How does Islam teach us to control anger?

Anger is described in Islam as a tendency that comes from Shaytan. The Prophet ﷺ explained: 'Anger comes from the Shaytan, and the Shaytan is created from fire; fire is extinguished with water, so if any one of you gets angry, let him make wudu.' (Abu Dawud; Saheeh al-Jaami')

Only Allah knows how much evil and sin results from anger. Marriages are destroyed by words said in rage. Children grow up afraid. Divorces (talaq) are pronounced in an instant that cannot be taken back. Friends are permanently lost. Crimes are committed. And at its root: all of it comes from a moment that could have been controlled.

The Prophet ﷺ made his position on this entirely clear. A man came to him and said: 'Advise me.' He ﷺ said: 'Do not become angry.' The man repeated his request several times, and each time the answer was the same: 'Do not become angry.' (Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Fath 10/465)

One of the companions reflected on this and said: 'I thought about what the Prophet had said, and I realized that anger is the source of all evil.' (Musnad Ahmad, 5/373)

And the ultimate motivating promise: 'Do not get angry, and Paradise will be yours.' (Saheeh al-Jaami' 7374)

The Six Prophetic Cures for Anger

1. Seek refuge with Allah from the Shaytan.

This is the first and most immediate cure. A man was seen by the Prophet ﷺ, red in the face with anger, the veins of his neck standing out. He ﷺ said: 'I know a word which, if only he would say it, this anger would leave him. If he said: A'oothu billahi min ash-Shaytaan (I seek refuge with Allah from the Shaytan), this anger would leave him.' (Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Fath 6/377)

The logic is straightforward: anger is from Shaytan, so the cure begins with turning to Allah against Shaytan.

2. Keep silent.

The Messenger ﷺ said: 'If any one of you gets angry, let him keep quiet.' (Musnad Ahmad; Saheeh al-Jaami' 693)

An angry person says things he cannot unsay. Words of kufr (God forbid), curses, threats of divorce, insults — all of these escape from the mouth in moments of rage and can destroy what took years to build. Silence is not weakness; it is the most powerful form of self-control available.

3. Change your physical position.

The Prophet ﷺ said: 'If any one of you gets angry, let him sit down if he is standing. If his anger goes away, that is good; otherwise let him lie down.' (Musnad Ahmad, 5/152)

Abu Tharr (may Allah be pleased with him) demonstrated this when a man broke his water trough. Feeling anger rising, he sat down — then lay down. When asked why, he quoted this Hadith. Al-Khattabi explained the wisdom: 'The one who is standing is ready to move and destroy things. The one who is sitting is less likely to do so, and the one who is lying is not able to do anything of the sort. The Prophet ﷺ commanded the angry person to sit or lie down in order to prevent him from doing something he would regret.'

4. Make wudu.

Anger is a burning fire; water extinguishes fire. Beyond the symbolic meaning, the physical act of washing the face, hands, and feet has a genuinely calming effect on the body and mind. It is also an act of worship — turning to Allah in the very moment of trial.

5. Remember the Prophetic advice and what is at stake.

In the moment of anger, bring to mind: 'Do not get angry, and Paradise will be yours.' The companion who reflected on the Prophet's advice concluded that anger is the source of all evil — meaning that controlling anger is, effectively, the key to avoiding most major sins. Let that weight settle on you when the anger rises.

6. Reflect on the consequences.

Before acting in anger, run through what you stand to lose: your marriage, your children's trust, your friendships, your reputation, your peace of mind. No moment of expressed rage is worth any of these. The person who acts in anger almost always regrets it. The person who controls it almost never does.

The Islamic Definition of Strength

The Prophet ﷺ reframed what it means to be strong:

'The strong man is not the one who can wrestle another to the ground. The strong man is the one who controls himself when he is angry.' (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 6114)

In Islam, the highest form of strength is not physical — it is the mastery of the self. The person who can govern their own rage has achieved something that all the physical power in the world cannot buy.