Vigilance against Self
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَاتَّقُواْ
فِتْنَةً لاَّ
تُصِيبَنَّ
الَّذِينَ
ظَلَمُواْ
مِنكُمْ خَآصَّةً...
8: 25. And fear tumult or oppression, which affecteth not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong
C1198. Fitnah: has many meanings:
- the root meaning is trial or temptation, as in 2:102 and 8: 28;
- an analogous meaning is trial or punishment, as in 5:71;
- tumult or oppression, as in 2:193, and here: and in 8:39,
- there is here (8:25) the further shade of meaning suggested, discord, sedition, civil war.
This warning against internal discord or tumult was very necessary in the Civil Wars of early Islam, and was never more necessary than it is now. For it affects innocent and guilty alike.
...وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ ﴿٢٥﴾
and know that Allah is strict in punishment.
Asad’s Version:
8: 25 And beware of that temptation to evil which does not befall only those among you who are bent on denying the truth, to the exclusion of others; and know that God is severe in retribution. [Asad note 25, meaning on “fitnah’]
8: 25 And fear tumult or oppression, which affect not in particular [only] those of you who do wrong: And know that God is strict in punishment. ali