TYPES OF FITAN
Types of Fitan (calamities/affliction)
[Along with the advice by Shaikh Ibn al-Uthaymeen not to expose one self to them]
There are two types of Fitan which affect a person
1) Affliction in the self: (And this is from the worldly perspective). This includes loss in wealth, health, live, honor, hunger, fear or any other type of physical or psychological loss or affliction. As Allaah تعالى said:
﴿وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ﴾
{And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits…}
[Surah al-Baqarah (2): 155]
2) Affliction in the Deen: (and this is from the perspective of the Hereafter). Affliction in the Deen is far worse than affliction in the self. As Allaah تعالى said:
﴿وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ﴾
{And Al-Fitnah (affliction in the Deen) is worse than killing}
[Surah al-Baqarah (2): 191]
And
﴿وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ﴾
{…and Al-Fitnah is a greater (crime) than killing}
[Surah al-Baqarah (2): 217]
This includes being afflicted by:
🚫 Shirk,
🚫 or Bid`ah,
🚫 or belittling the Sunnah or authentic Ahaadeeth,
🚫 or getting confused even after knowing the correct path,
🚫 or having doubts about the Deen,
🚫 or chasing the desires,
🚫 or giving preference to personal opinions over the Texts,
🚫 or laziness in religious duties,
🚫 or self-amazement,
🚫 or following the path of falsehood after being guided,
🚫 or swaying between groups and parties etc.
Part of this affliction also includes being prevented from carrying out the religious duties by the enemies, or persecution in the name of religion. As Allaah تعالى said:
﴿وَمَا نَقَمُوا مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا أَن يُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّـهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ﴾
{They (the enemies) had nothing against them (the believers), except that they believed in Allaah, the All-Mighty, Worthy of all Praise!}
[Surah al-Burooj (85): 8]
Affliction in the Deen can lead to misguidance and eternal damnation. Moreover, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم frequently used to supplicate saying:
يَا مُقَلِّبَ القُلُوبِ، ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ
❝O Changer of the hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion.❞
[Sunan al-Tirmidhee and Sunan Ibn Maajah, and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]
🚨Do not expose yourselves to Fitan
Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen said:
❝We also learn from this Aayah that al-Fitnah – i.e. preventing the people from following their Deen (Islaam) – is a greater (crime) than killing them; because in their killing, the maximum they’ll miss out on is this worldly life. But if they are prevented from (learning and having) Imaan then they will lose in this world and the Hereafter.
And many people approach the places of Fitan (e.g. a bad company, or an environment that would corrupt their religious beliefs and morals) and they think that this Fitnah will not affect (or harm) them. But if they continue like this, then it won’t be long before they are overtaken by the Fitnah. This is why the Prophet ﷺ said: ❝Let him who hears of the Dajjaal (Antichrist) go far from him for I swear by Allaah that a man will come to him thinking that he (the Dajjaal) is a believer, then he will follow him because of the deceptive arguments he (the Dajjaal) will put forward (to confuse him).❞
[Sunan Abu Dawood (4319) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]
The important thing is that a person should not expose himself to Fitan. How many people approached the places of Fitan thinking that they were immune to it, but they were not!❞
[Tafseer of Surah al-Baqarah by Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen (3/59-60)]