Ibn al-Qayyim’s text
وأما السبعية. فذنوب العدوانء؛ والغضبء وسفك الدماءء؛ والتوتّتب على الضعفاء والعاجزين. ويتولّد منها أنواع أذى النوع الإنساني » والجرأة على الظلم والعدوان.
Topics · Diseases of the heart
Al-ghaḍab
الغضب
Anger
Briefly discussed · 7 passages
The Cure’s summary
Human anger is not a major theme of this book. In his own voice Ibn al-Qayyim lists it, with aggression and bloodshed, among the predatory sins (A288-4). Its fullest treatment comes inside a literary device: a speech he writes in the voice of Iblīs instructing his troops. The devil tells them that some people are ruled more by desire and others by anger, and to attack each through what dominates him (A240-2); he quotes the ḥadīth that anger is an ember in the heart of the son of Adam, says that its fire is put out by water, prayer, remembrance and takbīr, and so orders them to keep a person from ablution and prayer when he is angry (A241-1); and he claims that anger is how enmity was cast among Adam's children (A240-3). When the speech ends, Ibn al-Qayyim's own conclusion is that sins are weapons a servant hands to his enemies (A242-2).
A minor theme in this book. Ad-Dāʾ wa-d-Dawāʾ touches on anger in only 7 passages. What follows is everything The Cure found; it is not a full treatment of the subject.
Ibn al-Qayyim’s discussion
Ibn al-Qayyim’s text — in the voice of Iblīs addressing his troops
A literary device. In this part of the book Ibn al-Qayyim writes a speech in which Iblīs instructs his troops how to attack the human heart. These are Ibn al-Qayyim’s words, spoken as the devil — read them as a warning about how the enemy works, not as advice. Where the section begins.
واعلموا أن منهم من يكون سلطان الشهوة عليه أغلب» وسلطان غضبه ضعيف مقهورء فخذوا عليه طريق الشهوة. ودَعُوا طريق الغضب. ومنهم من يكون سلطان الغضب عليه أغلب» فلا تُخْلُوا طريقّ الشهوة عليه» ولاتعطّلوا ثغرّها. فإنَ من لم يملك نفسه عند الغضب فإنه بالحرى أن لا يملكها عند الشهوة. فزوّجوا بين غضبه وشهوته» وامزجوا أحدهما بالآخر» وادعوه إلى الشهوة [50/ب] من باب الغضب» وإلى الغضب من طريق الشهوة.
Ibn al-Qayyim’s text — in the voice of Iblīs addressing his troops
A literary device. In this part of the book Ibn al-Qayyim writes a speech in which Iblīs instructs his troops how to attack the human heart. These are Ibn al-Qayyim’s words, spoken as the devil — read them as a warning about how the enemy works, not as advice. Where the section begins.
واعلموا أن الغضب جمرةً فى قلب ابن آدم 6 والشهوة نار تثور من قلبه» وإنما تُطفاً النارٌ بالماء والصلاة والذكر والتكبير» فإياكم أن تمكّنوا ابن آدم عند غضبه وشهوته من قربان الوضوء والصلاة» فإنّ ذلك يطفىء علنهم نار الغضب والشهوة. وقد أمرهم نيهم بذلك» فقال: إن الغضبّ جمرة في قلب ابن آدم. أما رأيتم من احمرار عينيه وانتفاخ أوداجه؟ فمن أحسنٌّ بذلك فليتوضا». وقال لهم: «إنّما تُطفَاً النارٌ بالماء 0.
English reference translation · short quotation
Know that anger is a live coal in the heart of the son of Adam, and the desires is a fire that rages from his heart. This fire can only be extinguished with water, prayer, remembrance of Allah and Takhir. …Ibn al-Qayyim’s text — in the voice of Iblīs addressing his troops
A literary device. In this part of the book Ibn al-Qayyim writes a speech in which Iblīs instructs his troops how to attack the human heart. These are Ibn al-Qayyim’s words, spoken as the devil — read them as a warning about how the enemy works, not as advice. Where the section begins.
واعلموا أنه ليس لكم في بني آدم سلاح أبلغ من هذين السلاحين. وإنما أخرجث أبويهم من الجنّة بالشهوة» وإنما ألقيث العداوة بين أولادهم بالغضب ٠ فبه قطعت أرحامّهم 1 وسفكتٌُ دماءهم 6 وبه قتل أحد ابتى آدم أخاه.
Ibn al-Qayyim’s text
والمقصود أن الذنوب والمعاصى سلاح ومددٌ يمد بها العبد أعداءف ويعينهم بها على نفسه » فيقاتلونه بسلاحه: ويكون معهم على نفسه. وهذا غاية الجهل» و ما يبلغ الأعداء؛ من جاهلٍ ما يبلغ الجاهلٌ من نفسه؟