Living the Right Way
Trustworthiness
Trustworthiness to the good and to the bad is one of the Islamic duties and all Muslims are required to keep it carefully.
Allah the Most High said: “But if one of you trusts another, then he who is trusted should deliver his trust, and let him be careful (of his duty to) Allah, his Lord.”
He also said: “Surely Allah commands you to make over trusts to their owners.”
He also said: “Successful indeed are the believers... Those who are keepers of their trusts and their covenant.”
He also said: “Surely Allah does not love the treacherous.”
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) said: “There is no belief for him who is not trustworthy.”
He (S) also said: “He who is unfaithful to a trust and does not deliver it to its owner until he passes away, his death is with a religion other than what I brought and Allah will meet him angrily.”
He (S) also said: “Don’t he unfaithful to anything that anybody deposits with you and trusts you with, ‘Surely Allah commands you to make over trusts to their owners.’[^1]”
Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) the Commander of the Faithful said: “A Muslim is not untrustworthy when trusted with something nor does he break a promise which he makes.”
He (a.s.) also said: “Keep away from untrustworthiness; for it is the worst sin and he who has it will be punished in hell.”
He (a.s.) also said: “Keep away from untrustworthiness, for it is an opposition to Islam.”
He (a.s.) also said: “O Kumail, we do not permit anyone to break trusts. He who quotes us otherwise, he is wrong and sinful, and he will be punished for his forging of lies. I swear that the Messenger of Allah told me at his death thrice: ‘Be trustworthy to the good and to the bad in small and large things even in needles and thread.’”
Imam ‘Ali Zayn al-’Abidin (a.s.) said: “Keep on being trustworthy; I swear by Him who sent Muhammad (S) as a truthful Prophet, that if the man who killed my father (al-Husain) deposits his dagger with me, I will certainly make it over to him.”
Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “Be pious and trustworthy to anyone who deposits a trust with you. Indeed, if the killer of Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) deposits anything with me, I will make it over to him.”
He (a.s.) also said: “Be trustworthy, even to the killer of Imam al-Husain (a.s.).”
He (a.s.) also said: “Keep en ‘being pious, trustworthy and truthful.”
He (a.s.) also said: “Three things must be regarded in any case: trustworthiness to the good and to the bad, keeping covenants for the good and the bad, and doing good to parents whether they are good or had.”
[^1]: The Qur’an 4:58.