Hawzah News Agency - One of the Important Teachings of Islam is attention to Trust and Trustworthiness. The holy Qur'an states in this regard:

«إِنَّ اللَّهَ یَأْمُرُکُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَیٰ أَهْلِهَا.»

"Indeed Allah commands you to deliver the trusts to their [rightful] owners." (Ch. Nisa', V. 58)

Explanation:

The important concept of trustworthiness can be viewed from two perspectives:

1. Worldly trusts that people entrust to one another.
2. Spiritual trusts that Almighty God has entrusted to humanity.

Both types of trust hold a very special place in Islam.

Worldly Trusts:

The sensitivity and importance of worldly trusts are such that, when fulfilling them and remaining loyal to them, no distinction exists between whether the trust belongs to a friend or an enemy.

Imam Sajjad peace be upon him says regarding this:

"You must return the trust to its owner. By the One who sent Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him and his family) as the true Prophet, if the murderer of my father, Hussain (peace be upon him), entrusted me with the sword with which he martyred my father, I would not betray that trust." (Mishkat al-Anwar al-Tabarsi, v. 3, p. 142)

In the Battle of Khaybar, which occurred in the 7th year of Hijrah, the provisions of the Muslim army ran out. They were so pressed for food that they resorted to eating the meat of animals like horses and mules (whose consumption is discouraged - Makrooh). During this time, they encountered a shepherd who was driving the sheep of the Jews from the desert towards their fortresses. The soldiers considered taking the sheep as spoils of war. However, the shepherd said, "These are entrusted to me."

In front of hundreds of hungry soldiers, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, clearly stated:

"In our religion, betrayal of trust is one of the greatest crimes. You must take all the sheep to the gates of the fortresses and return them to their owners."

The shepherd embraced Islam, returned the sheep to their owners, and then joined the Muslim army to fight the Jews, ultimately attaining martyrdom. (Sirah ibn Hisham, v. 3, p. 345)

A Criterion for Recognizing Individuals:

One of the criteria that Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, introduces for recognizing individuals is their fulfillment of trusts. He explicitly states:

«لاَ تَنْظُرُوا إِلَی طُولِ رُکُوعِ اَلرَّجُلِ وَ سُجُودِهِ، وَ لَکِنِ اُنْظُرُوا إِلَی صِدْقِ حَدِیثِهِ وَ أَدَاءِ أَمَانَتِهِ.»

"Do not look at a person's prolonged prayers, but rather look at their truthfulness and trustworthiness."

Work and Responsibility as Trusts:

It should not be overlooked that worldly trusts are not limited to material possessions that others have entrusted to us. Work and responsibilities that a person accepts are also trusts in their hands, and they must remain vigilant in fulfilling them.

Imam Ali, peace be upon him, in a letter to one of his governors, wrote:

«إِنَّ عَمَلَکَ لَیْسَ لَکَ بِطُعْمَةٍ وَ لَکِنَّهُ فِی عُنُقِکَ أَمَانَةٌ.»

"Indeed, the position of governorship is not a means for you to earn sustenance, but rather a trust placed upon your shoulders."

If those in positions of responsibility, and generally anyone who holds a duty in society, view their role and responsibility in this way, many societal issues would resolve themselves naturally.

The Ultimate Importance of Trust:

Finally, what amplifies the significance of this discussion is a statement by Imam Ali, peace be upon him, who said:

«مَنْ لاَ أَمَانَةَ لَهُ لاَ إِیمَانَ لَهُ.»

"One who is not trustworthy has no faith."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The International Service of "Hawzah News Agency"