Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
He thought that seeking refuge from Satan is only done when a person becomes insane, whereas anger itself is a kind of insanity or madness.
Qastallani (rahimahullah) said: Perhaps this person was a hypocrite or of an entirely sinful nature.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Seeking refuge (isti‘adhah) is the best means of blunting the weapons of Satan.
➋
Most likely, the person was a hypocrite (munafiq) or an ignorant Bedouin who was not acquainted with the etiquettes of Prophethood.
According to his understanding, seeking refuge from Satan is only done when a person is afflicted with madness.
Perhaps he did not know that anger is not a sign of intelligence, but rather it is also a type of insanity and madness.
According to one narration, at the time of anger a person should perform ablution (wudu); this too cools the fire of anger.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Adab, Hadith: 4784)

Hadith Commentary:
He also said this in a state of anger. Some have said that the meaning is that I heard the statement of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), and then he recited this phrase.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The greatest thing that removes anger is that a person brings to mind true monotheism (tawhid haqiqi): that Allah Almighty is the true doer (fa‘il haqiqi) of everything. If he is harmed by someone, he should be mindful that if Allah does not will, no one else can have power over him. This will put an end to his anger. The wisdom in reciting "A‘udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajim" is precisely that Satan is distanced from him, for it is from Satan’s whisperings that anger is nurtured. (Fath al-Bari: 10/640)
(2)
When this person said, "Am I insane?" it means that when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has prescribed a remedy for my anger, then nothing should prevent me from reciting it. I have heard the statement of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and I have recited that phrase. I am not insane that I would hear the words of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and yet not act upon them. And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
This person was either a hypocrite (munafiq) or a disbeliever (kafir) who gave such an insolent reply, or he was a coarse Bedouin. The phrase that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) intended to teach was: "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min ash-shaytan ir-rajim" (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the accursed devil). (Qastallani)

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In another narration, there is further detail of this incident. Thus, Mu'adh ibn Jabal radi Allahu anhu relates that two men began to insult each other in the presence of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. One of them became so enraged that I thought his nose would burst due to extreme anger. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
"Indeed, I know a word—if he were to say it, his anger would subside."
Mu'adh radi Allahu anhu asked:
"O Messenger of Allah! What is that word?" He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam replied:
"He should say (اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ)
'O Allah! I seek refuge with You from the accursed Shaytan (Satan).'"
So Mu'adh ibn Jabal radi Allahu anhu went to that man and said:
"Recite this word." But he refused, and instead, his fighting and anger only increased.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Al-Adab, Hadith: 4781)
(2)
In any case, the matter deteriorated so much due to the exchange of insults that the man was driven beyond the bounds of moderation by his anger, to the extent that he began to revile even the one who was advising him.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Awdaaj:
Plural of "wadaj",
the veins of the neck.

Benefits and Issues:
Losing control due to anger
is a satanic act,
which a person is incited to by Shaytan,
therefore its remedy
is to seek refuge with Allah from Shaytan. In a state of anger, a person departs from moderation, and this is a form of madness and insanity due to which a person becomes devoid of understanding and awareness, and he no longer knows what he should or should not do.
That is why a madman never admits to being mad.
Demonstrating this lack of understanding and senselessness,
this enraged man said,
"Am I mad?" In some narrations it is mentioned: if he is standing, he should sit down, and if the anger still does not subside, then he should lie down.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: From the narration of Sunan Abi Dawud, it is understood that the person who listened to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and then went to explain it was Mu'adh ibn Jabal (radi Allahu anhu).

Benefits and Issues:
➊ Apart from the legally sanctioned (shar‘i) sense of honor, extreme anger is a satanic influence, and its remedy is seeking refuge (ta‘awwudh), provided that the person is aware of this reality.

➋ Another reality of unlawful (ghayr shar‘i) anger is that a person does not accept the truth.