Arabic Text
English Translation
— Abu Hurayrah (RA) (Bukhari)
Commentary
A man asked the Prophet ﷺ for advice. He said: 'Do not become angry.' He repeated the request several times — the same answer.
Extended Explanation
‘Lā taghḍab’ — three words, repeated three times. The companion who asked clearly wanted a comprehensive teaching, and the Prophet ﷺ kept returning to the same prescription. Why? Because anger is the root of an enormous proportion of sins: harsh speech, broken relationships, divorce, oaths broken, violence, and slander all trace back to it.
Ibn Rajab explains the meaning is twofold: (1) train yourself in the causes that prevent anger from arising — humility, patience, restraint of ego; and (2) when anger does arise, do not act on it. The Prophet ﷺ did not say ‘do not feel anger’ (which is impossible), but ‘do not become the kind of person whom anger controls’.
From the Scholars
"He repeated it because the asker recognised the magnitude of his weakness in this matter — and the Prophet ﷺ confirmed: yes, this is your battle."
"The strong man is not the one who pins others to the ground; the strong man is the one who controls himself when angry."
Fiqh & Rulings
- •Pronouncements made in extreme rage (e.g., divorce) are disputed — many scholars hold them not legally binding when the person is genuinely out of control.
- •Sunnah remedies when angry: seek refuge in Allah from Shayṭān, sit if standing, lie down if sitting, perform wuḍū’, remain silent.
- •Anger for the sake of Allah (when His limits are violated) is praised — the Prophet ﷺ became angry only for Allah’s sake.
Qur'ān Cross-References
Key Arabic Vocabulary
do not become angry
advise me
Today's Reflection
Catch yourself before reacting today. The first second of anger is the test.
Key Benefits
- 1Strength is controlling anger, not expressing it.
- 2Anger is the gateway to most regretted actions.
Common Mistakes & Warnings
- ⚠‘Do not become angry’ does not mean suppression to the point of harm — it means non-reaction and seeking the means to dissipate it.
- ⚠Anger ‘for Allah’ can be a self-deception — most personal anger has ego at its root, not religion.
Related Hadiths
Memorization Progress