What “Fitnah” stands for?

Fitnah is an Arabic term that refers to "trial," "opposition," "affliction," "temptation," "civil war," as well as every other dispute "that shatters the society's oneness and divides Muslim against other Muslim."

According to the Quran, fitnah refers to oppression, ignorance, and Kufr as well as trying and trial, obstructing the pathway and driving individuals away, hypocrisy, sliding into sin, mixing up truth and untruth, misdirection, killing and taking hostages, stupidity, and misunderstandings in relationships.

The phrase is also employed to depict societies or people falling into Satan's "whispers" as well as committing immorality, along with the exploitation of the dominant against the weaker (such as rebellion against a ruler).

Fitnah is worse than killing

Indeed, killing is the worst act; however, when it is said that fitnah is worse than killing then it is a try to explain that how much fitnah is discouraged in Islam. This idiomatic statement also means that killing kills a person one time but fitnah kills the person (who is accused by the person created fitnah) multiple times.

Allah says in Holy Quran in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 191:

“Kill them wherever you come upon them and drive them out of the places from which they have driven you out. For Fitnah is far worse than killing. And do not fight them at the Sacred Mosque unless they attack you there. If they do so, then fight them—that is the reward of the disbelievers [2:191]”.

What Islam says about avoiding fitnah?

Following are some most important ways which could help a person to avoid fitnah. Indeed, Fitnah is the root of dispute and misunderstandings among Muslims.

• Avoid being in situations or with people who may weaken their morality and religious beliefs. Avoid hanging around with bad people and those who could try to convince us to sin. We should spend time with upright Muslims who would also inspire us to carry out charitable work and apprise us against the wrong. We should also a void travelling to and staying with people who will force us to violate our religious beliefs.

Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H) said in this regard:

“A man will follow the way of his close friend, so let one of you look at who he takes as a close friend” [Abu Dawood & At-Tirmidhi].

• Connecting to Quran and Hadith also let us protect from evil powers. We should commit ourselves as much as we could with practising the required worshipful actions and abstaining from the things that Allah has forbidden us from. We must remain firm in our prayers while meeting their prerequisites with the appropriate focus and humility.

Allah guides us very clearly in Holy Quran that how we should avoid Fitnah:

“Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, ˹genuine˺ prayer should deter ˹one˺ from indecency and wickedness. The remembrance of Allah is ˹an˺ even greater ˹deterrent˺. And Allah ˹fully˺ knows what you ˹all˺ do [29: 45] ”.

• The most important thing which a Muslim should do is the realization of wrongdoing and then seeking help from Allah. We must supplicate Allah to enlighten us and shield us from all forms of fitnah (hidden and apparent). We must employ the Prophet's (peace be upon him) prescribed supplications for shielding one's religious beliefs from difficulties and temptation. Regardless of how safe they feel, Muslims should remain genuine and continue to ask Allah for assistance.
• If we feel ourselves in fitnah, we should try our best to change our environment and seek some context which gives us inner peace.
• If we get stuck in fitnah or if God forbid, we commit any act of fitnah, then we should try to replace our bad deeds with good deeds. Doing good help, us to erase our sins.

Allah has also stated in Quran:

““Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins) [11:114] ”.

• A person needs to be aware of his flaws and what led to his fitnah and take steps to prevent himself from getting into it again as well as find ways to overcome the difficulty he has encountered. For instance, if one's sexual urge is what caused him to enter fitnah, he must start fasting to suppress this desire.

All of the above-mentioned ways would let us help get rid of fitnah and to protect us from all sort of finah. We should try to stay close to Allah and connect with Islamic teachings. Also, we should try to pray five times and educate ourselves from what is good and what is bad. Education and awareness is very important in order to prevent ourselves from all sort of evil acts.