45/30. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2608a — True Strength in Anger
The Virtue Of One Who Controls Himself At Times Of Anger, And What Takes Away Anger
Hadith About True Strength and Controlling Anger
Sahih Muslim : 2608a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2608a
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَعُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لِقُتَيْبَةَ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيِّ، عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا تَعُدُّونَ الرَّقُوبَ فِيكُمْ " . قَالَ قُلْنَا الَّذِي لاَ يُولَدُ لَهُ . قَالَ " لَيْسَ ذَاكَ بِالرَّقُوبِ وَلَكِنَّهُ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي لَمْ يُقَدِّمْ مِنْ وَلَدِهِ شَيْئًا " . قَالَ " فَمَا تَعُدُّونَ الصُّرَعَةَ فِيكُمْ " . قَالَ قُلْنَا الَّذِي لاَ يَصْرَعُهُ الرِّجَالُ . قَالَ " لَيْسَ بِذَلِكَ وَلَكِنَّهُ الَّذِي يَمْلِكُ نَفْسَهُ عِنْدَ الْغَضَبِ " .
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud Narrated from:
Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Whom do you count as" Raqub" amongst you? They (his Companions) said: One who has no children (the children are born unto him but they do not survive). Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: He is not a Raqub but Raqub is one who does not find his child as the forerunner (in Paradise). He then said: Whom do you count as a wrestler amongst you? We said: He who wrestles with persons. He said: No, it is not he but one who controls himself when in a fit of rage.
[1] A person with no surviving children.Reference : Sahih Muslim 2608aIn-book reference : Book 45, Hadith 138USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 32, Hadith 6311
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2608a
This hadith about true strength and controlling anger teaches through two questions. First, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asks whom the Companions count as Raqub. They answer that it is one who has no children. He explains that Raqub is one who does not find his child as a forerunner in Paradise. Then he asks whom they count as a wrestler. They answer that it is the person who wrestles others. He corrects that idea and says the real one is the person who controls himself when in a fit of rage. The main lesson is clear from the text: strength is not only physical power. True strength includes self-control when anger rises.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected common ideas through questions.
- The hadith links loss of a child with the idea of a forerunner in Paradise.
- Physical wrestling is not presented as the real measure of strength.
- Real strength is controlling oneself during anger.
