#SohbahSeries: The Fire of Anger

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

Maulana Sheikh Nazimق’s Suhbah

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By the name of Allah, All-Mighty, All-Merciful, Most Beneficent and Most Munificent.

Man is created weak, yet he thinks he is powerful. He is so weak, and pride is the worst characteristic within us, never accepting to be weak, always wanting to be powerful. The one who is truly powerful is the one to whom Allah ﷻ grants power.

A powerful one is not the one who appears strong on the outside. He may still be weak inside. The truly powerful one is the one who can control himself, whether man or woman. Allah ﷻ does not make any difference among believers.

A person may be able to overcome others, yet he is helpless before his own ego. The most victorious person is the one who conquers himself when anger comes. Anyone who can restrain that fire within is honored in the sight of Allah ﷻ and among people.

Allah Almighty gave to His beloved Prophet ﷺ the knowledge of what strengthens and what destroys faith. There are hundreds of actions that work against it, and among the greatest destroyers of iman is anger.

We are in need of long training because anger is a big tree in our hearts, it cannot be uprooted easily. Therefore, we are in need of long work and training to be able to take the anger of the ego out from ourselves.

But we must try. When anger comes, faith leaves. And when faith leaves, anger takes its place. If a person dies in that state, he may lose his faith.

The worst quality of the nafs is anger, quickly angry. If you cannot control it, you may lose everything, spiritually, materially and physically. We are living beings, not dead ones, so there must be something of anger in every one of us.

But what matters is to keep it under control. No one can remove anger entirely, but every seeker must learn to control it. If you cannot, it will destroy you.

We are children of tariqat, and there must be a difference between us and others. If your character is the same as those who do not follow a path, then it is a pity to claim tariqat. You must have something that differentiates you from others. You must have good attributes and show a good example.

The aim of all tariqats, and especially the Naqshbandi Way, is to help people control their anger. This is the most important goal, the most important mission, to make people able to restrain their ego and anger.

If you can control your temper, your ego will begin to serve you. With that control, a person may rise from the earth to the heavens. But if you cannot, you will never control your ego at all.

When the reins of anger are in your hand, the ego will obey. If not, it will drag you wherever it wants.

Allah Almighty tests His servants to see whether they can control the anger within their egos through the strength of their souls.

Our Grandsheikhق was always trying to teach people to control their anger. He was always reminding us that in one moment, you may destroy one hundred years of good deeds. You may strive for many years in worship, and in one second you may burn it, you may destroy it.

You may worship. To worship is easy, but to keep it and protect it is so difficult. One time, by not controlling your anger, you may destroy perhaps forty years or fifty years or one hundred years of worshipping!

What is your proof and evidence? Shaytan! He worshipped for thousands of years. There was not a place on earth or in the heavens where he did not make sajdah. Yet one moment of anger, one instant of pride, destroyed it all!

Allah Almighty is teaching us through this story that anger is the fire that burns faith and good deeds. No one rises in anger without sitting down in loss.

When the sea is calm, anyone may steer the ship. But when the storm comes, it is difficult. We may say we are in control when calm, but can we control it at the time of anger? Our Grandsheikhق used to say that the meaning of tariqat is to be able not to show anger.

Maybe in your heart you are boiling, but it must not appear outwardly. When someone is seen to be angry, he is nothing. When anger appears in the heart and you allow it to show, the connection is cut. Even if it remains inside, the spiritual transmission is finished.

Whoever is claiming to be Naqshbandi must be careful with anger, not keeping it in his heart and never giving way to it. The most important is to be a calm person, for every evil comes after anger.

Our Grandsheikhق said, “Anger never flames in a heart until Iman (faith) is on fire.” If two people kill each other in anger, both go to Hell. Fire leads to fire. Anger is fire. It burns physically and spiritually.

Many people in tariqat ask for spiritual powers. From the first meeting they may be granted a connection, but if they allow anger to burn within them, everything is lost. If you wish to reach the stations of this way, you must leave anger or at least control it. Even if it arises, you must remove it quickly.

