The source of these four traits lies in a person’s ignorance of his Lord and of himself. Had he known his Lord through His attributes of perfection and qualities of majesty, and known himself through his own deficiencies and afflictions, he would neither have been arrogant nor become angry for his own sake, nor would he have envied anyone for what Allah had granted him. Envy is, in reality, a form of hostility toward Allah: the envious person hates the blessing Allah has bestowed upon His servant, though Allah loves it; and he wishes it to be removed, though Allah hates that. He thus opposes Allah in His decree and predestination, and in what He loves and hates. This is why Iblis was truly Allah’s enemy, for his sin arose from arrogance and envy.
These two traits are uprooted by knowing Allah, affirming His oneness, being content with Him and pleased with His decrees, and turning to Him in repentance. Anger is uprooted by knowing the soul and realizing that it does not deserve to have anger aroused or vengeance exacted on its behalf. To do so is to prefer the soul’s claims in one’s anger and pleasure to those of its Creator and Originator. The greatest means of repelling this affliction is to train the soul to become angry for Allah’s sake and pleased for His sake. Every measure of anger and pleasure for His sake that enters the soul drives out a corresponding measure of anger and pleasure for its own sake—and the reverse is likewise true.
As for base desire, its remedy lies in sound knowledge and the realization that granting the soul its cravings is among the greatest causes of its being deprived of those very things and barred from them, whereas restraining it from them is among the greatest means by which it attains them. Whenever you open the door of base desires upon yourself, you are striving to deprive the soul of them; and whenever you close that door to it, you are striving to bring them to it in the most perfect manner.
Anger is like a predatory beast: when its owner lets it loose, it begins by devouring him. Base desire is like a fire: when its owner kindles it, it begins by burning him. Arrogance is like contesting a king for his kingdom: if he does not destroy you, he will drive you from it. Envy is like showing hostility toward one more powerful than you. Satan fears even the shadow of the person who masters his base desire and anger, whereas one who is mastered by his base desire and anger is frightened even by his own imagination.” End quote.