Trustworthiness in Islam

In Islam, trustworthiness is a significant responsibility and a heavy burden, meaning the fulfillment of duties towards Allah through worship and devotion, and carrying out the rights of creation without shortfall. Trustworthiness is one of the foundational pillars of the ethical system in Islam, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) linked trustworthiness with faith. It encompasses all aspects of a Muslim’s religious and worldly life, from acts of worship like prayer, fasting, and zakat, to one's faculties such as hearing, sight, and heart, as well as one's life, wealth, spouse, children, parents, neighbors, contracts, wills, testimonies, duties, society, and knowledge. Allah says: ‘And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned.' [Al-Isra: 36].

Trustworthiness involves maintaining and spreading the religion, performing acts of worship sincerely and according to Sharia, taking care of oneself and purifying one’s soul, and using one's faculties in ways that please Allah. It also includes making good use of one's life in obedience, dealing correctly with money, fulfilling the rights of the spouse, children, parents, and neighbors. It emphasizes the importance of fulfilling contracts and covenants, executing wills justly, giving truthful testimony, performing job duties with integrity, preserving and strengthening the Muslim community, transmitting knowledge truthfully, and keeping the secrets of conversations confidential.

Every Muslim bears the responsibility of trustworthiness for all that they are entrusted with, and Allah will question them about it on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned against deception and betrayal in trust, and emphasized that one who does not advise his subjects sincerely will not smell the scent of Paradise. Trustworthiness includes everything in life and is a tremendous responsibility that Allah offered to the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it, and it was the human who took it on."