SEMANTICS OF THE WORD AL-FITNA IN THE QUR’AN

Abstract

UDK 811.411.21´36:28-23

The article comprises of the following parts: The Introduction; Lexical meaning of the word al-fitna; Contextual meaning of the word al-fitna in the Qur’an; Critical review; Semantic range of the word al-fitna and Conclusion. The aim and the purpose of the work –exploring the semantics of the word al-fitna, i.e. the range of its meanings as are given in the Qur’an in accordance with different contexts wherein it is appears- and the method and the biblioghraphy upon which the work is based, are given within the introduction part. In the second part, titled as the Lexical meanings of the word al-fitna, lexical meanings of the word, based on relevant lexicographic dictionaries of Arabic of both classical and contemporary period, are given. Fifteen contextual meanings of the word al-fitna with references to relevant works in the field of semantic lexicology of the Qur’an (al-wuğuh wa al-naza’ir ) of the classical period and comentaries of the Qur’an (tafasir al-Qur’an)of both, classical and contemporary period are presented in the part titled contextual meanings of the word al-fitna. Following is the part wherein a critical review of the insights of the semanticists and the comentators of the Qur’an regarding the given contextual meanings of the word al-fitna is given. Classification of meanings of the word al-fitna as a term and as a concept, listing a range of its six semantic levels are presented in the part titled the Semantic range of fitna. The Conclusion part offers some final analysis and concludes that the fitna that we are witnessing today within the Muslim world can lead either towards integartion of Muslims (a positive connotation of fitna) or towards desintegration (a negative connotation of fitna) in all spheres of life.