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
