the forty hadith: hadith 16

عــن أبـي هـريـرة رضي الله عــنـه ، ان رجــلا قـــال للـنـبي صلي الله عـلـيـه وسـلـم : أوصــني . قال : ( لا تغضب ) فردد مرارًا ، قال : ( لا تغضب ).
رواه البخاري [ رقم : 6116 ]


On the authority of Abu Hurairah (radiAllaahu anhu),

That a man said to the Prophet sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam : "Counsel me", so he (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said :

Do not become angry.

The man repeated [his request for counsel] several times, and he (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said :

Do not become angry.

It was related by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim.

Explanation of Hadeeth Number 16

The author of "al-Ifsaah min al-Jaa'iz" said that the Prophet sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam recognised in this man considerable anger, so he singled out for him this particular advice. And the Prophet sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam has praised the one who is able to control himself at the time of anger, and has said "The powerful man is not the one who is able to wrestle, but the powerful man is the one who is able to control himself at the time of anger".

And Allaah ta'aalaa has also praised such a person where He says : "those who repress their anger, and who pardon others" [aal-'Imraan, 134]. And it is narrated from the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) that he said : "Whoever represses his anger while he is able to express it and is not in the wrong, then Allaah 'azza wa jall will call him amongst the best of Creation on the Day of Resurrection, and he will be allowed to choose whoever he wishes from amongst the Hoor."

And it has also been narrated in another hadeeth : "Verily anger is from Shaytaan", and it is because of this that the angry person is no longer able to deal justly, and he speaks falsehood, and he takes on many blameworthy characteristics, and he takes into his heart feelings of hatred and malice and other than that of the despicable, forbiddden characteristics - and all of this is from anger, may Allaah protect us from it.

And it has been narrated in the hadeeth of Sulaymaan bin Sarud : "Verily seeking refuge with Allaah from Shaytaan, the outcast, causes the anger to recede." And this is because Shaytaan is the one who beautifies anger and all other such blameworthy affairs, for Shaytaan always tries to mislead man and keep him away from the Pleasure of Allaah 'azza wa jall, and so seeking refuge with Allaah from him is one of the strongest weapons available to repel his evil designs.