Fitna, An Enemy of Love

by Shaykh Taner Ansari

Bismillah er Rahman er Rahim, In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. All praise belongs to Allah. He owns everything. All power belongs to Him and not to us. May His peace and blessings be on his Prophet Muhammad and his family and on all the other prophets and their families.

Fitna is Trouble

Fitna is the worst enemy of our lifetime, the worst germ and sickness of society. Fitna is the causing of dissension between and among people, i.e., individuals, groups, tribes, nations. We allow fitna to happen when we do not obey or trust Allah, when we do not obey the Prophet (saws). Fitna leads to bela. Bela means affliction, adversity, trouble.

How Fitna Happens

Fitna is caused by ghaiba, gossiping and backbiting, and by nafs, selfishness. Ghaiba is talking behind someone's back, saying things that he/she wouldn't like or something that would disparage or belittle him/her. You can talk behind somebody if it is good, but if your intention is to put him/her down, then it is forbidden. Our Prophet (saws) says that backbiting is worse than zina, adultery.

When we gossip, we are not obeying certain principles of Islam. One of these principles is not to uncover someone else's mistakes or their shame. Another is to mind your own business. If you want to correct somebody, correct yourself first. If someone needs help, help him without hurting him.

There are people who cause fitna so that you will follow them or be against somebody. When you are united, they cannot beat you. So these people start causing a problem among you; then, one by one, you can all be beaten. These people gain from your belief in what they say. When you are ignorant and do not know what is right or wrong, then, of course, you might believe these people. However, when you know, you cannot fall into this trap. In history one of the tactics of the British Imperialistst was to separate people within nations and then take over. Their strength lay in dividing and conquering.

How to Avoid It

Some of the Hadiths tell us how to avoid fitna. First, you should not expose anybody's business. Second, if someone is opening somebody else's business to you, you should tell them to be quiet. Allah's name is Sadar which means "the Coverer." As Muslims, we must cover up people's mistakes for Allah's sake. Third, thou shalt not lie, and when you see somebody lying you should not listen to him.

Always ask for the motivation from the person who is bringing you news about another person. Why is he saying this to you? Is he being a hypocrite? Don't believe it until you investigate it yourself if it is your business. If it is not your business, do not carry it further. Do not act before you make sure or before you seek counsel. You must seek counsel, especially if you do not have a shaykh. It is best to do so with those who make zikr. In Qur'an-i-Kerim it says, "Ask those who make zikr."

An ayat of Qur'an-i-Kerim says, "Do not take unbelievers as your friends." This does not mean that you should not talk to them. Just don't take them as your allies or your models.

Who is the Unbeliever?

The biggest one is in you, your nafs. People who create fitna talk to your nafs. Shaytan talks to your nafs.. He tells you to put someone down so you will be higher. But you will not be higher by putting somebody else down, you can only have a high rank or station by your own merits, not by someone else's demerits. Do not choose Shaytan as your friend. Choose the truth.

Shaytan doesn't like unity. If two people are having a sisterhood relationship, for example, Shaytan wants to break them up. He wants to separate them, take over and lead them astray. Consider yourselves as good friends, as dost, then Shaytan cannot interfere.

Examples of Fitna.

Lawrence of Arabia goes to the Middle East and says to one of the tribes, "These Turks are taking advantage of you, kill them. Then we will give this land to you." He then goes to another tribe and he says, "Fight against the Turks and we will give this land to you." He promised the same land to three or four tribes. The tribes go to fight, but the Turks are not there and Lawrence benefits by causing suspicion.

A fitna scenario: "I want to take over this place. What can I do?" I see that there are tall people and short people. So then I say that tall people are taking advantage of the short people. "Short people, take care of yourselves." I go to the tall people and say, "The short people are uniting and they are taking advantage of you." Neither side is concerned with the truth, so they begin to fight against each other. Bela.

Money is a common means used to produce fitna. Communists make fitna. Politicians use fitna in order to win. The worst fitna is ignorance, not knowing what people want. Ignorance gives birth to all of these troubles. That is why you have to know what Allah wants, know science, know mathematics, and so on, all of which are in the Holy Qur'an.