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How to Act with a Bad-Tempered Friend

Question

How should I act with a friend who gets angry with me for little things? Answer with Qur'an and Sunnah and make it easy for a fourth grade, 10 year-old.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

We advise you to observe the following matters while dealing with your friend.

A) Try to avoid all words and actions that could irritate him and seek the reward of Allah Almighty.

B) Draw his attention to the verses and Ahadeeth that encourage patience and warn against anger. For example, the verse in which Allah Says (what means): {Repel evil with that which is better.} [Quran 23: 96] And the Hadeeth that reads: "A person came to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) and asked: “Please, advise me!” The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Do not become angry.” The man asked the same question again many times and the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) replied in the same manner: “Do not become angry.” [Al-Bukhari]

C) Advise him to be patient and to control himself when angry since such habits can be achieved and improved only by practice.

D) Inform him that a short-tempered person cannot keep his friends since he may leave everyone whenever he gets angry.

E) Inform him that the consequences of anger are bad in both this worldly life and the Hereafter.

Allah knows best.

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