When we are still angry despite all of the
above mentioned remedies, then it is time to ask Allah (S.W.A) for help. There is always consolation in remembering Allah
(S.W.A). He invites us to trust in Him at all times, and He assures us that He will always be there for us when we need him;
and after all, He knows and understands what we are going through. In His words He speaks:
“And put your trust in Him who lives and dies not; and celebrate his
praise; and enough is He to be acquainted with the faults of his servants (25:58) –”
There is also
a special (du’a) prayer of the prophet which helps soothe the heart unsettled
by anger. It goes like this:
”Ya
muqalibal qulub wal abswar, thabit qulubana alal iman”
Translated it says:
”Oh you (Allah S.W.A) who swings hearts and eyes, make our hearts
firm in strong belief”
You know, when we are angry, we are closer to disbelief than belief. That is why
we ask Allah to swing our angry hearts back to faith. It works for me very time. Hard as it is, forgiveness is a great cure
for anger and a healing for the soul. When forgiveness occurs, the heart settles down in peace. You may remember the insult
but the pain ceases.
Forgiveness
in Perspective
What is forgiveness? Is it to turn the other
cheek? Is it to ignore the insult as if nothing happened? Is it doing nothing, because after all, the insulter is much
too powerful for us to fight back? It is none of the above. Yes, the answer is none
of the above. Forgiveness is to hold back on revenge if we had the means and ability to do so. It is to ask Allah (S.W.A)
not to punish someone on our behalf for the insult done to us.
Forgiveness out of weakness is not forgiveness at all.
Weakness here means we abandon revenge out of fear that the insulter would double the insult or would withhold some benefit
from us, and thus we forgive or do nothing about the insult. Forgiveness out of fear has no effect on dispelling anger from
our hearts. In face of weakness, this is how we forgive; we let Allah (S.W.A) know that the insulter is much more powerful
than we are and holds some benefit for us, but we believe that Allah (S.W.A)
is the most powerful and the most bountiful. We then ask Allah (S.W.A) to forgive the insulter, for Allah (S.W.A) could punish
him/her for our sake without any reparations.
Continued
Next Time…
