Being Trustworthy Is A Fundamental Tenet Of Islam
By
Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam
5 July 2023
Indian
Muslim Culture Faces Declining Trustworthiness; Increased Focus Needed
Main
Points
1. Islam
upholds human rights in many ways including trustworthiness.
2. Allah
Almighty loves trustworthy people who uphold the rights of others and keep
their promises on time.
3. Being
untrustworthy is a sign of hypocrisy.
4. Trustworthiness
in Islam requires Muslims to be trustworthy for God, themselves, and others.
------
The
fundamental principles of Islam uphold human rights, which are effectively
realised through the moral standards and behavioural guidelines that Islam not
only endorses but also strongly advises. We shall examine one such attribute in
this essay, which is trustworthiness.
The Holy
Quran explicitly exhorts the believers to treat others with trust in their
dealings with them:
“Indeed,
Allah commands you to hand over whatever you hold in trust to their owners” (Surah Al-Nisa, Verse 58)
The life of
the Holy Prophet clearly demonstrates that he was recognised for his
trustworthy quality. Even those who opposed the Holy Prophet most vehemently
would agree that he was "truthful" (Al-Sadiq) and
"trustworthy" (Al-Ameen), proving that his reputation for being
trustworthy was undisputed.
Allah
Almighty loves trustworthy people who uphold the rights of others and keep
their promises on time. People who are untrustworthy are contrasted with having
inadequate, insufficient faith. (Musnad Ahmad, 4/271, H. 12386)
A person is
only deemed trustworthy if they return all deposited property to its original
owner. Unfortunately, it seems that the definition of trustworthiness has been
reduced over time to material trust. Although this is just one part of what it
means to be trustworthy, there are many other aspects as well. Human rights and
the rights of Allah Almighty are both considered to be trusts, according to
Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan. (Mirat-ul-Manajih
Sharh Mishkaat-ul-Masaabih, 3/236)
Islamic
sources cover a lot of ground when it comes to the idea of trustworthiness.
Respecting one's commitments to others as well as to Allah Almighty is a vital
part of being trustworthy. As a result, performing virtuous deeds like offering
Salah, fasting during Ramadan, paying Zakat, performing the Hajj, being honest,
and performing other good deeds all fall under the heading of being
trustworthy. The limbs of the human body, such as the tongue, eyes, ears,
hands, and others, are also entrusted to us by Allah Almighty, and one of the
ways we can prove our trustworthiness is by protecting them from flaws and
needless deeds.
Allah’s
Messenger (peace be upon him) is reported to have said:
“He who is
not trustworthy has no faith.” [Musnad Ahmad: 12386]
Amanah,
which means "trustworthiness," refers to upholding and respecting the
rights given to one. Khiyanah, on the other hand, is the betrayal of such
rights and breach of trust without the Shariah's consent. The defence of
people's rights is centred on trust, which is lauded as the cornerstone of
sincere belief and faith in Allah. Just as the heart is fundamental to life,
trustworthiness is to faith.
The
Hadith's assertion that "He who is not trustworthy has no faith"
implies that this is an admonition and a call to attention about how faith
might be flawed "without trustworthiness."
The Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasised the importance of upholding the rights
of others when he said,
"Allah
says, 'I will be against three persons on the Day of Resurrection: -1. One who
makes a covenant in My Name, but he proves treacherous. -2. One who sells a
free person (as a slave) and eats the price, -3. And one who employs a labourer
and gets the full work done by him but does not pay him his wages.' "
(Sahih al-Bukhari 2227)
In the
past, Allah Almighty dealt harshly with those who were dishonest and broke
their trust. The Midianites had
established unethical and immoral economic practices, and Prophet Shuaib (peace
be upon him) was instructed to warn them of God's wrath.
“And to
the people of Midian We sent their brother Shu’aib. He said, “O my people!
Worship Allah. You have no god other than Him. And do not give short measures
and weight. I do see you in prosperity now, but I truly fear for you the
torment of an overwhelming Day. And O my people, give full measure and weight
in justice and do not deprive the people of their due and do not commit abuse
on the earth, spreading corruption. The gains that Allah lets you retain are
better for you if you indeed believe.” (11:84-86)
When
Prophet Shuaib (peace be upon him) issued his warning and the people decided to
ignore him, the divine promise of God was demonstrated to be true.
Allah says,
“When Our command came, We saved Shu’aib and those who believed with him by
a mercy from Us. And the mighty blast overtook the wrongdoers, so they fell
lifeless in their homes.” (11:94)
Anyone who
calls themselves a believer must exhibit the qualities of reliability, honesty,
and trustworthiness. According to a
Hadith, lying and betrayal are wholly incompatible with Islam. They are the
traits of hypocrisy. A Hadith states: "A hypocrite is known by three
traits: When he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he reneges; when he is
entrusted, he cheats (or embezzles)." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)
The Prophet
of Allah (peace be upon him) had a remarkably high level of trustworthiness. He
was referred to as "the Trustworthy One" (Amin) even before declaring
his Prophethood. The Quraysh, who at the time were fiercely opposed to Islam,
responded to the Roman emperor's inquiry about him by saying that he was highly
trustworthy.
The
Companion Ja’far revealed this same trait of the Prophet to the monarch of
Abyssinia. Even though the final Prophet had fierce opponents in Makkah, they
would leave their treasures with him, because of his reliability. The Prophet
delegated Sayyidun Ali the duty of returning these trusts to their owners when
he migrated from Makkah to Madinah.
Islam
commands Muslims to become trustworthy for Allah Almighty, for themselves and
for human beings. Trustworthiness with Allah entails fulfilling the commands of
Allah and abstaining from His prohibitions. As Hazrat Abdullah b. Masud
remarked, "Trustworthiness is required in every matter, including
ablution, ritual impurity, salah, and fasting." Blasphemy, heresy, and obscenity are all
forbidden by Allah. Abstaining from these behaviours is a part of becoming
trustworthy. He also prevents us from gazing upon things that are forbidden;
the ability to do so indicates that one's eyes are trustworthy. In any
situation like this, the same is true. Being trustworthy with oneself means
avoiding actions motivated by rage or selfish ambitions that can result in a
loss in the hereafter and instead choosing what is most helpful in terms of
one's faith and daily life. Being trustworthy with others entails repaying
their trust, being truthful in commercial dealings, and keeping others' private
information to ourselves.
There are
three things for which there is no justification, according to the Prophet of
Allah (peace be upon him): treating parents well, regardless of whether they
are Muslims or non-Muslims; keeping pledges; and honouring trusts, regardless
of whether they belong to Muslims or non-Muslims. [Shuʿab al-Iman: 4363]
There is a
lack of trustworthiness in our society today, just as many other good things
appear to be fading away. The situation has become so terrible that some of the
less bright individuals now see people who are trustworthy and who pay the
debts of others as stupid. It appears
that the viewpoint of society has changed so significantly that good and evil
have started to be seen as being equivalent. We should underline our own trait
of trustworthiness and show complete respect for the rights of others.
----
Kaniz
Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam.
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-spiritualism/trustworthy-fundamental-tenet/d/130137
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism