Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The nafs (self) is a very great enemy of a person. When someone controls his nafs and gains mastery over it, it is as if he has overcome the strongest of enemies.

(2)
In the verses as well, those who suppress their anger at the time of rage have been praised. Allah Ta’ala also loves those who forgive and those who are forbearing. What is meant here is personal anger; it is this type of anger that is commanded to be suppressed. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “True strength is when a person, at the time of anger—when his hair stands on end and his face becomes red—controls his anger.” (Musnad Ahmad: 5/367)

Takhrij al-Hadith:
[الموطأ رواية يحييٰ بن يحييٰ 906/2، ح 1762، ك 47 ب 3 ح 12، التمهيد 321/6، الاستذكار : 1678 ● وأخرجه البخاري 6114، ومسلم 2609، من حديث مالك به]

Jurisprudential Explanation:
➊ In «الصُّرَعَةُ :», linguistically, it refers to a person who overpowers many, a mighty wrestler, and one who is dominant. See: [القاموس الوحيد ص 921]
«الصُّرْعَةُ :» refers to a person who is frequently overpowered, a weak wrestler, and one who is subdued.
➋ Exercising patience, forbearance, and striving against one's own self is a more virtuous deed than fighting against a personal enemy. See: [التمهيد 323/6]
➌ Becoming angry without any valid Shar‘i excuse is not a commendable act.

Takhrij:
[بخاري 6114],
[مسلم البر والصلة 6644],
[تحفة الاشراف 332/9], [14/10]

Vocabulary:
«الصرعة» – With a dammah on the letter ṣād, and a fatḥah on the letters rā’ and ‘ayn, in the pattern of «هُمَزَة», meaning one who overpowers others with his strength. If the rā’ is with sukun («الصُّرْعَةُ»), then its meaning will be: the person whom others overpower. Similarly, «ضُحْكَةٌ، خُدْعَةُ» and others, meaning one at whom others laugh, whom others deceive. The “tā” is for emphasis in the positive attribute, not for femininity.

Benefits:
➊ In the Noble Qur’an, Allah Almighty has praised those who restrain their anger.
«وَالَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَائِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَالْفَوَاحِشَ وَإِذَا مَا غَضِبُوا هُمْ يَغْفِرُونَ» [42-الشورى:37]
“Those who avoid major sins and indecencies, and when they are angry, they forgive.”
And He said:
«الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ» [3-آل عمران:134]
“Those who spend [in charity] in ease and in hardship, and those who restrain their anger.”
➋ It is narrated from Anas radi Allahu anhu that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam passed by some people who were wrestling. He asked: “What is happening?” They said: “Such-and-such a man, whoever wrestles with him, he throws him down (defeats him).” The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Shall I not tell you of a man stronger than him? It is the man whom, when someone says something (to provoke his anger), he swallows his anger, thus he overcomes it, overcomes his own devil, and overcomes the devil of his companion.” [رواه البزار بسند حسن فتح الباري 10 كتاب الادب باب 76]
In Sahih Muslim, it is narrated from Ibn Mas‘ud radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Whom do you count as the one who overpowers others («الصُّرَعَةُ»)? They said: The one whom people cannot overpower. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ‘The one who overpowers is only he who controls himself at the time of anger.’”
➌ The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has taught several methods for restraining anger. First of all, one should understand that the incitement of anger actually comes from Shaytan, so its remedy is also that one should seek refuge with Allah Almighty from Shaytan. Allah Almighty has said:
«وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ نَزْغٌ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّـهِ إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ» [7-الأعراف:200]
“If a provocation from Shaytan touches you (i.e., Shaytan incites your anger), then seek refuge with Allah; surely He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”
Sulayman bin Surad radi Allahu anhu says: I was sitting with the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam when two men were abusing each other. One of them’s face turned red and his neck veins swelled. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “I know a word, if he were to say it, what he is experiencing would go away. If he were to say «أعُوذُ بِاللَّـهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ», then what he is experiencing would leave him.” [بخاري 3282]
It is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas radi Allahu anhuma that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: «إذا غضب أحدكم فليسكت» “When any of you becomes angry, he should remain silent.” [احمد- صحيح الجامع 693]
Abu Dharr radi Allahu anhu narrates from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: “When any of you becomes angry while standing, he should sit down. If the anger leaves him, that is better; otherwise, he should lie down.” [احمد، ابوداؤد، ابن حبان، صحيح الجامع 694]
➍ From the hadith, it is understood that true strength is not physical strength, but moral strength. Just as it is necessary to confront external enemies who oppose the religion of Allah, and for that, strength is needed, similarly, when the self (nafs) opposes the commands of Allah—especially when it is inflamed with anger and Shaytan continues to incite it, prompting one to abuse with the tongue, strike with the hand, or even kill, the face turns red or even black, the body trembles, veins swell, and the heart is filled with malice and hatred—at that time, confronting and overcoming it is even more difficult than overcoming an enemy. Therefore, whoever overcomes it has, in effect, subdued many opponents; thus, the real brave and strong person is he.
➎ Anger is a natural trait. The command to restrain and control it applies when, due to it, the commands of Allah are being violated. However, if anger arises for the protection of Allah’s commands, to prevent disobedience to Allah, and to fight the enemies of Allah, then it is praiseworthy and a great blessing bestowed by Allah. When the commands of Allah were violated, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would also become intensely angry. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has narrated five hadiths on this subject in his Sahih. See: Kitab al-Adab, Chapter: What is Permissible of Anger and Severity for the Matter of Allah Almighty. And Allah Almighty has said:
«يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ جَاهِدِ الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ» [9-التوبة:73]
“O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be severe with them.”

Takhrij:
«أخرجه البخاري، الأدب، باب الحذر من الغضب، حديث:6114، ومسلم، البر والصلة، باب فضل من يملك نفسه عند الغضب...، حديث:2609.»©Explanation:
➊ In this hadith, the virtue of forgiving one’s adversary and enemy and overlooking their faults is mentioned—that a person, despite having the power, should not take retaliatory action against his opponent in a state of anger, and at such a delicate moment, should restrain himself.
➋ The reality is that striving against one’s own soul (nafs) is even more difficult than striving (jihad) against the disbelievers.
It is on this basis that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has considered the one who restrains himself at the time of anger to be stronger and more powerful than all people.