You borrow your friend’s phone charger and forget to return it. Someone gives you money to keep for them, but you use part of it without permission. You find an item that belongs to another person and decide to keep it because nobody saw you pick it up.
These situations may appear small, but they raise an important question: How do you treat things that do not belong to you?
Islam teaches us that honesty and trustworthiness are important qualities of a believer.
ALLAH COMMANDS US TO RETURN TRUSTS
Allah says:
“Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice…”
Qur’an 4:58
This verse establishes an important responsibility: trusts must be returned to their rightful owners.
An amanah is not limited to money or physical property. It can include confidential information, responsibilities, duties and anything entrusted to your care.
When someone gives you something to keep, they are placing their trust in you. You should treat that trust with seriousness.
SMALL ACTS OF DISHONESTY STILL MATTER
Some people believe that keeping a small amount of money or borrowing something without returning it is not a serious issue.
Others think that finding an item without an owner nearby means they are free to keep it.
But the value of honesty is not determined by whether someone catches you.
A Muslim should not take what belongs to another person without permission, regardless of how small the item may appear.
If you accidentally damage something you borrowed, take responsibility and inform the owner. If you owe someone money, make an effort to repay it.
TRUSTWORTHINESS BEGINS WITH EVERYDAY ACTIONS
You can practise amanah in simple ways:
– Return borrowed books, clothes and other belongings.
– Pay back money you owe.
– Do not use another person’s property without permission.
– Keep private information confidential.
– Complete responsibilities entrusted to you.
– Be honest when handling money or business transactions.
These actions help build trust and demonstrate good character.
WHAT IF YOU HAVE ALREADY TAKEN SOMETHING?
If you have wrongfully taken or kept something that belongs to another person, do not ignore the matter.
Repent sincerely to Allah and make a genuine effort to return the item or its value to the rightful owner.
If the owner cannot be located or the situation is complicated, seek guidance from a knowledgeable Islamic scholar about the appropriate way to resolve it.
Do not allow embarrassment or pride to prevent you from correcting a wrong.
HEART CHECK
Being trustworthy means doing the right thing even when nobody is watching.
Your reputation should not be built only on what people know about you. It should also reflect how you behave when you are handling something that belongs to someone else.
3SIXTYISLAM
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