وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ 3
Translations
But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allāh will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars.
Transliteration
Wa-laqad fatannā alladhīna min qablihim fa-laya'lamanna Allāhu alladhīna ṣadaqū wa-laya'lamanna al-kādhībīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah states that Allah tested those before the Muslims to distinguish the truthful from the liars, and He will similarly test the current believers to reveal who truly follows His path. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the trials (fitna) serve as a purification and clarification of faith—Allah's knowledge is absolute, but these tests manifest the hidden reality of hearts and intentions. The emphasis on 'alā (knowing) indicates that these trials reveal what was already known to Allah eternally, but become evident to creation.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Mecca during a period of intense persecution of Muslims, this ayah reassures believers that trials are a divine pattern applied to all communities. It comes within the broader context of Surah Al-'Ankabut, which extensively discusses trials and tribulations as a means of distinguishing genuine believers from hypocrites and waverers.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet ﷺ said: 'The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allah loves a people, He tries them, and whoever is patient has the patience of Allah, and whoever is impatient has the impatience of Allah' (Sunan At-Tirmidhi 2396). Also relevant: 'No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that' (Sahih Bukhari 5640).
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should understand that trials are not signs of Allah's displeasure but rather divine mechanisms for purification and the manifestation of sincere faith. In facing challenges, one should remain steadfast in truthfulness, knowing that Allah's knowledge encompasses all intentions and that ultimate justice will distinguish the sincere from the deceitful.
Related Ayahs
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن دَآبَّةٍ لَّا تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا ٱللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
And how many a creature carries not its [own] provision. Allāh provides for it and for you. And He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
وَتِلْكَ ٱلْأَمْثَـٰلُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ ۖ وَمَا يَعْقِلُهَآ إِلَّا ٱلْعَـٰلِمُونَ
And these examples We present to the people, but none will understand them except those of knowledge.
فَكُلًّا أَخَذْنَا بِذَنۢبِهِۦ ۖ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ أَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ حَاصِبًا وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ أَخَذَتْهُ ٱلصَّيْحَةُ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ خَسَفْنَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ أَغْرَقْنَا ۚ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ
So each We seized for his sin; and among them were those upon whom We sent a storm of stones, and among them were those who were seized by the blast [from the sky], and among them were those whom We caused the earth to swallow, and among them were those whom We drowned. And Allāh would not have wronged them, but it was they who were wronging themselves.
مَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ كَمَثَلِ ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ ٱتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا ۖ وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ ٱلْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ ٱلْعَنكَبُوتِ ۖ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ
The example of those who take allies other than Allāh is like that of the spider who takes [i.e., constructs] a home. And indeed, the weakest of homes is the home of the spider, if they only knew.