The man repeated his request for advice several times and the wise man replied each time “Do not get angry.” In this case we see the wise man (Peace be upon him) giving specific advice to a person that he probably knew well. He probably knew the strengths and weaknesses of this companion of his and he advised him based on what he knew of his companion’s character and situation in life. While this advice was good to him specifically, it is an advice that can be generally taken by people of all times and in every place in the world.
The terrible results of anger are innumerable and we see people end up in prison, divorced or relationships suffer on a personal, familial, business or other level. A few words spoken in a few brief seconds of anger may take long years to overcome between a husband and wife. Many adults have problems in their lives because of issues related to anger that they had to endure as children. How many friendships do you imagine have ended because of something related to anger? And of course it is well known that many prisons throughout the world are inhabited by people who committed an act in anger that led to ruin in their personal lives and those closest to them as well as the person and families on the receiving end of their anger. Do you know anyone who likes to be on the receiving end of angry speech or actions that are committed in an act of rage? I think the norm is contrary to this.
We enjoy being with those who have pleasant enjoyable personalities.
How nice would it be if people around the world tried to actualize this short phrase of “Do not get angry” into their lives. I know that I need to remind myself and be reminded about this from time to time and some times more than others. It is remarkable that even after centuries have passed there remains a need for this small but major bit of advice to be followed.
In a case study on anger management, a successful lawyer from London hit her husband for the first time 14 years ago. She had become angry with him and had lost her temper. She didn’t hit him again for about 18 months. As time passed she began to hit him more often when she became angry. The hitting had been preceded by verbal abuse for some time. She began to do different things to him during her outbursts of anger. After receiving counseling for her anger it was determined that her work load as well as her charity work outside of work were causing her undue stress. Fortunately her husband was able to cope with the situation.
So today, as was the case then, we are in need of the wisdom of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) who said on another occasion “The strong man is not the one who is good at wrestling, but the strong man is the one who controls himself in a fit of rage.”

Sabur Abdul-Basit is a freelance author from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States of America.

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