Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was the embodiment of trustworthiness. The Makkans called him ‘the Trustworthy One.’ Even after the declaration of his Prophethood, they continued to entrust their precious goods to him although they regarded him as an enemy. He warned his people against lying, breaking one’s word and breach of trust. “Like breaching a trust and breaking one’s word, lying was also, in his words, ‘a sign of hypocrisy’.” (Abu Dawud) He was so meticulous in this matter that once he saw a woman call her child saying, ‘Come on, I will give you something! He asked her whether she would really give the child something. When the woman replied that she would give him a date, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) warned: If you were not to give something that would be a lie! He was not only against deceiving humans, but even warned people against deceiving animals. Once, annoyed at seeing one of his companions call his horse using deception, he said: You should give up deceiving animals. You should be trustworthy even in your treatment of them. (Bukhari, Muslim) Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was asked by one of his companions: “…Are we rewarded for kindness towards animals?” Muhammad (SAW)) replied, “There is a reward for kindness to every living being.” (Bukhari). Once, on the way home from a military campaign, a few Companions took the chicks of a bird from the nest to pet them. The mother-bird returned after a short while and on finding the chicks gone, began to fly around in distress. When the Prophet of Allah (SAW) was informed of this, he was so grieved that he ordered the chicks to be returned immediately.
“From the lowliest peasant to the mightiest king all are equal, the only thing that makes one member of the unit better than the other is his piety or righteousness. Amongst the many qualities that blend together to make righteousness, is trustworthiness”.
By this he demonstrated that it was not befitting for those who should be representatives of trustworthiness to hurt any living creatures. (Abu Davud, Hanbal).The heart of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was utterly closed to all kinds of evil, but open to all sorts of good. He lived in a climate of security, faithfulness and trustworthiness. He never cheated, lied, betrayed, spoke behind anyone’s back or slandered anyone. He never harboured evil suspicion of any-one. In return, people relied on him, and confided in him. His enemies spoke all kinds of slander against him but no one ever accused him of lying and disloyalty. From the lowliest peasant to the mightiest king all are equal, the only thing that makes one member of the unit better than the other is his piety or righteousness. Amongst the many qualities that blend together to make righteousness, is trustworthiness.
