Crack, Gulp, Bang!
A flash of fire in the eyes. Red rage on the face. Dry prickly throat. Tight, explosive fists.
Anger is a feeling that drives us insane. Its like a light switch. All you need is to push that wrong button and a menacing energy erupts in your mind. The next thing you know is that you are shaking, shouting and striking.
One really cool dude, who seldom got angry was Muawiya bin Abi Sufyan (r.a). He was one man that I know who was always composed and patient, at times when everyone would turn instinctively convulsed and outraged.
Amir Muawiya (r.a) daily after Fajr prayer used to hear reports from the military police. After that, he used to come to see the ministers, advisors, and chief associates of the government in connection with foreign expeditions. In this meeting, the subordinate court officials and administrators would read to him the reports and letters that came from the provinces. At Noon time he would come out of the palace to lead the prayer and sit down in the mosque itself. There he would listen to the complaints of the masses, receive their requests and then go back to the palace and meet other dignitaries. Then he would take the midday meal and then take a short nap. After 'Asr prayer, he would meet the ministers, associates and advisors. He used to take supper in the court together with everyone and give them one more opportunity to see him and this ended his day's work.
Amr bin Aas (r.a) says, I have not seen a man of greater perseverance and humility than Amir Muawiya (r.a). One day it so happened that I was present in his court and he was sitting with a pillow at his back. He received a report that the Roman emperor was about to attack with a huge army. Having read that paper, he threw it to me. I read it and waited to watch his reaction. However, he kept sitting in the same posture. He said nothing. A few minutes after that another report came saying Nayel bin Qais, the leader of the Khawarij, had collected an army and was about to invade Palestine. This report was also passed to me and Muawiya said nothing. I read it and kept waiting for his order all the more anxious but he continued to sit in the same position. There was no trace of any change on his face. It was not long when a third report came to the effect that a captive at Mosul broke open the jail and fled away near Mosel. Muawiya (r.a) read it also and threw it towards me and kept sitting with the support of the pillow at the back. A few minutes later another letter arrived with the news of an attack on Syria. That letter was also throw toward me. All this time, he maintained the same sitting position as before.
My patience grew thin. I said to him, "Pieces of bad news are pouring in from all sides. What will you do now?" Muawiya (r.a) said, "Though the Roman emperor commands a big army, he will return after signing an agreement with me. Nayel bin Qais fights for the cause of his religion. He has captured a city and wants to keep it under his control. I shall spare him so that he might be pre-occupied with it. The captive who fled from the jail cannot escape from Allah's jail. But as for Ali's affair, we have to think and plan how to avenge Uthman bin Affan's blood." Then he sat up immediately issued orders for the settlement of each issue, and then sat down with the pillow at his back.
Source: Amir Ali, "The History of Islam."
Amir Ali has Shi'i inclinations so read at your own discretion.
I don't believe that a stress-free life is possible. Stress is a response to challenges in life, and life without challenges is too boring to contemplate. However, I do believe that most of the stress in our lies is unnecessary, and that it can be eliminated by a little bit of prudence and farsightedness. Yes, Muwaiya's stressors are a bit extreme for the rest of us but it exemplifies how he did not allow his temper to flare up or his mood to worsen when bad things happened to him. We are not the Master of this Universe. I know we sometimes wish we were, but acting as if we are is a sure way to get stressed out. Trying to control situations and people cannot work, and only serves to increase our anxiety and anger when it doesn't work. The only thing we can do is control ourselves. Learning to let go of our need to control others and the situations around us is a major step towards eliminating stress. Its true we cannot always cut off all bad things from our lives. There will be days when we will be exhausted, annoyed or bored etc. Still, it is our choice to not drain our energy trying to be dominant. We can choose not to panic or get frustrated. Like Muawiya, we can choose to be cool and witty. Averse situations can become friendly; stiff people can be yielded if we keep our cool and think clearly.
A flash of fire in the eyes. Red rage on the face. Dry prickly throat. Tight, explosive fists.
Anger is a feeling that drives us insane. Its like a light switch. All you need is to push that wrong button and a menacing energy erupts in your mind. The next thing you know is that you are shaking, shouting and striking.
One really cool dude, who seldom got angry was Muawiya bin Abi Sufyan (r.a). He was one man that I know who was always composed and patient, at times when everyone would turn instinctively convulsed and outraged.
Amir Muawiya (r.a) daily after Fajr prayer used to hear reports from the military police. After that, he used to come to see the ministers, advisors, and chief associates of the government in connection with foreign expeditions. In this meeting, the subordinate court officials and administrators would read to him the reports and letters that came from the provinces. At Noon time he would come out of the palace to lead the prayer and sit down in the mosque itself. There he would listen to the complaints of the masses, receive their requests and then go back to the palace and meet other dignitaries. Then he would take the midday meal and then take a short nap. After 'Asr prayer, he would meet the ministers, associates and advisors. He used to take supper in the court together with everyone and give them one more opportunity to see him and this ended his day's work.
Amr bin Aas (r.a) says, I have not seen a man of greater perseverance and humility than Amir Muawiya (r.a). One day it so happened that I was present in his court and he was sitting with a pillow at his back. He received a report that the Roman emperor was about to attack with a huge army. Having read that paper, he threw it to me. I read it and waited to watch his reaction. However, he kept sitting in the same posture. He said nothing. A few minutes after that another report came saying Nayel bin Qais, the leader of the Khawarij, had collected an army and was about to invade Palestine. This report was also passed to me and Muawiya said nothing. I read it and kept waiting for his order all the more anxious but he continued to sit in the same position. There was no trace of any change on his face. It was not long when a third report came to the effect that a captive at Mosul broke open the jail and fled away near Mosel. Muawiya (r.a) read it also and threw it towards me and kept sitting with the support of the pillow at the back. A few minutes later another letter arrived with the news of an attack on Syria. That letter was also throw toward me. All this time, he maintained the same sitting position as before.
My patience grew thin. I said to him, "Pieces of bad news are pouring in from all sides. What will you do now?" Muawiya (r.a) said, "Though the Roman emperor commands a big army, he will return after signing an agreement with me. Nayel bin Qais fights for the cause of his religion. He has captured a city and wants to keep it under his control. I shall spare him so that he might be pre-occupied with it. The captive who fled from the jail cannot escape from Allah's jail. But as for Ali's affair, we have to think and plan how to avenge Uthman bin Affan's blood." Then he sat up immediately issued orders for the settlement of each issue, and then sat down with the pillow at his back.
Source: Amir Ali, "The History of Islam."
Amir Ali has Shi'i inclinations so read at your own discretion.
I don't believe that a stress-free life is possible. Stress is a response to challenges in life, and life without challenges is too boring to contemplate. However, I do believe that most of the stress in our lies is unnecessary, and that it can be eliminated by a little bit of prudence and farsightedness. Yes, Muwaiya's stressors are a bit extreme for the rest of us but it exemplifies how he did not allow his temper to flare up or his mood to worsen when bad things happened to him. We are not the Master of this Universe. I know we sometimes wish we were, but acting as if we are is a sure way to get stressed out. Trying to control situations and people cannot work, and only serves to increase our anxiety and anger when it doesn't work. The only thing we can do is control ourselves. Learning to let go of our need to control others and the situations around us is a major step towards eliminating stress. Its true we cannot always cut off all bad things from our lives. There will be days when we will be exhausted, annoyed or bored etc. Still, it is our choice to not drain our energy trying to be dominant. We can choose not to panic or get frustrated. Like Muawiya, we can choose to be cool and witty. Averse situations can become friendly; stiff people can be yielded if we keep our cool and think clearly.
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