Trustworthiness in Islam: A Comprehensive Guide

Hadith Gateway

Become Trustworthy

Mawlana Muhammad Nasir Jamal Attari Madani

Allah’s Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

لَا ‌اِيْمَانَ ‌لِمَنْ لَا اَمَانَةَ لَہٗ

“He who is not trustworthy has no faith.”^[1]

Amānah is trustworthiness: fulfilling and observing the rights one is entrusted.^[2] The opposite is khiyānah: betrayal^[3] of those rights and breaking trust without the permission of the shariah.^[4]

Trust is at the heart of protecting people’s rights and is hailed as the essence of true belief and faith in Allah. Just as the heart is vital for life, trustworthiness is vital for faith.^[5]

Explaining the hadith of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم mentioned at the beginning:

1.   This is a warning, the purpose of which is to admonish and highlight how faith can be imperfect ˹without trustworthiness˺. By extension, someone who is treacherous concerning another’s wealth, his self or his own household, his faith is not complete.^[6] Moreover, a true believer is someone who does not endanger the lives and wealth of others. The faith and belief of the treacherous is incomplete.^[7]

2.   It is possible for this to refer to the reality of a person’s faith being denied entirely. In other words, this means when a person becomes habitual in treachery concerning these matters (i.e., the wealth of others, his self or his family), it is feared that the said person may fall into disbelief.^[8] Due to treachery, a person becomes embroiled in many different types of sins. As sins lead towards disbelief, the faith of a treacherous person remains in danger.^[9]

Ṣādiq and Amīn

The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was unparalleled and distinguished in his trustworthiness. Even before announcing his prophethood, he was hailed as “the Trustworthy One” (Amīn). When he began calling the world to Islam, the Roman emperor asked the Quraysh, who were staunchly against Islam at the time, about him. They lauded his character and described his trustworthiness.

This same quality of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was mentioned by the Companion JaꜤfar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ when he met the king of Abyssinia. The disbelievers of Makkah were severe enemies of the final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, yet they would keep their valuables with him; such was his trustworthiness. When he migrated from Makkah to Madinah, he gave Sayyidunā ꜤAlī رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ the responsibility of returning these trusts to their owners.

Types of trustworthiness

Trustworthiness is the protector of rights, and from this perspective it is to do with Allah, man’s own self and others. Let us now discuss the differing forms of this.

Trustworthiness with Allah

This entails fulfilling the commands of Allah and avoiding that which He has prohibited. This is known as trustworthiness with Allah. The Companion ꜤAbdullah b. MasꜤūd رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said, “Trustworthiness is required in every matter, including ablution, ritual impurity, salah and fasting.”

Allah forbids us from blasphemy, heresy, and obscenity. Trustworthiness of the tongue is in abstaining from these matters. He also forbids us from looking at forbidden things; preventing one’s eyes from looking upon them, is trustworthiness of the eyes. The same rings true in every similar matter.

Trustworthiness with one’s self

Trustworthiness with oneself is to select that which is most beneficial in relation to one’s religion and worldly life, and to avoid such an action, due to anger or one’s desires, which is a cause of loss in the Hereafter.

Trustworthiness with others

Trustworthiness with others means returning trusts to them, being honest in our business dealings and not divulging people’s private matters.^[10]

Three matters in which there is no excuse

The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “There are three matters in which there is no excuse for anyone: treating parents well, whether they are Muslims or not; fulfilling promises, made to Muslims or non-Muslims; and fulfilling trusts, whether they belong to Muslims or non-Muslims.”^[11]

The virtue of a trustworthy businessman

The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم declared, “The truthful and trustworthy Muslim businessman will be raised on the Day of Judgement with martyrs.”^[12]

Four signs of a hypocrite

The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم announced:

Whoever has ˹these˺ four ˹traits˺ in them is a pure hypocrite. Whoever harbours one of them possesses a portion of hypocrisy within them, until they abandon it: when he is entrusted, he betrays; when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he goes against it; and when he argues, he resorts to foul language.^[13]

How was this rank attained?

Luqmān the Wise was asked, “How did you reach this rank?”

He replied, “Through speaking the truth, fulfilling trusts and avoiding unnecessary actions.”^[14]

If we become trustworthy

This concise discussion has revealed the individual and communal benefits of trustworthiness. It is the key to being mindful of Allah, the foundation of honour, and the cornerstone of protecting life, wealth, individual wellbeing, and communal harmony. Above all, treachery and deceit are eliminated from society, and trustworthiness proves to be a means of fostering passion for cooperation, supporting the fallen and dispelling grief. May Allah grant us the ability to live our lives with trustworthiness.

اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ خاتَمِ النَّبِیّیْن صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم