This verse was revealed when we were present with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ : ʿAnd fear the Fitnah (affliction and trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong (but it may afflict all the good and the bad people)ʿ. (al-Anfal [8:25]). We started saying: “What is this fitnah? And we never thought that it would happen as it did.”  

الزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ الْعَوَّامِ نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ وَنَحْنُ مُتَوَافِرُونَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ {وَاتَّقُوا فِتْنَةً لَا تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْكُمْ خَاصَّةً} [الأنفال 25] فَجَعَلْنَا نَقُولُ مَا هَذِهِ الْفِتْنَةُ؟ وَمَا نَشْعُرُ أَنَّهَا تَقَعُ حَيْثُ وَقَعَتْ آخِرُ حَدِيثِ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ الْعَوَّامِ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