What is meant by a man's trial concerning his family for which prayer, fasting, and charity atone, and is it disobedience to parents or harming one's wife?

The meaning of a man's "fitna" (trial/temptation) concerning his family refers to matters that confront him with them, which may lead him away from the truth, or cause him to commit unlawful acts on their behalf, or neglect his duties towards them, or show favoritism to one of them. As for disobeying one's parents (uquq al-walidayn), it is a major sin that cannot be expiated by good deeds; rather, it is expiated only by sincere repentance.