make anger my friend

“A man asked the Prophet, "Give me advice." The Prophet said, "Do not become angry." The man asked again, and the Prophet repeated his advice. For a third time, the man asked the question, and the Prophet said again, "Do not become angry." The repetition of this counsel stresses the importance of the Prophet's admonition about anger. Scholars agree, however, that this hadith does not prohibit anger per se, for even the Messenger of God became angry at times. He once said, "I am a human being and I become angry like you." The Prophet's anger could be seen on his face. But his anger was always in response to an aberration in human character and behavior offensive to God. So anger is not a negative emotion in and of itself. It is part of the human creation as our flesh and limbs are. Without anger, there are many things that would not have been achieved. Anger can be a positive motivator.”
Signs, Symptoms and Cures of the Spiritual Diseases of the Heart Translation and Commentary of Imām Mawlūd's Maṭharat al-Qulūb by Hamza Yusuf, p. 65/66 [PDF].


Why am I very interested in anger? I have a problem with anger. It is very easy for me to get angry and lose control over my thoughts, emotions and sometimes actions.  It is very easy for me to hurt somebody in my mind and to experience emotional evil in my mind, heart and insight of my body.  I do not like that.  I do not like that aspect of myself. So, I challenge myself with the ways to find anger to be a positive experience. I know I cannot get rid of it. I just have to learn how to transform it.    

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