How do I overcome anger in Islam?
The Prophet's ﷺ three-word answer — "Do not be angry" — is the starting point. The classical scholars then mapped the practical steps: what to recite, what to do with the body, and what to remember about the self.
4 passages from 4 books in the library
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 4 books by Imam al-Ghazali and Ibn Battuta — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
-
"I heard the messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, say, anger is from Satan, and Satan was created from fire, which is extinguished by water."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
-
"He expressed anger for his Lord's sake but not for himself and upheld the truth even if it led to harm for himself or his companions."
14th century · Tangier, Morocco
The Riḥlah — a 30-year, 75,000-mile journey across three continents, and the most important travel account of the pre-modern world.
More on Ibn Battuta →
· Provenance →
-
"During my stay in Mali, the Sultan became angry with his chief wife, his cousin's daughter named Kasa, meaning queen in their tongue."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
-
"and he said, whoever fears Allah will not satisfy their anger and whoever is conscious of Allah will not do as they please."
Want a different angle?
Type your question below — JM Scholar will ground its answer in the same sources.