وَٱتَّقُوا۟ فِتْنَةً لَّا تُصِيبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنكُمْ خَآصَّةً ۖ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ 25
Translations
And fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively, and know that Allāh is severe in penalty.
Transliteration
Wa-ttaqū fitnatun lā tuṣībanna alladhīna ẓalamū minkum khāṣṣatan wa-a'lamū anna Allāha shadīdu al-'iqāb
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the believers to guard against fitnah (tribulation/discord) that does not exclusively affect the wrongdoers among them, but affects the righteous as well. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as a warning that societal corruption and disobedience can bring divine punishment upon entire communities, not just the transgressors themselves. The verse emphasizes collective responsibility and warns that Allah's punishment is severe for those who fail to prevent or oppose injustice within their society.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Medina during the period of early Islamic warfare and community consolidation. This surah addresses the believers following the Battle of Badr, and this particular ayah contextualizes the importance of maintaining social cohesion and moral standards within the Muslim community to avoid collective punishment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa-sallam) said: 'When the people see an evil and do not change it, Allah will soon include them all in His punishment' (Sunan Ibn Majah and Sunan al-Tirmidhi). Additionally, 'Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he is not able, then with his tongue; if he is not able, then with his heart, and that is the weakest of faith' (Sahih Muslim).
Themes
Key Lesson
Muslims have a collective duty to prevent wrongdoing in their society, as inaction can bring divine punishment upon the entire community, not just the wrongdoers themselves. This emphasizes the importance of enjoining good and forbidding evil (al-amr bi-l-ma'rūf wa-n-nahy 'an al-munkar) as a foundational Islamic principle for maintaining societal righteousness.
Related Ayahs
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْأَنفَالِ ۖ قُلِ ٱلْأَنفَالُ لِلَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ ۖ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَصْلِحُوا۟ ذَاتَ بَيْنِكُمْ ۖ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
They ask you, [O Muḥammad], about the bounties [of war]. Say, "The [decision concerning] bounties is for Allāh and the Messenger." So fear Allāh and amend that which is between you and obey Allāh and His Messenger, if you should be believers.
إِذْ يُرِيكَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِى مَنَامِكَ قَلِيلًا ۖ وَلَوْ أَرَىٰكَهُمْ كَثِيرًا لَّفَشِلْتُمْ وَلَتَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَلَّمَ ۗ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ
[Remember, O Muḥammad], when Allāh showed them to you in your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many, you [believers] would have lost courage and would have disputed in the matter [of whether to fight], but Allāh saved [you from that]. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.
ذَٰلِكُمْ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُوهِنُ كَيْدِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
That [is so], and [also] that Allāh will weaken the plot of the disbelievers.
فَإِمَّا تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَرْبِ فَشَرِّدْ بِهِم مَّنْ خَلْفَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ
So if you, [O Muḥammad], gain dominance over them in war, disperse by [means of] them those behind them that perhaps they will be reminded.