ISLAMIC ETHICS

ISLAMIC ETHICS Through the Consciousness of Accountability Anger Management Of all the human emotions, the most destructive is anger. It tears apart human relationships, shatters the harmony of the environment, and has the potential to destabilize whole communities. Therefore, it must be recognized as one of the greatest negative forces in society and be kept under strict control. Alas, it is an emotion that affects all human beings at some time or another, and keeping it under tight rein is often a matter of the greatest difficulty. Fury can be so blinding that it causes a person to forget all norms of human decency, to the point of wishing to humiliate, injure or even kill an opponent. He descends to using vile, harsh language, and even comes to blows, all in an attempt to beat his opponent either verbally or physically. His anger does not allow him to see that in so doing he degrades himself as much as the object of his rage. And it is not just the weak, the egoistic, or the ill-natured who fall prey to such baneful impulses, but even the most morally upright and socially irreproachable members of the community become a victim of anger. Anger gives a momentary illusion of strength, but in reality, it weakens, degrades, and destroys. An otherwise excellent character is seriously marred by fits of rage, for that is what causes a man to forget all his moral precepts and throw his principles to the winds. It was not without good reason that the Prophet Muhammad said, “A strong man is not one who overwhelms his opponent; a strong man is one who controls himself when he becomes angry.” Here is yet another piece of advice that the Prophet gave to his Companions: “When one of you becomes angry, he should keep quiet.” This is the master key to keeping one’s anger in check. Fear of God in a human being is the supreme factor that can prevent an irate person from going beyond the bounds of decency. When awareness of God’s greatness is truly lodged in an individual’s heart, this enables him to rein himself in so that he does not stray beyond the A true believer must cultivate the capacity to rise above negative sentiments in his dealings with people so that his relationships with them remain on a positive basis.