fitnah

Fitnah is an Islamic term that is commonly translated as trial, temptation, persecution, or sedition. The root f-t-n conveys testing, trying, or provoking. In use, fitnah covers both personal spiritual tests—temptations to sin or disbelief—and collective upheavals that destabilize communities or authorities.

In the Qur’an, fitnah describes situations that test faith or expose believers to persecution, and it is sometimes described as worse than killing when it threatens the integrity of the community or the freedom to practice faith. The concept also encompasses civil strife and social disorder that lead people away from the right path. In hadith literature, fitnah is associated with periods of widespread confusion, deceit, and factionalism, including times of political upheaval that test characters and loyalties.

Historically, the term has been used to denote major episodes of internal conflict in early Islamic history as well as ongoing political and social conflict throughout Muslim societies. In modern usage, fitnah can refer to any situation perceived as harmful division, misinformation, or persecution that disrupts public order or threatens religious or moral principles. The meaning often depends on context, ranging from personal moral struggle to large-scale civil unrest.

Scholars discuss how individuals and communities should respond to fitnah, emphasizing caution in speech and action to prevent further harm, and urging unity and restraint to minimize discord. The term thus functions as both a descriptive label for disruptive phenomena and a normative concept guiding ethical conduct during times of trial.