What is Islam - eBook
Expressing Anger for the Sake of Allah Ta‘ala
عن عائشة قالت ما رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم منتصرا من مظلمة ظلمها قط ما لم ينتهك من محارم الله تعالى شيء فإذا انتهك من محارم الله شيء كان من أشدهم في ذلك غضبا وما خير بين أمرين إلا اختار أيسرهما ما لم يكن مأثما (الشمائل للترمذي #349)
Hazrat ‘Aa’ishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) mentions, “I never saw Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) seeking retribution for any act of oppression that was carried out against himself. However, he would seek retribution when the law of Allah Ta‘ala was transgressed (i.e. he only expressed anger and sought retribution for the sake of Allah Ta‘ala, at the time when the law of Allah Ta‘ala was transgressed). If any law of Allah Ta‘ala was transgressed, then Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would become the most angry of people due to the law of Allah Ta‘ala being broken. Whenever Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was given the option to choose between two (permissible) things, he always chose the option that was easier (for his Ummah), provided that it (the thing he chose) would not have the potential to lead to sin.”