Khutbah: Anger
A short khutbah for children about anger, with the story of the nails in the fence and the Prophet's ﷺ advice, for children aged 7 to 12.
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What is Khutbah: Anger about?
Khutbah: Anger is an Islamic video for children aged 7 to 12: a short talk, like the one before the Friday prayer, about anger, a feeling everyone has, and how to manage it without hurting others.
The speaker tells a story about a boy who could not control his temper. Whenever he was angry he screamed, broke things and upset his whole family. His father gave him a bag of nails and a hammer, and told him to hammer a nail into the garden fence every time he got angry. On the first day he hammered in thirty. Each day there were fewer, until after a month there were none. Then his father told him to pull a nail out each day he stayed calm. When the nails were gone, they looked at the fence together: it was full of holes, and some nails would not come out at all. That, said the father, is what angry words do to people's hearts.
Then comes the Prophet's ﷺ advice. A man asked him for advice, and he said, "Do not get angry." And when you are angry and standing, sit down; if the anger has not gone, lie down.
The speaker adds practical ideas: make wudu, have a cold shower, go for a run or punch a punch bag. Everyone gets angry, but we do not lash out, shout, swear or break things. And if anger is hard to control, ask your parents to help. It is a Miraj original.
What your child will learn
- Everyone feels angry sometimes, but we must not lash out at others.
- Angry words can leave marks on people's hearts, like holes in a fence.
- The Prophet ﷺ said, "Do not get angry."
- When we are angry, we can sit down, or lie down, until the anger passes.
- We can ask our parents to help us learn to stay calm.
Where this video comes from
- Sahih al-Bukhari 6116: A man asked the Prophet ﷺ for advice, and he said "Do not get angry", again and again.
- Sunan Abi Dawud 4782: If one of you is angry while standing, let him sit down; if the anger does not go, let him lie down.
Talk about it afterwards
- What did the holes in the fence show the boy?
- What did the Prophet ﷺ say to do when we are angry and standing?
- What helps you calm down when you feel angry?
- Who could you ask to help you when anger is hard to control?
Words to know
- Khutbah
- A talk given by the imam, especially before the Friday prayer.
- Wudu
- The washing Muslims do before prayer.
Frequently asked questions
What age is Khutbah: Anger suitable for?
Children aged 7 to 12. It is a short talk of about 8 minutes, built around one story children remember.
What does Khutbah: Anger teach children?
That anger is natural but must not hurt others, what the Prophet ﷺ advised us to do when we are angry, and practical ways to calm down.
Is Khutbah: Anger based on hadith?
Yes. The Prophet's ﷺ advice not to get angry is in Sahih al-Bukhari, and his advice to sit or lie down is in Sunan Abi Dawud.
