Anger in Islam and how to control it
MUSLIMCREED In the Qur'an, anger is shown in the story of Prophet Musa and Prophet Yunus who are shown in different forms of anger. This is stated in the letter Al-A'raf verse 150
This verse tells about the Prophet Moses who returned from Mount Thur sad and angry. This is because he saw the abuses committed by his people when they were left by Prophet Musa to pray to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. At that time his people even worshiped cows and became followers of samiri.
After that, Prophet Musa pulled Harun's head emotionally because he thought that Harun had allowed the abuse to happen. Prophet Musa thought that Aaron did not stop or prevent this. From this verse, it can be seen that when Moses was angry, he grabbed Aaron's hair.
However, it can be seen that Moses was still able to control his anger, so he could still listen to Harun's explanation. Find the story of Prophet Moses that is full of wisdom for reflection along with other stories through the book If We Lived in the Age of Prophet Moses.
Besides Prophet Musa, there is also a story about Prophet Yunus when he was angry. This is described in the letter Al-Anbiya verse 87
Prophet Yunus was angry and left his people. This was done by the Prophet Yunus because he thought that his people did not care about him, so he left them. When Prophet Yunus left, his people realized their mistake and finally they returned to the right path. According to some commentators, Prophet Yunus left because he did not accept the destiny given by Allah Ta'ala.
The anger that appeared on the Prophet Yunus and the Prophet Moses was the result of the munkar committed by his people. The anger described in the two verses above is anger related to the religion of Islam. This seems to imply that a person must be able to control himself when angry emotions arise.
In the story of Prophet Musa, anger is expressed that reaches physical contact. Prophet Musa at that time grabbed Aaron's head. Describing that someone when angry can be uncontrollable to make physical contact and can harm someone. Meanwhile, the Prophet Yunus was described as angry which made him turn away.
How to control anger according to the instructions of the Prophet
Anger emotions cannot be eliminated in humans. This is a human instinct. According to Al-Ghazali, there are two ways to control anger. The first is not to obey anger, except only in matters that are not prohibited in religion and do not conflict with human reason. This exercise can be done by forcing oneself and doing it continuously until the person forgives himself. Thus, humans must train or weaken the potential for anger in themselves so that, when angry emotions arise, they will not be too excessive and not hurt others.
The second is the practice of contemplating that all humans will end up in the grave. By always contemplating it, people will become more humble in the world. It's good that we always keep our minds and hearts busy with positive things, so that angry emotions no longer have a place in our hearts. In the Qur'an it is also explained that holding back anger is better than retaliating. This is contained in the letter An-Nahl verses 126-127.
Apart from Islamic religious studies, according to psychological studies there are several ways to avoid anger or control angry emotions within yourself, namely:
- Think before you speak. This of course can be one way to control yourself when there is anger inside. Before speaking, it's good to be quiet and think for a moment, whether those words will not hurt others or make yourself regret.
- When you are calmer, you can express these angry emotions. Remember not to hurt anyone when expressing angry emotions.
- Exit the room. This is of course to avoid endless debates. In addition, you can also try activities such as sightseeing, sports and doing hobbies that you like.
- Take a moment. For adults, this should actually be done. Try practicing every time you feel angry, to wait a moment. So when expressing anger is not passionate. A short break is necessary so that feelings of comfort and anger can subside.
- Identify possible solutions. When you're angry, it's not always negative. There are times when it can actually come up with a solution that can be done to solve the problem.
- Don't hold grudges. Humans may often hold grudges so that when they are angry, everything will be justified so that the words or actions they do can hurt others and make themselves regret. When we hate something or someone, we often hold a grudge against it. Try not to hold grudges.
- Try to use humor when releasing tension. This of course can relieve and relieve tension. Using humor can help us to deal with what makes us angry. However, don't use sarcasm, avoid it. Sarcasm can of course also hurt feelings and make things worse than before.