CONTROL YOUR ANGER: 9

CONTROLLING ONE’S ANGER IS THE FIRST STEP IN TAZKIAH (INTERNAL PURIFICATION)

Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani DB narrated the story of what happened when Hazrat Shah Abu Saeed Ganguhi RE went for his internal purification. When he started on that path he wasn’t told to start reciting Tasbeeh, or doing Zikr (Allah’s remembrance), or read Nawafil (non-obligatory Salah). Rather he was initially taught how to get rid of Takabbur (believing that one is superior to others, and the others are inferior), to develop motivation to deal kindly with Allah’s creations, and how to control his anger, which is often a precursor of Takabbur and its related behaviours. Hazrat Thanvi RE used to say that the first step in the way of Tasawuf is learning how to control one’s anger. Once a human being learns that, he/she becomes superior to angels. Angels do not have anger in their temperament. If they then do not harm other people, it is not a virtue, because they do not have any innate desire to do so. Allah Ta’alah says that I have put the emotion of anger in human being’s temperament. If they then control their anger because of My fear and My love, they then become superior to angels.