Our Grandsheikhق, in perhaps half of his meetings, was speaking most on anger. It is terrible and dangerous, anger! The one who has permission may show anger, but not everyone.

Some awliya are given permission to show anger, yet their anger is not from the self. It is divine anger. The anger of the self destroys, but divine anger gives life. The Prophet ﷺ became angry, but never for himself. He ﷺ became angry only for the sake of Allah ﷻ.

Once Sayyidina Aliر was fighting and a person came out to fight with him. It was their custom to send one out in single combat. Sayyidina Aliر went to meet him, and when he had thrown that unbeliever to the ground, the man spat in his face.

Sayyidina Aliر left him quickly.

Then the one on the ground said, “If you do not kill me, I will not get up from here. You must kill me, or I will stay here, because death is better than dishonor.”

Sayyidina Aliر said, “I cannot kill you. I was angry with divine anger towards you, but when you spat in my face, I lost that divine anger and descended to the anger of the self. Therefore, I cannot kill you. I may strike with divine anger, but now it is finished.”

That is the description of both kinds of anger. If your anger is divine, you may show it. Otherwise, it is forbidden. If you are able not to be angry, it is enough for your whole life. It is enough.

Do not be angry in the house, at work, with neighbors, or with anyone. If you become angry, remember that anger belongs only to Allah Almighty. The anger of the self only kills and destroys.

It is difficult, but Allah ﷻ grants more and more to those who keep trying. If we can keep ourselves far from anger, it is the best for us.

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Do not be angry.” His whole ummah was advised with these words. The believer must learn to defeat anger, not surrender to it. On the Day of Judgment, there will be special stations for those who controlled their anger.

Therefore, my advice for those who come to our dergah is simple. Do not be angry!

Anger is a terrible characteristic. It harms the body, destroys the heart, and burns the spirit. If you become angry, wake up. Do not be heedless like a drunk person. Seek forgiveness and control it before it controls you.

You must also try not to provoke anger in others. Do not open a door for shaytan to enter hearts. When anger comes, shaytan comes with it. Once he takes control of the heart, faith runs away. Nothing good can stay there until he leaves.

Through anger, shaytan conquers the servant and makes him his slave. But we are not the slaves of shaytan. We are the servants of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. To be his ﷺ servant is an honor in this world and the next.

So do not let shaytan claim you. Guard your heart. Keep it for your Lord ﷻ and His Prophet ﷺ.

May Allah ﷻ make us among the calm and patient, who control themselves for His ﷻ sake.

May He ﷻ fill our hearts with peace and light, and protect us from the fire of anger.

Al-Fatiha.

• Mawlana Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqaniق

More sohbahs from the Liberating the Soul Series can be found here.

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This series was initiated by the SufiHub Team in honour of the 2nd Urs of our beloved Sheikh, the late Sheikh Muhammad Abdul Sattar Khan, who lovingly dedicated himself to transcribing and summarising the daily sohbahs of Mawlana Sheikh Nazimق.

It was through this blessed service that he began his journey on this beautiful Way in 2008, remaining steadfast upon it until his final breath in 2023. Today, his legacy continues at our Zawiyah at A’Posh Bizhub Singapore through his representatives Sidi Shalihin, Ismail, and Syed Muhammad, who humbly carry forward the path he sincerely paved.

We pray that our dear Sheikh Abdul Sattar has been reunited with his beloved Mawlana Sheikh Nazimق and all our Grandshaykhs, and that their light continues to guide us always on the way of Haqq.

The text was originally taken from Liberating the Soul – A Guide for Spiritual Growth by Shaykh Nazim Adil al-Haqqaniق. With love and sincere intention, parts of this sohbah have been gently revised by the SufiHub Team for clarity and contextual relevance.

If you wish to share it on your platforms, kindly post it in full and ensure that proper credit is given to all its sources. For this is adab, the very core of our beautiful religion and way.

Should you have any queries or concerns, you are always welcome to reach us at thesufihubteam@gmail.com.

Wassalam.

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