1. It is intended to mean shirk. Allaah (The Most High) said:
حَتَّىٰ لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ
“Until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and
worshipping of others along with Allah)”(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:193)
2. It is intended to mean fighting. Allaah (The Most High) said:
أَن يَفْتِنَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا
“if you fear that the disbelievers may attack you.”
(Surah An-Nisaa, 4:101)
3. It is intended to mean an excuse. Allaah (The Most High) said:
ثُمَّ لَمْ تَكُن فِتْنَتُهُمْ
“There will then be (left) no Fitnah (excuses or statements or arguments) for them…”
(Surah Al-An’aam, 6:23)
4. It is intended to mean misguidance. Allaah (The Most High) said:
وَمَن يُرِدِ اللَّهُ فِتْنَتَهُ
“And whomsoever Allah wants to put in Al-Fitnah [error, because of his rejecting the Faith..”
(Surah Al-Maa’idah, 5:41)5. It is intended to mean a just judgement (i.e. a judgement of Allaah which is always based on perfect justice and wisdom and He does not wrong anyone or anything equal to the weight of an atom or smaller than that). Allaah (The Most High) said:
إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا فِتْنَتُكَ‘’It is only Your Trial by which You lead astray whom You will, and keep guided whom You will.”
(Surah Al-A’raaf, 7:155)
6. It is intended to mean sin. Allaah (The Most High) said:
أَلَا فِي الْفِتْنَةِ سَقَطُوا
“Surely, they have fallen into trial” (i.e. disobedience to Allaah)
(Surah At-Tawbah, 9:49)
[See Tafseer of Imaam Sadi]
7. It is intended to mean disease. Allaah (The Most High) said:
يُفْتَنُونَ فِي كُلِّ عَامٍ
‘’They are tried once or twice every year (with different kinds of calamities, disease, famine, etc.)…”
“Surah At-Tawbah, 9:126)
8. It is intended to mean a moral lesson. Allaah (The Most High) said:
رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا
“Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the disbelievers’’ [(i.e. them having the upper hand over us due to our sins) –see tafseer of Imaam Sadi]”
(Surah Al-Mumtahinah 60:5)
9. It is intended to mean Uqoobah (i.e. the just recompense of Allaah received by a person for abandoning obligations and committing crimes). Allaah (The Most High) said:
أَن تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ
“Lest some Fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a tyrant, etc.)”
(Surah An-Noor, 24:63)
10. It is intended to mean a test. Allaah (The Most High) said:
وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ
‘’And We indeed tested those who were before them.”
(Surah Al-Ankaboot, 29:3)
11. It is intended to mean punishment. Allaah (The Most High) said:
اللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ
“they consider the trial of mankind as Allah’s punishment.”
(Surah Al-Ankaboot, 29:10)
12. It is intended to mean burnt in fire. Allaah (The Most High) said:
يَوْمَ هُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ يُفْتَنُونَ
“(It will be) a Day when they will be tried (i.e. burnt) over the Fire!”
(Surah Adh-Dhaariyaat, 51:13)
13. It is intended to mean afflicted with madness. Allaah (The Most High) said:
بِأَييِّكُمُ الْمَفْتُونُ
“Which of you is afflicted with madness”
(Surah Al-Qalam, 68:6)
[Source: Al-Mudhish of Imaam Ibnul Jawzee (rahimahullaah) page: 30-31]