I often hear statements like:
"Anger is from Satan"
And that one should perform wudu' to calm down from anger. I'd like to learn more about this practice therefore here my questions:
Does this recommendation to perfrom wudu' has any basis in Islam?
If that is true could you elaborate how and why this should work?
This concept comes from a weak chained Hadith:
إِنَّ الْغَضَبَ مِنْ الشَّيْطَانِ وَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ خُلِقَ مِنْ النَّارِ وَإِنَّمَا تُطْفَأُ النَّارُ بِالْمَاءِ فَإِذَا غَضِبَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَتَوَضَّأْ
Anger is from Shaytan and Shaytan is made from fire. Verily fire is put out with water, so if any of you become angry, then make Wudu'
However, while the chain may be weak, the meaning is acceptable and correct from a medicinal standpoint. That is why scholars have used this Hadith and encouraged people to make Wudu' when angry, because the water provides calmness and weakens the "boiling" anger can bring.
What I would say is that if anger is beneficial to someone,it becomes a good deed.Same goes with laughter.Ive heard the prophet tell a joke to make an old lady happy.Anger has many possibilities.It can become a good deed,bad deed and can change itself either way.You never know.
