Hadiths 16 to 18: anger, excellence in everything and fear of Allah

Hadith 16: do not become angry From Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him): a man said to the Prophet ﷺ: "Advise me." He said: لَا تَغْضَبْ "Do not become angry." The man repeated his request several times, and each time he answered: "Do not become angry." Source: Bukhari 6116.

The commentary • Short advice for a man who wanted short advice. Ibn Rajab explains two meanings: adopt the means of good character that prevent anger (generosity, modesty, gentleness, patience); and, when anger comes, do not act according to it. • Anger is not always blameworthy: the Prophet ﷺ became angry when Allah's limits were transgressed, but never for himself ('Aa'isha, Bukhari 3560, Muslim 2327) [À VÉRIFIER : numéro exact de cette partie]. Anger for oneself is what must be mastered. • The remedies taught by the Sunna: seeking refuge with Allah from Satan (Bukhari 3282, Muslim 2610) [À VÉRIFIER : numéros]; keeping silent; changing position, sitting or lying down (Abu Daawud [À VÉRIFIER : numéro]); making ablution (a disputed report [À VÉRIFIER : degré]). • "The strong one is not the one who overpowers others, but the one who controls himself when angry" (Bukhari 6114, Muslim 2609).

In daily life • Identify your triggers: tiredness, hunger, traffic jams, a relative's remarks. • Set yourself a rule: no decision, no message, no harsh word in anger. • Divorcing, hitting, insulting, cutting ties: most great faults are born of a moment of anger.

Hadith 17: excellence in everything From Abu Ya'laa Shaddaad ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him): the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الْإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ "Allah has prescribed excellence in everything. When you put to death, do it in the best way; when you slaughter an animal, do it in the best way; let each of you sharpen his blade and spare his animal suffering." Source: Muslim 1955.

The commentary • "Kataba" (has prescribed): Ibn Rajab notes that the word indicates an obligation in what is obligatory, and a recommendation in what is recommended; iḥsaan applies to every deed, according to its kind. • The example chosen is striking: even in the hardest act, killing (in the sense of legal penalties, hunting or legitimate combat, according to the commentators) or slaughtering an animal, excellence is required. All the more so in the rest of life. • The animal: sharpening the blade, not sharpening it in front of it, not slaughtering one animal in front of another, letting it rest. Jurists drew from this the rules of slaughter, which forbid cruelty to the animal [À VÉRIFIER : détails cités]. • The link with hadith 2: iḥsaan in worship (worshipping Allah as though you see Him) and iḥsaan towards creatures (doing everything well) are two faces of the same excellence.

In daily life • Work done well is worship: a report, a meal, a repair, a lesson. • Kindness to animals: feeding them, caring for them, never mistreating them. • Iḥsaan in acts of care: a child, a sick person, an elderly person.

Hadith 18: fear Allah wherever you are From Abu Dharr Jundub ibn Junaada and Abu 'Abd ar-Raḥmaan Mu'aadh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with them both): the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: اتَّقِ اللَّهَ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ، وَأَتْبِعِ السَّيِّئَةَ الْحَسَنَةَ تَمْحُهَا، وَخَالِقِ النَّاسَ بِخُلُقٍ حَسَنٍ "Fear Allah wherever you are; follow a bad deed with a good one, it will erase it; and treat people with good character." Source: At-Tirmidhi 1987, who grades it "ḥasan" (and "ḥasan ṣaḥiiḥ" in some copies) [À VÉRIFIER : degré selon les copies].

The commentary • Three rights in one sentence, according to Ibn Rajab: the right of Allah (taqwaa), the right of oneself after a fault (repairing), the right of people (good character). • Taqwaa: protecting oneself from Allah's punishment by doing what He commands and leaving what He forbids. "Wherever you are": in public and in private, travelling and at home, online and offline. • The good deed that erases: verse 11:114 says that good deeds drive away bad ones. Most scholars, according to Ibn Rajab, say that this concerns minor sins; major ones require sincere repentance [À VÉRIFIER : présentation]. Repentance itself is the best good deed after a fault. • Good character: being smiling, gentle, patient, generous, not harming. The Prophet ﷺ said that nothing is heavier in the scale than good character (Abu Daawud, At-Tirmidhi [À VÉRIFIER : numéro]).

In daily life • After a fault: do not stay in sterile guilt; repent, then do a specific good (a charity, a prayer, a repair). • Be the same person in public and in private.

The text: Surah Aal 'Imraan (3), verses 133 to 134 ۞ وَسَارِعُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿١٣٣﴾ الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٣٤﴾

Meaning: "And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God-fearing, who spend in ease and in hardship, who restrain their anger and pardon people. And Allah loves those who do good (al-muḥsiniin)." These verses bring together the three hadiths: taqwaa (18), restrained anger (16) and iḥsaan (17).

Arabic text: Tanzil Quran Text (Simple, version 1.0.2), © 2008-2010 Tanzil.net, Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence, reproduced without any change (http://tanzil.net). Each verse is on its own line, followed by its number; the basmala, which the Tanzil file places at the start of the first verse, is written on its own line.

Understanding the lesson

Explanation These three hadiths describe the believer in his difficult and ordinary moments. In anger, he controls himself (16). In every act, even the hardest, he seeks to do well (17). Everywhere, he keeps the fear of Allah, repairs his faults and treats people well (18). Verses 3:133-134 make a single portrait of them: those who restrain their anger and pardon are called "God-fearing" and "those who do good". So taqwaa is not only a matter of prayer: it shows in calm, gentleness and work done well. Hadith 18 adds hope: a fault is not an end. One follows it with repentance and a good deed, and carries on.

Lessons to draw from it • Decide, write and say nothing in anger; use the remedies of the Sunna. • Become angry for Allah's limits, never out of personal pride. • Do each task with care, as worship; be kind to animals. • After a fault: repent and do a specific good. • Be the same in public and in private, and treat everyone with good character.

Key points to remember • Hadith 16 (Bukhari 6116): لَا تَغْضَبْ, repeated several times. • The strong one controls himself in anger (Bukhari 6114, Muslim 2609). • Hadith 17 (Muslim 1955): إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الْإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ. • Hadith 18 (At-Tirmidhi 1987): taqwaa, the good deed that erases, good character.

The main message Control your anger, do everything well and fear Allah everywhere: this is the portrait of the God-fearing whom Allah loves.