The Prophet ﷺ gave practical steps: say "a'udhu billahi minash-shaytanir-rajim" (I seek refuge with Allah from Satan), change your position by sitting down or lying down, and hold back from acting or deciding while angry. He also said the truly strong person is the one who controls himself when angry, and promised a great reward for holding anger in.
A man asked the Prophet ﷺ for advice, and he said, "Do not become angry." The man asked again and again, and got the
same answer every time 1. Anger is behind so many regrets that controlling it is a large part of good character.
Redefine strength. "The strong is not the one who overcomes the people by his strength, but the strong is the one
who controls himself while in anger" 2. Walking away is not weakness.
Step 1: Seek refuge in Allah. Two men were insulting each other, and one's face went red. The Prophet ﷺ said he
knew a phrase that would calm him: "I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the outcast" 3. The Quran gives the same
instruction for any evil prompting from Satan 4.
Step 2: Change your position. "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" 5. Physically lowering yourself makes it harder to lash
out.
Step 3: Don't decide while angry. The Prophet ﷺ said a judge should not judge between two people while he is
angry 6. The same wisdom applies to texts, emails, and big family decisions: wait until you are calm.
Step 4: Remember the reward. Allah describes the people of Paradise as those "who restrain anger and who pardon
the people" 7. The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever suppresses anger when able to act on it, Allah will call him before
all creation on the Day of Resurrection and let him choose whichever of the hur (the companions of Paradise) he
wishes 8.
If you have already said something hurtful, apologise quickly, and ask Allah's forgiveness. And if anger is
frequent, intense or frightening to the people around you, seeking professional help is also a responsible step.
The evidence
1
HadithSahih al-Bukhari 6116
SahihBukhari
The Prophet ﷺ repeatedly advised a man, "Do not become angry."
Narrated Abu Huraira:A man said to the Prophet (ﷺ) , "Advise me! "The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not become angry and furious." The man asked (the same) again and again, and the Prophet (ﷺ) said in each case, "Do not become angry and furious
العربية
حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ ـ هُوَ ابْنُ عَيَّاشٍ ـ عَنْ أَبِي حَصِينٍ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَجُلاً، قَالَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَوْصِنِي. قَالَ " لاَ تَغْضَبْ ". فَرَدَّدَ مِرَارًا، قَالَ " لاَ تَغْضَبْ ".
2
HadithSahih al-Bukhari 6114
SahihBukhari
The strong one is he who controls himself when angry.
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The strong is not the one who overcomes the people by his strength, but the strong is the one who controls himself while in anger
العربية
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لَيْسَ الشَّدِيدُ بِالصُّرَعَةِ، إِنَّمَا الشَّدِيدُ الَّذِي يَمْلِكُ نَفْسَهُ عِنْدَ الْغَضَبِ ".
3
HadithSahih al-Bukhari 6115
SahihBukhari
Saying "I seek refuge with Allah from Satan" calms anger.
Narrated Sulaiman bin Sarad:Two men abused each other in front of the Prophet (ﷺ) while we were sitting with him. One of the two abused his companion furiously and his face became red. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I know a word (sentence) the saying of which will cause him to relax if this man says it. Only if he said, "I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the outcast.' " So they said to that (furious) man, 'Don't you hear what the Prophet (ﷺ) is saying?" He said, "I am not mad
العربية
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عَدِيِّ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ صُرَدٍ، قَالَ اسْتَبَّ رَجُلاَنِ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَنَحْنُ عِنْدَهُ جُلُوسٌ، وَأَحَدُهُمَا يَسُبُّ صَاحِبَهُ مُغْضَبًا قَدِ احْمَرَّ وَجْهُهُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنِّي لأَعْلَمُ كَلِمَةً لَوْ قَالَهَا لَذَهَبَ عَنْهُ مَا يَجِدُ لَوْ قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ ". فَقَالُوا لِلرَّجُلِ أَلاَ تَسْمَعُ مَا يَقُولُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ إِنِّي لَسْتُ بِمَجْنُونٍ.
4
Quran Al-A'raaf · 7:200
If an evil suggestion comes from Satan, seek refuge in Allah.
And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing
5
HadithSunan Abi Dawud 4782
Sahihgraded by Al-Albani
If angry while standing, sit down; if the anger remains, lie down.
Narrated AbuDharr: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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
A judge should not judge between two people while angry.
Narrated `Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakra:Abu Bakra wrote to his son who was in Sijistan: 'Do not judge between two persons when you are angry, for I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "A judge should not judge between two persons while he is in an angry mood
133 And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous 134 Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good
8
HadithSunan Abi Dawud 4777
Hasangraded by Al-Albani
Whoever suppresses anger when able to act on it, Allah will call him before all creation and let him choose from the hur of Paradise.
Narrated Mu'adh ibn Anas: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: If anyone suppresses anger when he is in a position to give vent to it, Allah, the Exalted, will call him on the Day of Resurrection over the heads of all creatures, and ask him to choose any of the bright and large eyed maidens he wishes. Abu Dawud said: The name of the transmitter Abu Marhum is 'Abd al-Rahman b. Maimun
This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24