أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ سُوءِ الْفِتَنِ
A’udhu billahi min su-il fitan
I seek refuge with Allah from the evil of Fitan (afflictions).
[Sahih al-Bukhari 7090]
In another narration:
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported: Zaid b. Thabit reported the Prophet (ﷺ) said ‘Seek refuge with Allah from fitan the apparent thereof and the hidden.’ i.e say:
أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الْفِتَنِ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَابَطَنَ
A’udhu billahi minal fitani ma dhahara minha wa ma batana
I seek refuge with Allah from Fitan, the apparent thereof and the hidden.
[Sahih Muslim 2867]
In another narration:
On the authority of Abdullah ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to seek refuge at the end of every prayer from four (things); he would say (among them is):
اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْفِتَنِ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ
Allahumma inni a’udhu bika minal fitani ma dhahara minha wa ma batana
O Allah, I seek refuge with You from Fitnah, the apparent thereof and the hidden.
[Narrated by Ahmad 2778 and the wording is his, Al-Tayalisi 2833, and Al-Tabarani (12/166) 12779, graded Sahih by Shuaib Al-Arna’ut in Takhrij Al-Musnad Shuaib 2778]
Text of the Hadiths
“وَقَالَ عَبَّاسٌ النَّرْسِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، أَنَّ أَنَسًا، حَدَّثَهُمْ أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِهَذَا وَقَالَ كُلُّ رَجُلٍ لاَفًّا رَأْسَهُ فِي ثَوْبِهِ يَبْكِي. وَقَالَ عَائِذًا بِاللَّهِ مِنْ سُوءِ الْفِتَنِ. أَوْ قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ سُوءِ الْفِتَنِ.”
The above hadith was narrated by Anas through another chain and said (with the wording) “and every man had his head wrapped in his garment and weeping”. And he said (with the wording) “seeking refuge with Allah from the evil of afflictions” or he said “I seek refuge with Allah from the evil of afflictions.” [Sahih al-Bukhari, 7089 & 7090]
قَالَ ” تَعَوَّذُوا بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الْفِتَنِ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ ”
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported: Zaid b. Thabit reported the Prophet (ﷺ) said [In part of a longer hadith]: … Seek refuge with Allah from fitan, the apparent thereof and the hidden. … [Sahih Muslim 2867]
كان رسولُ اللهِ ﷺ يتعَوَّذُ دُبُرَ كلِّ صلاةٍ من أربعٍ، يقولُ: اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أعوذُ بكَ من عذابِ القَبْرِ، اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أعوذُ بكَ من عذابِ النارِ، اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أعوذُ بكَ من الفِتَنِ، ما ظهَرَ منها، وما بطَنَ، اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أعوذُ بكَ من فِتْنةِ الأعورِ الكذّابِ.
On the authority of Abdullah ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to seek refuge at the end of every prayer from four (things); he would say:
اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ النَارِ، اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْفِتَنِ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ، اللّهُمَّ إني أعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتنَةِ الْأَعْوَرِ الْكَذَّابِ
Allahumma inni a’udhu bika min ’adhabil qabr, Allahumma inni a’udhu bika min ’adhabin-naar, Allahumma inni a’udhu bika minal fitani ma dhahara minha wa ma batana, Allahumma inni a’udhu bika min fitnatil ’awaril kaddhab
O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the punishment of the grave. O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the punishment of the fire. O Allah, I seek refuge with You from Fitnah, the apparent thereof and the hidden. O Allah! I seek refuge with you from the trial of the one-eyed, the liar (ad-Dajjal).
[Narrated by Ahmad 2778 and the wording is his, Al-Tayalisi 2833, and Al-Tabarani (12/166) 12779, graded Sahih by Shuaib Al-Arna’ut in Takhrij Al-Musnad Shuaib 2778]
Furthermore the Prophet (ﷺ) used to also specifically seek refuge from many types of trials such as:
- Fitnatid-Dunya (the trials of this world);
- Fitnatil-Qabr (the trials of the grave);
- Fitnatin-Naar (the trials of the Fire);
- Fitnatil-Ghina (the trials of wealth);
- Fitnatil-Faqr (the trials of poverty);
- Fitnatil-Maseeh ad-Dajjal (the trials caused by the False Messiah/Christ);
- Fitnatin Mudillah (the trial that causes deviation (in religious practice));
- Fitnatis-Sadri (the trials inside the chest (heart)) (i.e. envy, rancor, or false belief);
- Fitnatil Mahya wal Mamat (the trials of life and death)
Brief Description of Fitnah/Fitan
Al-Fitan (plural): Fitnah (singular): the original meaning of the word Fitnah means, “to burn”, “to purify gold and silver by smelting them”. It is frequently used to mean: trials which are disliked. It is also frequently used with the meaning of: al-Kufr (disbelief), killing, burning. It is also extended to mean causing one to enter into fire and into a state of punishment or affliction. Thus, one says that something caused one to enter al-Fitnah, i.e., trial, affliction (in particular as a means of testing someone’s endurance), distress, hardship etc., or more generally, an affliction whereby some good or evil quality is put to the test. The sum total of its meaning in the language of the Arabs is: “an affliction whereby one is tried, proved or tested.” It is also used with the meaning: to tempt, to seduce, to allure, to infatuate.
