Suppressing one ’s Anger

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn al-Hakam from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “I do not love to humiliate my soul even to achieve the best of the bounties. I have not swallowed a drop more beloved to me than the drop (in the form) of my anger for which I did not seek compensation from the source that had caused it to stir up.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

54. From him, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Abdul Aziz Bin Al-Muhtady, from Yunus Bin Abdul Rahmaan, from Dawood Bin Zurby who said: ‘I fell ill in Al-Medina with intense illness, and that (news) reached Abu Abdullah (asws). So he (asws) wrote to me: ‘It has reached me (asws) (news of) your illness. Buy one Sa’a of wheat, then lie down on your back and scatter it upon your chest a scattering and say, ‘Our Allah (azwj)! I hereby ask You (azwj) by Your (azwj) Name which the restless (Al-Muztar i.e. Al-Qaim (asws)) asks You (azwj) to Remove the adversities, and Enable him (asws) in the earth and Make him (asws) as Your (azwj) Caliph upon Your (azwj) creatures, and send greetings upon Muhammad (saww) and upon the People (asws) of his (saww) Household, and Cure me from my illness’. Then sit straight and gather the wheat which is around you and say the like of that (again) and distribute one Mudd by one Mudd to each of the poor and say the like of that (again)’. Dawood said, ‘I did the like of that and I was as if I had been disentangled from a knot, and more than one person did that, so they all benefitted by it’.

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Sinan and Ali ibn al-Nu’man from ‘Ammar ibn Marwan from Zayd al-Shahham from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “How wonderful indeed is the drop of anger for one who curbs it with exercising patience! Great rewards are for those who go through great trials and tribulations. Allah has not loved any people without exposing them to trials and tribulations.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

3. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Ali ibn al-Nu’man and Muhammad ibn Sinan from ‘Ammar ibn Marwan from abu al-Hassan the 1 st (a.s.) who has said the following: “Be patient against the enemies (jealous) of bounties. You cannot seek a compensation from one who disobeys Allah in your case, more meritorious and better than obeying Allah in his case (exercise patience against his jealousy).”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

4. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Thabit Mawla Ale Hariz from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “To suppress one’s anger in the face of the enemy, the ruling party’s government, for protection ( Taqiyah ), is a cutting edge for those who adopt it. It is to avoid being exposed to suffering in this world and to the animosity of the ruling party in their government. Opposition to such ruling parties without maintaining protective ( Taqiyah ) measures is ignoring the commands of Allah. Maintain a graceful position toward people; it will grow with them in your favor. Do not deal with them as your enemies; otherwise, you make them impose burdens on you and humiliate you.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

6. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Isma’il ibn Mehran ibn Sayf ibn ‘Amirah who has said that spoke to him one who had heard from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever suppressess his anger that he could let out if he wanted, Allah, on the Day of Judgment, will fill his heart with His happiness.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

7. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from ibn Faddal from Ghalib ibn ‘Uthman from ‘Abd Allah ibn Mundhir from al-Wassafi from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever controls his anger which he could allow to take its course, Allah on the Day of Judgment will fill his heart with security and belief.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

8. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu’ alia ibn Muhammad from al- Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’ from ‘Abd al-Karim ibn ‘Amr from abu ‘Usama Zayd al-Shahham from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Once the Imam said to me, ‘O Zayd be patient against the enemies of the bounties (jealous people). You cannot compensate (retaliate to offset your suffering) from one who disobeys Allah through causing you to suffer, in other ways more properly, than obeying Allah in his case (in not causing any suffering to him). O Zayd Allah has chosen Islam and has selected it. Be good companions of Islam through generosity and excellence in moral behavior.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

9. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from Hafs Bayya’ al-Sabiri from abu Hamza from Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) who has said the following: “The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Of the most beloved path to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, there are two drops: The drop of anger that one brushes aside and repels with tolerance and the drop of suffering that one wipes off with patience.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

10. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad from Rib’i from his chain of narrators from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “The Imam said, ‘My father once said to me, “My son, there is nothing more delightful to the eyes of your father than the drop (feeling) of anger that precedes patience. My receiving the most noble of the bounties does not bring me any happiness if it may cuase humiliation to my soul.’””

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

11. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Mu’awiyah ibn Wahab from Mu’adh ibn Muslim from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Bear patience against the enemies of the bounties (Jealous people). You cannot compensate (your loss) from one who has disobeyed Allah in your case, in a more proper way than obeying Allah in his case.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

12. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Khallad from al-Thumali from Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) who has said the following: “I do not love to have the most noble of the bounties at the cost of humiliation to my soul. I have not swallowed any drop more beloved to me than the drop of anger for which I did not compensate from the one who caused it (my anger).”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

13. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al- Washsha’ from Muthanna al-Hannat from abu Hamza who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) once said to me, ‘The swallowing of a servant (of Allah) of no other drop is more beloved to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, than the drop (feeling) of anger when it runs around in his heart, and he swallows it by means of patience and forbearance.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from certain individuals of his people from Malik ibn Hasin al-Sakuni who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘If a servant (of Allah) suppresses his anger, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, increases his respect in this world and in the next world. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, “. . . who also harness their anger and forgive the people. Allah loves the righteous ones.” [3:134] Allah will give them such rewards; they had suppressed their anger.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.