The Transformation of the Meaning of Fitnah in the Qur’an: A Synchronic and Diachronic Semantic Analysis Based on Toshihiko Izutsu’s Perspective

Abstract

This study examines the semantic transformation of the word fitnah in the Qur’an through Toshihiko Izutsu’s synchronic-diachronic semantic approach. The word fitnah appears approximately 60 times in the Qur’an with varying contextual nuances. Synchronically, this study maps the semantic field of fitnah within the Qur’anic linguistic system at a single temporal layer, analyzing its syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations with key terms such as ibtila’, ‘adhab, shirk, and fasad. Diachronically, the study traces the semantic transformation of fitnah across time: from its basic meaning in pre-Islamic Arabic, through its Qur’anic usage, to its development in classical exegesis (Al-Thabari, al-Zamakhsyari, Ibn Katsir, al-Qurthubi) and contemporary exegesis (Fazlur Rahman, Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd, M. Quraish Shihab). The findings reveal that fitnah carries at least seven primary meanings in the Qur’an: trial/tribulation, torture/punishment, polytheism, social chaos, moral temptation, armed conflict, and doctrinal deviation. The diachronic analysis reveals a significant narrowing of meaning in modern Indonesian usage, with implications for distortions in contemporary Islamic understanding.