Is Trustworthiness Mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah?
هل ذكرت الأمانة في القرآن والسنة؟
Is honesty mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah?
The answer shows that trustworthiness (amanah) is mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah in three meanings: the obligations Allah placed on His servants (Al-Anfal 8:27), the rights people are commanded to keep (An-Nisa 4:58), and the messengers' faithful conveying (Al-A'raf 7:68), with the hadith that the believer is the one people trust with their lives and wealth.
1. Fulfilling Divine Commandments
The orders and commandments that Almighty Allah has imposed on the creations are a supreme trust. Allah strictly warns believers against betraying this covenant.
Allah Almighty says: (O believers! Do not betray Allah and the Messenger, nor betray your trusts knowingly.) Surah Al Anfal 8: 27.
2. Returning Trusts to Owners
The trusts which man is commanded to be mindful of include all physical, financial, and moral rights belonging to others.
Allah Almighty explicitly orders: (Indeed, Allah commands you to return trusts to their rightful owners) Surah An Nisa 4: 58.
3. The Mission of the Messengers
The trust that the messengers and angels of Allah carry from their Lord, in truthful conveying free of distortion.
Allah says about His prophets: (I convey to you the messages of my Lord, and I am to you a trustworthy adviser.) Surah Al-A'raf 7:68.
Note: The quoted verse, I convey to you the messages of my Lord, and I am to you a trustworthy adviser, is Al-A'raf 7:68 (the words of the Prophet Hud); the reference in the original answer, 7:62, has been corrected.
4. Honesty in the Sunnah
In the Sunnah, the concept of a true believer is directly tied to the level of trust people place in them. Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet said: "The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe, and the believer is the one whom people trust with their lives and their wealth." Narrated by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih.
هل ذكرت الأمانة في القرآن والسنة؟
يبين الجواب أن الأمانة ذكرت في القرآن والسنة بثلاثة معان: ما فرضه الله على العباد (الأنفال 8:27)، والحقوق التي يؤمر الإنسان بحفظها (النساء 4:58)، والتبليغ الصادق من الرسل (الأعراف 7:68)، مع حديث: المؤمن من أمنه الناس على دمائهم وأموالهم.
الأوامر والفرائض
ما فرضه الله تعالى على العباد كلهم من الأوامر والفرائض هو أمانة عظيمة، وقد حذر الله من خيانتها.
قال الله تعالى: (يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَخُونُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ وَتَخُونُوا أَمَانَاتِكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ) الأنفال 8: 27.
حفظ الحقوق لأصحابها
ما يؤمر الإنسان بحفظه من الحقوق المعنوية والمادية.
قال الله تعالى: (إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهَا) النساء 4: 58.
رسالات النبيين والملائكة
ما يطلبه رسل الله تعالى وملائكته عن ربهم في التبليغ الصادق الخالي من التحريف.
قال الله تعالى عن أنبيائه: (أُبَلِّغُكُمْ رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّي وَأَنَا لَكُمْ نَاصِحٌ أَمِينٌ) الأعراف 7: 68.
ملاحظة: الآية المذكورة (أُبَلِّغُكُمْ رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّي وَأَنَا لَكُمْ نَاصِحٌ أَمِينٌ) هي الأعراف 7:68 على لسان هود عليه السلام، وكانت الإحالة في الجواب الأصلي إلى الآية الثانية والستين، فصححت.
الأمانة في السنة النبوية
أما في السنة، فقد ارتبط مفهوم الإيمان بالأمانة ارتباطا وثيقا. عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، أنه قال: (المسلم من سلم المسلمون من لسانه ويده والمؤمن من أمنه الناس على دمائهم وأموالهم) رواه ابن حبان في صحيحه الصفحة 180.
1. Delivering the Trust Is a Mark of Prophethood | وأداء الأمانة
When Heraclius questioned Abu Sufyan about the Prophet, he said: I asked you what he commands you, and you claimed that he commands you to pray, to be truthful, chaste, faithful to covenants, and to render the trust; and this is the description of a prophet (Sahih al-Bukhari 2681). Even his enemies knew rendering trusts as part of his message.
قال هرقل لأبي سفيان: "سألتك ماذا يأمركم فزعمت أنه أمركم بالصلاة والصدق والعفاف والوفاء بالعهد وأداء الأمانة. قال: وهذه صفة نبي" (صحيح البخاري 2681).
2. Conveying, Sincere Advice, and Trust | البلاغة والنصح والأمانة
On the verse the answer quotes, I convey to you the messages of my Lord, and I am to you a trustworthy adviser (Al-A'raf 7:68), Ibn Kathir says: these are the qualities by which the messengers are described: conveying, sincere advice, and trustworthiness.
أُبَلِّغُكُمْ رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّي وَأَنَا لَكُمْ نَاصِحٌ أَمِينٌ (سورة الأعراف: 68)
قال ابن كثير في قوله تعالى (أبلغكم رسالات ربي وأنا لكم ناصح أمين): "وهذه الصفات التي يتصف بها الرسل البلاغة والنصح والأمانة" (الأعراف 7:68).
3. Abu Lubabah and the Verse of Betrayal | أبو لبابة وآية الخيانة
Ibn Kathir reports from Abdullah ibn Abi Qatada and al-Zuhri that the answer's verse, do not betray Allah and the Messenger, nor betray your trusts (Al-Anfal 8:27), was revealed about Abu Lubabah, who signalled to Banu Qurayzah that the judgment awaiting them was death; realizing he had betrayed Allah and His Messenger, he tied himself to a pillar of the mosque until Allah accepted his repentance.
نقل ابن كثير عن عبد الله بن أبي قتادة والزهري أن الآية (الأنفال 8:27) "أنزلت في أبي لبابة بن عبد المنذر، حين بعثه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى بني قريظة"، فأشار إليهم أنه الذبح، ثم فطن أنه قد خان الله ورسوله، فربط نفسه في سارية من المسجد حتى تاب الله عليه.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Is trustworthiness mentioned in the Quran?
Yes. The answer cites Al-Anfal 8:27: do not betray Allah and the Messenger, nor betray your trusts, and An-Nisa 4:58: Allah commands you to render trusts to their owners.
How does the Sunnah describe the believer?
As the one whom people trust with their lives and their wealth (Jami at-Tirmidhi 2627; Sunan an-Nasa'i 4995).
Which verse describes a prophet as trustworthy?
Al-A'raf 7:68, where Hud says: I convey to you the messages of my Lord, and I am to you a trustworthy adviser.
Why was the verse do not betray your trusts revealed?
Ibn Kathir reports that it was revealed about Abu Lubabah, who regretted a signal he gave to Banu Qurayzah and tied himself to a pillar until Allah accepted his repentance (Al-Anfal 8:27).