Module 7E-08 Higher Level

EXTeNDED LeARniNG

Fitnah can also refer to a kind of severe trial or test. The term is also used to describe situations or incidents which are unclear and one finds it difficult to distinguish right from wrong.

There are many ahadith which tell us this kind of fitnah will occur during the end of time. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a) has narrated: ‘Mahdi will not appear except when people have great fear and they will be spiritually shaken and there is fitnah.’

This meaning of fitnah is widespread today. Sometimes it is difficult for us to distinguish right from wrong, especially when some people misuse and misinterpret the name of Islam. Some people – because of their lack of knowledge or their desire to be free of Islamic laws and restrictions – use shallow arguments to justify their evil actions. It could be that for them the truth is not clear and they are confused, or it could be that their souls are corrupted and do not want to submit to Islam properly.

It is important for us to know that the real truth is only with Allah, the Qur’an, and the ma‘sumin, and we must take these teachings from true and trusted ulama who study in the religious seminaries such as Qum and Najaf.

تّٰ َ حلً ِطاَب َل ِطاَ ْل اَنِ ِر أ َ وُهَعِبَّت أتّٰ َ حًا ّق َ ح َّقَ ْل ا نِ ِراللهم أ أَف ِيْ َهِبا َشَت ُم َّ َ َع ا َم ُهْلَعْ َت َل َ وُهَبِنَت ْج ىً دُه ِيْ َغِب َياَو َه َعِبَّت

Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq (a) says in a du‘a: ‘O Allah, show me truth as the truth so I follow it, and falsehood as falsehood so I stay away from it, and let them not seem similar to me, for if this happens then I will follow my own desires.’Listen

Write down this du‘a, try to memorise it and include it amongst your daily du‘a recitations.