Chapter 11 - On Patience, and Controlling One's Anger

Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) asked Imam Hussein (a.s): “My dear son! What is patience?” He replied: “It is controlling your anger and maintaining your self-control.”

“I like men who are patient when they get angry.”

Imam Baqir (a.s) said: “Nothing is dearer to God the Almighty than quenching your anger with patience.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “God will increase the honor of whoever quenches his anger in this world and the Hereafter. The Almighty God said: “Who restrain anger, and pardon (all) men, for God loves those who do good.” [The Holy Quran: Al- i-Imran 3:134] God will recompense him with Heaven in return for his anger.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Whoever is able to take revenge but restrains his anger, God will fill his heart with peace and faith until the Resurrection Day.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Quenching anger is a blessing for whoever is patient.”

“Two of the best ways to approach God are restraining one’s anger, and maintaining one's patience in the face of calamities.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “God will marry off Heavenly Hurri's to you in whatever manner you please if you restrain your anger, patiently fight in the way of God, and do not use illegitimately obtained wealth.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “The wisest men are those who treat the people with kindness. The strongest men are the ones who best quench their anger.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “God will call upon whoever can take revenge but shows self-restraint in the Hereafter in front of all and give him the option to choose whichever Houri he pleases.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “There is nothing better than quenching your anger with patience and perseverance.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Once when the Prophet (a.s) was passing by a group of people who were trying to lift a rock he asked them why they were doing so? They said that they were trying to find out who the strongest was. The Prophet (a.s) told them that he could tell them who the strongest man was if they wished him to. When they said they wished to hear the Prophet (a.s), he said the one who was the strongest is the one who does not engage in sin or wrong deeds whenever he is satisfied; one who does not utter but what is right when he is angry; and one who does not do what is unjust when he is powerful.”

Imam Reza (a.s) said: “Anger is the key to all wickedness.”