Question

Salam

My question is related to anger. I wanted to know when we are anrgy is it permissible to swear? What is recommended to do when angry? I try not to express my anger as i dont want to get sins but because of that i feel like the anger it builds up inside me and i end up feeling worse inside my mind. So i want to know are we allow to swear and express our anger and if so, whats the appropriate and halal way to do this? Hope my question makes sense.

Answer

It is natural for a person to become angry. A person will not be sinful for becoming angry, however, if they become angry, they are required to control their anger and ensure that they do not do or say anything unlawful in Islam. Thus, swearing would not be allowed.

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) has provided some guidance surrounding anger in the following hadiths:

1. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) once said regarding a person who had become angry, “I know a word (sentence) which if he were to say, that which he is experiencing will go away.” The Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) then instructed him to say, ” I seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, the outcast.”

2. Abu Dharr narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said to us, “When one of you becomes angry while standing, he should sit down. If the anger leaves him, well and good; otherwise he should lie down.”

3. A companion of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) narrates the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) as saying: “Anger comes from the devil, the devil was created of fire, and fire is extinguished only with water; so when one of you becomes angry, he should perform ablution.”

In addition to this you may want to look into other contemporary techniques to help control and release anger, such as breathing exercises. Also, try to identify the things that trigger your anger and work on avoiding or at least minimising them. Finally, if you are still having issues with managing your anger you may want to consider anger management therapy.

صحيح البخاري (4/ 124)
عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ صُرَدٍ، قَالَ: كُنْتُ جَالِسًا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَرَجُلاَنِ يَسْتَبَّانِ، فَأَحَدُهُمَا احْمَرَّ وَجْهُهُ، وَانْتَفَخَتْ أَوْدَاجُهُ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” إِنِّي لَأَعْلَمُ كَلِمَةً لَوْ قَالَهَا ذَهَبَ عَنْهُ مَا يَجِدُ، لَوْ قَالَ: أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ، ذَهَبَ عَنْهُ مَا يَجِدُ ” فَقَالُوا لَهُ: إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: تَعَوَّذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ، فَقَالَ: وَهَلْ بِي جُنُونٌ

سنن أبي داود (4/ 249)
عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَنَا: «إِذَا غَضِبَ أَحَدُكُمْ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ فَلْيَجْلِسْ، فَإِنْ ذَهَبَ عَنْهُ الْغَضَبُ وَإِلَّا فَلْيَضْطَجِعْ

سنن أبي داود (4/ 249)
عَنْ جَدِّي عَطِيَّةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ الْغَضَبَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ، وَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ خُلِقَ مِنَ النَّارِ، وَإِنَّمَا تُطْفَأُ النَّارُ بِالْمَاءِ، فَإِذَا غَضِبَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَتَوَضَّأْ

Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel