Date: 03 April 2016
Presenter: Ml Naeem Docrat
Guests: Mufti Shafiq Takora; Ml Muhammad Vankir

This week’s panel discussion featuring Mufti Shafiq Takora and Ml Muhammad Vankir focused on the very prevalent topic of anger and how to control and manage it. Mufti Shafiq opened the discussion with a general definition of anger, and anger as it has been mentioned on many occasions in the Quran. Allah Ta’ala speaks about His anger towards the disbelievers and the wrongdoers, and controlling one’s anger.

Ml Muhammad began by speaking about the advices given to us by Nabi Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam regarding anger management. Anger is a natural human reaction to certain situations but we need to control it. The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, advised us to move away from what is making us angry by sitting, lying down or going to sleep so as to avoid exacerbating the problem.

Mufti Shafiq made the analogy of anger and strength; where anger does not signify strength and power, rather it signifies weakness and lack of control. Silence is the best response to an argument. Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam repeatedly advised the Sahabah RA not to become angry. Anger is a spiritual malady that needs to be treated correctly. Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam also advised the Sahabah RA to make wudhu when one gets angry because anger is from Shaytaan and Shaytaan is from fire, so the best way to extinguish a fire is with water. The best of people are those that take a long time to become angry and whose anger, when it does arise, subsides quickly and easily. Another way of controlling one’s anger is for one to make it compulsory upon oneself to give a large amount of charity for every time he loses his temper. Mufti Shafiq gave some examples of situations in which anger is acceptable. Forgiveness is necessary to alter the situation and move forward. We should tolerate others to the extent that we want Allah SWT to tolerate and forgive us. In certain instances anger is selfish and egotistical. Even if a person is right, it is not always the appropriate time to make this known. Say the right thing in the right manner on the right occasion with the right intention and you will see the right results. Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has guaranteed a house in the middle of Jannah for the person who removes himself from an argument, avoids conflict and gives up his right even though he knows he is correct.

Ml Muhammad discussed the peace that Allah bestows upon a person who curbs his anger. When a person is angry we must not provoke them further but instead calm the person down or walk away. Ml Muhammad responded to a mother’s message regarding her teenage daughter’s anger towards her. There is a lack of communication between parents and children which lead to situations where the children do not know how to express themselves and they feel the need to vent their anger. One remedy for this is to start taleem in our homes so that our children can take lessons from the lives of the Sahabah RA and learn how to redirect their anger. As a result of anger we utter statements which we do not mean and regret afterwards. For the pleasure of Allah SWT we should overlook and forgive.