( And he (Ibraaheem) said, "You have taken idols as ******s of worship instead of Allaah, loving them. But this love is only for the dunyaa, as on the Day of Judgement you shall disown each other…" )
So in argumentation there is a kind of fitnah. Few people have patience upon the Truth, remaining upon it, without becoming affected by this kind of fitnah, the doubts that the polytheists and disbelievers may instill in one's mind. These doubtful thoughts become renewed with the passing of time.
The Fitnah of Passions and Desires
After this, Allaah mentions the story of Loot ('alayhis-salaam). In it is mention of the fitnah of the desires of men that go against man's very nature. This, along with a number of other passions and their outward promotion of them, they claimed that there was no harm in them. They would refute anyone who prohibited them from their actions.
He (Loot) prohibited them, and said, "You are practicing all kinds of evil in your gatherings!" But all they said to him was, "Bring us Allaah's Punishment if you are indeed truthful!" [14]
It was great fitnah for Loot that his wife from his own house had given into their evil and became like them, encouraging the men to have intercourse with the men who came to their land, and the likes. (Allaah says) [15]:
( So we saved him and his family, except his wife, as she was from those who stayed behind )
So then the desires are a form of fitnah. How can one escape his desires and passions? He escapes them by recognizing that they are a source of fitnah.
Allaah intended for the passions in the flesh of mankind to be something that leads him to preserve his lineage (by having children), and to test the servant as well. Does he have perseverance or not? Does he push forward, firm upon what Allaah wants from him, or does he turn to his desires and lose hold of his grasp over them, going after anything he wants?
So in this story, the fitnah was something that led to the release of Allaah's Punishment upon those who did not cease doing things He, the Mighty and Majestic, had forbidden.
The Fitnah of Disobedience Upon Knowledge
Another kind of fitnah is when the people have knowledge, the society knows what is correct, but they do not act according to the knowledge. An ignorant man can be taught, but when knowledge has spread throughout a society and the people know the boundaries and they have some insight, but they contradict what they know, isn't that a fitnah?!
Knowledge has not been a blessing for them, rather it has only been a fitnah. Allaah, the Mighty and Exalted, mentions that the tribes of 'Aad and Thamood were people of knowledge. They knew and had insight, but with that they rebelled and disobeyed. Allaah, may He be glorified, said [16]:
( And (remember the destruction of) 'Aad and Thamood! Verily their (destroyed) places of residence have made clear to you (how they were destroyed). The Shaytaan beautified their actions for them and kept them away from the Path, while they were people of insight. )
The Shaytaan beautified their actions for them, and then kept them away from the Path, while they were people of insight! Were they ignorant? No. Were they deficient in some of their knowledge? No. They had knowledge, but the Shaytaan had beautified their actions for them, and thus kept them away from the Path! All of this while they had good insight and clear vision.
This is a tremendous fitnah, that a man has knowledge but he obeys the Shaytaan, leaving behind the knowledge that he has received from his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, and from His Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam).