Chapter V: Oneness of God and Trust in God
(2) a brave man is not known except at the time of battle, (3) and a friend is not known except at the time of need.
WHEN REVENGE PUNISHABLE? Know, O dear readers, that to treat an oppression with oppression is unlawful. To back-bite for back- biting, to spy for spying and to rebuke for rebuking are unlawful. This is the condition with all sins. But to take revenge or retaliation is allowed according to the rules of Shariat. The Prophet said: If anyman back-bites you for what is in you, don't back-bite him in return for the guilt in him. The Prophet said: If two men rebuke each .other, the sin devolves upon one who first rebukes till the rebuked man does not exceed the limit. Two mutual rebukers are devils, accusing each other falsely. One day a man was rebuking Hazrat Abu Bakr who remained silent for long. When he began to take revenge, the Prophet got up. Hazrat Abu Bakr said: O Messenger of God, you were silent till the man Was rebuking but when I began to take revenge, you stood up. The Prophet said: An angel was replaying on your behalf till you remained silent, but when you began to retaliate, the angel went away and the devil came i n. So I cannot remain where the devil came in.
FOUR CLASSES OF MEN IN THE MATTER OF ANGER:
(1) Some men get suddenly angry and get appeased suddenly. (2)
Some get angry late and their anger goes late. (3) Some get angry late and it ceases soon. This is best. (4) Some get angry quickly and it ceases late. This is the worst. The Prophet said: A believer gets angry quickly and quickly it appeases. Imam Shafeyi said:
He who does not get angry if it is aroused is an ass. He who is given pleasure but is not pleased is a devil. The' Prophet said:
Beware men have been created of different natures. Some of them get angry late and it stops quickly. Some of them get angry quickly and it stops quickly. One compensates the other. Some get angry quickly and it stops late. Beware! he who gets angry late and it stops quickly is best and he who gets quickly angry and it stops late is worst. Hazrat Omar did not punish a man when he found him intoxicated with wine as it would have been inflicted out of anger. He said: I don't like to whip a Muslim out of anger.
VoI-IH Anger, hatred and envy 141
When a man aroused the wrath of Caliph Omar-b- Abdul Aziz, he said to him: If you had not grown my anger, I would have certainly punished you.
HATRED: Know, O dear readers, that when a man wishes to take revenge at the time of anger, it creates hatred in mind.
â– Hatred means the prevalence of the effect of anger in mind. The Prophet said: A believer has got no hatred. There are eight evils arising out of hatred-(l) envy, happiness at the sorrows of another, non- co-operation, contempt, back-biting, ridicule, assault, to give no loan. If anybody is free from hatred, he gets free from all these eight guilts.