Despite the fact that the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), was a prophet who received Divine revelation, he also experienced human feelings and emotions just like any other human being, such as happiness, joy, sadness, distress, satisfaction, serenity, anger, irritation, and so on.
The value that the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), attached to fine morals and manners can clearly be shown by placing these various and opposing feelings and emotions within their proper framework according to the Sharee‘ah. He pruned and moderated these emotions, even adding a new dimension to them by connecting them to the issue of Divine reward. The slogan of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), in this regard was his saying: “I have only been sent to perfect high moral standards.” [Al-Bayhaqi]
Anger, in principle, is a firebrand that sets fire to one’s heart, driving a person to say things that may be regretted later or lead to undesirable consequences, even if motivated by a person’s own desires or zeal for others. However, anger, as understood and applied by the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), meant speaking rightfully and taking offence at violations of the prohibitions of Allah. Anger, according to the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), meant neither aggression nor exceeding the proper boundaries. The motivation behind the anger of the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), was either to forbid evil or admonish others for neglecting the correct option.
This meaning is confirmed by practical application as described by ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said, “The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) never hit anyone with his hand - neither a servant nor a woman, but he did fight in the cause of Allah. He never took revenge upon anyone for the wrong done to him, yet he certainly executed retribution for the sake of Allah when the injunctions of Allah regarding unlawful acts were violated.” [Muslim]
The occasions when the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), got angry reveal how accurate this description of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, really was:
- The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), sent Usaamah ibn Zayd in a military expedition. In this expedition, Usaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, killed a man after the man had uttered the testimonies of faith, believing that he had only uttered them out of the fear of death. By the time the expedition went back to Madeenah, news had already reached the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), who was enraged and said to him: “O Usaamah! Did you kill him after he professed La ilahaa illallah [There is none truly worthy of worship except Allah]? Why did you not tear his heart open to find out whether he had done so sincerely or not?”He continued repeating it until Usaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, wished that he had only embraced Islam that day.[Muslim]
- The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), saw a man wearing a gold ring. He got angry, pulled the ring off him and threw it away, saying: “[How can] one of you take a burning coal and place it on his hand!” [Muslim]
- Usaamah ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with them, tried to intercede with the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), for a woman belonging to the noble tribe of Makhzoom so that she would not be punished for the crime of theft. Upon hearing him, the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), became extremely angry, so much so that it showed on his face. He said to Usaamah: “Are you interceding when one of the commandments ordained by Allah has been violated?”Then he got up and addressed the people, saying:“The people before you were ruined because when a noble person amongst them committed theft they would leave him, but if a weak person amongst them committed theft, they would execute the legal punishment on him. By Allah, were Faatimah, the daughter of Muhammad, to have committed this theft, I would have cut off her hand.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
- In a market of Madeenah, a disagreement occurred between one of the Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), and a Jewish merchant. The Jewish merchant said, “No, by Him Who gave Moses superiority over all human beings!” On hearing this, a man from the Ansaar (Helpers) got up, slapped him on the face and said, “You say this while the Prophet Muhammad is present amongst us?” The Jew went to the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) and said, “O Abul-Qaasim! I am under the assurance of a contract of security. What right does so-and-so have to slap me?” Signs of extreme anger appeared on the face of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), and he said: “Do not give superiority to any prophet amongst the Prophets of Allah The Almighty.”
- The Mother of the Believers herself reported situations when the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), got angry for the sake of Allah The Exalted, out of his zeal that His prohibitions not be violated: ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) once entered the house while there was in it a thin cloth curtain on which there were some images. When he saw it, the color of his face changed [due to anger] and he said:‘O ‘Aa’ishah! The most grievous torment from Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be for those who produce such images.’”[Al-Bukhari]
- The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), once came across his Companions and found them arguing with each other about the Divine Decree. He became so angry that his face became, ‘as red as if the flesh of a pomegranate had been squeezed onto his cheeks.’ He said:“Is this what you have been commanded to do? Is it this for which I have been sent to you? Those [nations] before you were destroyed because they disputed about this.”
- The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), got angry when people asked him about minor matters that could have lead to tougher obligations for themselves, or when they asked him about frivolous matters. Abu Moosa Al-Ash‘ari, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that, “The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) was asked about things which he did not like, but when the questioners insisted [upon a reply] the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) got angry. He then said to the people:‘Ask me anything you like.’A man asked, ‘Who is my father?’ The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) replied:‘Your father is Huthaafah.’ Then another man got up and asked, ‘Who is my father, O Messenger of Allah?’ He replied:‘Your father is Saalim, the Mawla [freed slave] of Shaybah.’When ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, saw the anger on the face of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) he said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! We repent to Allah The Almighty.’” [Al-Bukhari]
- A man complained to the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), about an Imaam who led people in prayer and prolonged it considerably. The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), got very angry and the narrator (Abu Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I had never seen the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) as angry while giving a speech as he was that day. He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: ‘Some of you create hatred among people against faith. Whoever leads the prayer should make it brief because the congregation includes old and weak people, as well as those who have urgent work to do.’”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
- There are other situations that indicate that the matters that angered the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), were not confined to committing violations of the Sharee‘ah; rather, he would also be angered when he saw people neglecting what was good or better. Jareer ibn ‘Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) delivered a Khutbah encouraging people to give money to charity, but people responded lazily - so anger appeared on his face.” [Ahmad]
- It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that a man insulted Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, while the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), was sitting and observing the situation with a smile. However, when this man went on insulting Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, he returned the insults. On hearing this, the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), got angry and left. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, followed him and said, “O Messenger of Allah! This man insulted me while you remained seated, but when I returned the insults, you got angry and left!” The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), replied: “There was an angel with you to return the insults on your behalf, but once you returned some of the insults, Shaytaan came, and I would never sit with Shaytaan.” [Ahmad]
Thus it is clear that the anger of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), was only for the sake of Allah The Almighty and never motivated by his own desire or personal interests, and this is the real criteria for attaining the pleasure of Allah The Almighty.