The Meaning of Fitnah/Fitan
‘Fitan’ is the plural form of ‘Fitnah’ which is in singular form.
(فَتَنَ) fatana (the verb) Al-Azharee and others said, “the words trial, examination, test comprises the meaning of ‘Fitnah’ and its origin is derived from the statement,
فَتَنْتُ الْفِضَّةَ وَ الذَّهَبَ إِذَا أَذَبْتُهُمَا بِالنَّارِ لِتُمَيِّزَ الرَّدِيءِ مِنَ الْجَيِّدِ .
“I ‘fatana’ silver and gold when I drive the two in fire in order to separate the bad from the good (i.e., properties).”
In the book “Sihaah” (it is mentioned),
“When you place it (i.e., gold or silver) in fire to see what is its good qualities; and Dinar (i.e., a form of currency) is Maftuun.”
(الْفَتْنُ) Al-Fat’n (the verbal noun) means: incineration; and from His statement, the mighty and sublime,
يَوْمَ هُمْ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ يُفْتَنُونَ
“A day when they will be tried over the Fire!” [Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:13]
Meaning: They will be scorched by the fire.
Also, the goldsmith is called ‘Al-Fattaan’ and likewise the Shaytan is called ‘Al-Fattaan’. From this statement, ‘the black rocks that are as if they have been scorched by the fire are called الْفَتِين Al-Fateen’ and it is said concerning His statement,
“A day when they will be tried over the Fire!”
Meaning: They will, by Allah, be made to confess their sins.
In addition, (وَرِقٌ) Wariq (silver) is called ‘Fateen’ meaning: silver that has been scorched. Ibn Al-‘Arabee said,
(الْفِتْنَة) Fitnah (i.e. singular form) is the examination by one’s own experiences; and it is a severe trial; and it is the wealth; and it is children; and it is blasphemy, and it is the people differing in their views, and it is incineration by fire.
In addition, it is said,
“The word fitnah mentioned in the Quran is ‘oppression’.”
It is said,
“Such and such a person is ‘Maftoon’ (i.e., tried and tested) with seeking the Dunya’ and has become extreme in seeking it.”
Ibn Seedah said: “Al-Fitnah is knowledge resulting from experience. His statement, the mighty and sublime:
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَٰهَا فِتْنَةً لِّلظَّٰلِمِينَ
“Truly we have made it (as) a fitnah for the oppressors.” [Surah Saffaat 37:63]
Meaning: is that when they were tried by the mentioning of the tree of ‘Zaqoom’ and they belied its existence, and that when they heard that it emerges out of the base of the hell fire, they said,
“Trees burn up in fire, so how can trees grow in fire?”
So it (the mentioning of the tree) had become a ‘Fitnah’ for them.
In addition, His statement, the mighty and sublime,
رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِّلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
“Our Lord! Make us not a fitnah for the folk who are oppressors.” [Surah Yunus 10:85]
He said (explaining the verse):
“Our Lord, do not grant them victory over us, then because of that they will become filled with amazement and think that they are better than us.”
So, ‘Al-Fitnah’ here is the disbelievers amazement with their blasphemy.
[This definition is taken, in summary, from the well-known Arabic lexicon “Lisaan-ul-Arab” by Ibn Munthir. Excerpt from the book ‘The Effects of Fitan’ by Shaykh Abdur-Razzaq al-Badr – Appendix 1]
Evil effects of Fitan:
1. Preoccupies the people and turns them away from `Ibaadah.
2. Turns them away from scholars and seeking knowledge.
3. The foolish take the lead.
4. The consequences are evil and leads towards a bad ending.
5. Whoever exposes himself to Fitnah will perish.
6. Matters become doubtful as truth is mixed with falsehood.
7. Corruption of the youth.
8. Weakness in the bonds of religious brotherhood.
9. The audacity to murder and shed blood.
10. Security is disrupted.
11. Corrupt people get to spread their falsehood.
12. The enemies get an upper hand.
[Adopted from the Book “Athaar al-Fitan” by Shaykh Abdur-Razzaq bin Abdul Muhsin al-Badr. Refer book translated into english named ‘The Effects of Fitan’ for explanation of each point.]
Precious Gems from the Quran and Sunnah 