliphate, a thought came to Saiyidina Umar RA that he was the Caliph of the Muslims. This was not pride, but just a thought, yet being perturbed at this thought, Umar RA immediately picked up a water bag and slung it over his shoulders. Having walked out of his house, he knocked at the door of a poor Muslim and served that water to them. Who is doing this? None other than the Commander of the Muslims, holding the reigns of leadership, the righteous Khalifah - Umar Al-Faruq RA. Why did Saiyidina Umar RA act in this way? It was for the sole purpose of annihilating his ego. This was the way of our pious elders that through self-training, they annihilated themselves. We are relating these incidents concerning anger just to display the signs of the accepted servants of Allah. They were such that if they committed a mistake, they would immediately ask for forgiveness and would not hesitate in resorting to Istighfaar and repentance. If Istighfaar is beneficial to the Kuffar even, then why will it not benefit the Muslims. When the Kuffar used to make Tawaf, they used to say: "O Allah, forgive us", upon which Allah revealed an Ayat in the Qur'an, concerning the Kuffar: "O Nabi! Until you are in the midst of the Kuffar, I will not punish them". Another Ayat says: "Allah will not punish them as long as they make Istighfaar". Sheikh Thanwi RA explains the commentary of this Ayat in his treatise - Bayanul Qur'an:

"These glad tidings for the Kuffar only pertain to this world. No punishment will come upon them as long as they repent (make Istighfaar) - but they will have no salvation in the Hereafter because of not having Imaan."

Saiyidina Ali ibn Abi Talib RA said:

"O Muslims, O Companions of Rasullullah SAW and the Tabi'in - Listen! In this verse Allah Ta'ala has sent two means of safety from His punishment. The first one has already left us i.e. Rasullullah SAW, while the second cause of safety is still with us, which is Istighfaar (Taubah).
If you seek forgiveness from Allah and cry unto Him, then you will surely be saved from His punishment. Whoever commits a sin, should immediately perform two Raka'ats of Solat-ul-Taubah and repent sincerely i.e. make Istighfaar, for it becomes Haraam for the Fire of Jahannam to burn those parts that have been touched by one's tears of repentance. Allah Ta'ala is most benevolent, surely when He sends one limb into Jannah, then He will send the rest of the body also to the same place. It is unbecoming of His benevolence that he saves only His servant's face from the fire, while He allows the rest of the body to enter it (the Fire)."

Therefore, if we have sinned, we should immediately repent to Allah, and if we have not fulfilled the rights of His servants then we should ask pardon of them. In terms of rights of wealth, it will be of no use asking Allah's forgiveness when we have usurped the wealth of His servants. This sin will not be forgiven until the wealth is returned to its rightful owner. Similarly if we have hurt or harmed anyone by our tongue or hands, then secure forgiveness from them here, otherwise we will be sorry for our actions on the Day of Judgement. We should always be alert, and on guard that anger should not overpower us. If the anger in oneself has to be put to use, then we should use it against the Nafs (Self) e.g. if one feels an urge to see something forbidden, then at this juncture one should use one's anger against the eyes, by keeping them under control. We may say to our eyes quite firmly that we will certainly not allow them to look at any forbidden thing. We should make this intention solely for the sake of Allah. At the time of Jihad, one may use one's anger when confronting the enemy. We should seek advice from our pious elders on the beneficial use of anger. Let us also remind ourselves that the best way of reforming the Nafs (Self) is to connect oneself to a pious, Allah-fearing person. We should keep informing the person about our condition and thereafter act according to his advice. Soon we will see the result of our endeavour and will start reforming ourselves in a short period of time. InshaAllah.