Sunday, June 30, 2013

Definition of Fitnah

A – The word fitnah from a linguistic point of view: 

“Fitnah means: trial or test

B– Meanings of the word fitnah in the Qur’aan and Sunnah:

1- Testing and trial,
2- Blocking the way and turning people away
3- Persecution,
4- Shirk and kufr, 
5- Falling into sin and hypocrisy
6- Confusing truth with falsehood,
7- Misguidance,
and many more.

8- Killing and taking prisoners, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“if you fear that the disbelievers may put you in trial [yaftinakum] (attack you)”

[al-Nisa’ 4:101]

This refers to the kaafirs attacking the Muslims whilst they are praying and prostrating, in order to kill them or take them prisoner, as stated by Ibn Jareer. 

9- Difference among people and lack of agreement, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you [yabghoonakum al-fitnah]” [al-Tawbah 9:47]

[i.e., they would have stirred up differences amongst you, as it says in al-Kashshaaf, 2/277. ]

11-Burning with fire, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, those who put into trial [fatanoo] the believing men and believing women (by torturing them and burning them)”[al-Burooj 85:10]


~Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid