By Aisha Stacey<\/p>\n
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In the article entitled Honesty<\/em>, we discussed how important the concept of honesty is to Islam and how it incorporates truthfulness and reliability. \u00a0Another dimension of honesty is trustworthiness, or in Arabic, amanah<\/em>.\u00a0 The meaning of amanah is trustworthiness, or, it is something or someone left to someone to protect or keep.\u00a0 The opposite of amanah is betrayal or even treason.\u00a0 That is, to fail<\/em>to keep the trust or amanah in the way the person who left it expected or wanted.<\/p>\n Trustworthiness further enhances the integrity and sound moral conduct that is inherent in the notion of honesty.\u00a0 Being trustworthy implies being\u00a0honest, fair in dealings and punctual (in terms of both regularity and timeliness) as well as honouring trusts and keeping promises and commitments.\u00a0 An important part of the noble Islamic character is being trustworthy.\u00a0 Prophet Muhammad was known, even before his Prophethood to be Al Amin<\/em> (the trustworthy one).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While the qualities of honesty and trustworthiness are inextricably entwined, there are slight differences.\u00a0 Honesty implies a lack of deceit while trustworthiness entails honouring and fulfilling commitments, promises, trusts and covenants.\u00a0 It covers moral, social, legal and religious obligations.\u00a0 Being truthful in promises and covenants is one of the characteristics by which the believers are known.\u00a0 Both promises and covenants involve saying something about an issue to confirm that you will uphold the trust.\u00a0 This is especially so with regard to one’s duties towards God.\u00a0 God praises the believers by promising them Paradise,<\/p>\n \u201cThose who are faithfully true to their amanah (all the duties which God has ordained, honesty, moral responsibility and trusts, etc.) and to their covenants…these indeed are the inheritors.\u00a0 Who shall inherit Paradise.\u00a0 And dwell therein forever\u201d (Quran 23:8, 23:10-11)<\/p>\n Trust, and being worthy of another\u2019s trust, is inherent in being one who is submitted to the will of God.\u00a0 When God appointed Adam (the father of mankind) as successor on earth,\u00a0 it was a trust incumbent upon all of mankind.\u00a0 When God created us as individuals for worshipping Him, it became a trust incumbent upon us to nourish<\/a>[1] \u00a0ourselves and our families in a way that enables worship.<\/p>\n In Islam, every believer is a brother or sister to the other; we are one body, one nation. \u00a0The right hand must be able to trust the left hand.\u00a0 The commands and rules from God are designed for our benefit and Islam holds people\u2019s rights in high esteem.\u00a0 The systematic arrangement of guidelines and regulations is intended to uphold the rights Islam gives to the believers and to minimise vice and corruption. \u00a0Islam strongly condemns the violation of God-given rights.\u00a0 When God commands us to keep the trust, to be trustworthy, it is not a matter to be taken lightly.<\/p>\n Prophet Muhammad explained the seriousness of upholding the rights due to others when he said, \u201cGod says, \u2018There are three people whom I shall be their opponent on the Day of Judgment: A man who was given something in My Name and then betrays;\u00a0A man who sells-off a free man (as a slave) and consumes the price; and A man who hires a labourer, makes use of his service then does not give him his wages.\u2019\u201d (Saheeh Al-Bukhari<\/em>)<\/strong>. \u00a0God says in the Quran,<\/p>\n \u201cVerily, God does command you to render back your Trusts to whom they are due.\u201d (Quran 4:58)<\/p>\n In the past God dealt severely with people who were dishonest and did not honour their trusts.\u00a0 The people of Midian had developed unfair and corrupt business practices and Prophet Shuaib was instructed to warn them of God\u2019s displeasure.<\/p>\n \u201cHe said, \u201cO my people!\u00a0 Worship God, you have no other god but Him, and give not short measure or weight, I see you in prosperity; and verily I fear for you the torment of a Day encompassing<\/a>.\u00a0 And O my people!\u00a0 Give full measure and weight in justice and reduce not the things that are due to the people, and do not commit mischief in the land, causing corruption<\/a><\/a>.\u00a0 That which is left by God for you (after giving the rights of the people) is better for you, if you are believers.\u201d (Quran 11:85-86)<\/p>\n After Prophet Shuaib issued his warning and the people chose to belittle and ignore him the promise of God was shown to be true.\u00a0 God is the most Just, the Most Wise and He is the Ultimate Trustee, the One who can be relied upon to fulfil His promises.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cAnd when Our Commandment came, We saved Shuaib and those who believed with him by a Mercy from Us.\u00a0 And a torment (or awful cry) seized the wrongdoers, and they lay (dead) prostrate in their homes.\u201d (Quran 11:94)<\/p>\n Reliability, honesty and trustworthiness are characteristics that must be present in anyone who claims to be a believer.\u00a0 The sayings of Prophet Muhammad indicate that dishonesty and betrayal are completely at odds with the Islamic faith.\u00a0 Prophet Muhammad informed us that \u201cA hypocrite is known by three traits: When he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he reneges; when he is entrusted, he cheats<\/strong> (or embezzles).\u201d (Saheeh Al-Bukhari<\/em>, Saheeh Muslim<\/em>)<\/strong><\/p>\n When Abu Ubayda was the commander of the Muslim armies in Syria, the Emperor of Byzantium set out with a large army to recapture Hims. \u00a0Abu \u2018Ubaida decided to evacuate the city because he had only a handful of soldiers.\u00a0 He gathered the people of Hims in the middle of the city and announced, \u201cWe collected the protection tax from you because we planned to defend you.\u00a0 Now we are too weak.\u00a0 In this case, we return the tax we collected.\u201d\u00a0 All the taxes collected were returned to the non-Muslim people of Hims.\u00a0 Such was the depth of feeling and understanding displayed by the early Muslims.\u00a0 They were constantly aware of their obligations towards\u00a0 God, their brothers and sisters and those who were under the protection of the Muslim armies.<\/p>\n Trustworthiness is a quality that is essential if a society is to function as one unit, bearing in mind the needs and aspirations of all its citizens.\u00a0 The Muslim nation should be one unit, one nation.\u00a0 All members of this brotherhood should be able to stand before God knowing that he is safe and secure in the company of one who is trustworthy. \u00a0From the lowliest peasant to the mightiest king all are equal, the only thing that makes one member of the unit better than the other is his piety or righteousness.\u00a0 Amongst the many qualities that blend together to make righteousness, is trustworthiness.<\/p>\n