Dua to Recite When Angry

Sulayman ibn Surad (may Allah be pleased with him) relates: "I was sitting with our Prophet. Two men insulted each other. The face of one of them turned red with anger, the veins of his neck swelled and bulged out. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'I know a word; if this man were to say it, the state of rage upon him would pass. If he says A'udhu bi-Llahi mina ash-shaytani ar-rajim, this state upon him will disappear'" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Bad' al-Khalq 11; Sahih Muslim, Birr 109).

Anger is one of Satan's most effective weapons. At the moment of anger a person's reason and judgement are put out of action; he says words he will regret and does things he otherwise would not do. In another of his hadiths our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave these recommendations for overcoming anger: "When you become angry, if you are standing, sit down. If you are sitting, lie down. Anger is from Satan; put out its fire" (Sunan Abi Dawud, Adab 3). Moreover, when a man asked him for counsel he said, "Do not become angry"; when the man repeated his request several times, he again said, "Do not become angry" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Adab 76). This shows that the struggle against anger requires continuous effort.