A person with faith may meet various kinds of people throughout
the day but will at all costs avoid argument. For example, while doing
his shopping he will not engage in argument with the shopowner over
prices, or with a bus driver because the bus is late, or with a slow offi-
cial while waiting in a queue. If he is in a situation where he is treated
unfairly, he will not become angry and start an argument but will
choose to resolve the situation by acting positively and intelligently. In
the Qur'an, Allah says that a believer must not become angry:
Those who give in times of both ease and hardship, those who
control their rage and pardon other people. Allah loves the good-
doers. (Surah Al 'Imran: 134)
This was also the advice of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah
bless him and grant him peace, when he was asked by a man to give
him advice and simply said to him: "Do not become angry." (
The
Complete Forty Hadith, Imam an-Nawawi
)
Someone who lives according to the teachings of the Qur'an will
not change his understanding according to the behaviour of the person
he meets. Aperson may make fun of him, use unpleasant language, get
angry, offensive or even aggressive, but a believer's politeness, mod-
esty, mercy and gentleness never change. He doesn't insult a person
who insults him first or return ridicule for ridicule, anger for anger. He
is calm and controlled if someone is angry with him and will act as our
Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has advised in one
of his hadith:
"Fear Allah wherever you are, and follow up a bad deed with a good
one and it will wipe it out, and behave well towards people."
(Forty
Hadith An-Nawawi)
A believer knows that every moment and every thing is created to
test him. For this reason, instead of arguing with someone, he prefers
to use good language, and steadfastness to overcome anger directed at
him. He knows that this is the kind of behaviour that pleases Allah
Whose approval he hopes to win.
Harun Yahya
r
153
