Chapter 14 - On Being Trustworthy

“Return whatever you are entrusted with to its owner, even if the owner is the murderer of Imam Hussein (a.s).”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Be pious and return the property that you have been entrusted with, since I shall even return any property of Imam Ali's (a.s) murderer to him, if he entrusted me with his property.”

Abdullah ibn San'an said that once he went to see Imam Sadiq (a.s) in the mosque. Imam Sadiq (a.s) had finished saying his afternoon prayers and was sitting facing the Qibla He told Imam Sadiq (a.s): “O' grandson of the Prophet! There are several rulers who have entrusted their treasury with me, but do not pay you your due one-fifth levy. Should I return their property to them?” Imam Sadiq (a.s) replied: “I swear three times by the Lord of this Qibla that even if Ibn Muljam who has killed my grandfather (Imam Ali (a.s)) (and I wish to take revenge on him) entrusts his property with me, I shall return it to him.”

Imam Kazim (a.s) said: “The residents of the planet Earth will receive divine blessings as long as they love each other, act righteously, and honor what they are entrusted with.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) was questioned about God's statement: “We did indeed offer the Trust to the Heavens and the Earth and the Mountains, but being afraid, they all refused to undertake it. However man undertook it- he was indeed unjust and foolish.” [The Holy Quran: Ahzab 33:72]. He was asked: “What was offered to them? What did man undertake? What is it?” Imam Sadiq (a.s) replied: “Trust between the people was offered, and this was done during the creation of the creatures.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “One who violates the trust with which he is entrusted does not belong to my nation.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “God did not appoint anyone to the prophethood unless he was honest and trustworthy.”

Some of the companions of Imam Sadiq (a.s) have narrated him as saying the following to his children: “O' Children! Please honor what you are entrusted with so that your worldly and heavenly life remains healthy. Be trustworthy and you will need nothing.”

“You ought to return what you are entrusted with to its owner. I swear by God who rightly appointed Muhammad to the prophethood that even if the murderer of my father Imam Hussein (a.s) entrusts me with his sword with which he killed my father, I shall return it to him.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “The dearest person near God is the one who is honest in his speech; the one who guards (i.e. he performs) his prayers, and does what is incumbent upon him; and the one who returns what he is entrusted with.” He then added: “Whoever is entrusted with something and returns what he is entrusted with has indeed opened up one thousand knots of the Fire of Hell from around his own neck. Therefore compete with each other in being trustworthy, and know that Satan will appoint one hundred of his followers to tempt whoever is known to be trustworthy. They will tempt him to violate the trust, and get ruined. Only those protected by God the Almighty shall be saved.”

The Prophet (a.s) said: “Do not only consider how much a person prays and fasts, how many times he goes on pilgrimage, how many good deeds he has performed and how much he engages in supplications at night. But consider his honesty and trustworthiness.”