By Haroon Ishola Balogun
In clear and concise terms, Amanah is being accountable to Allah. It is one of the islamic value that every Muslim must be conscious of merely because we will render account of what we have done with all what Allah has given human beings. Amanah is our commitment to do what is right and to obey the ordinances of Allah. Amanah is part of the pure nature of humans known as “fitrah” and it is strongly equated with faith as in the hadith “there is no faith for the one who has no amanah” and “the believer is the one people trust with their lives and wealth.”
A Muslim is responsible to develop their abilities and morality to become a proactive member of society. It transcend and traverse the personal and private life. It manifests first from the personal to the family level where Islam stresses that a man is the guardian of his family and he is responsible for them. A woman is the guardian of her husband’s home and his children and she is responsible for them. Then it stretches to the neighbours and then the society at large.
Just as the husband have a role, the wife too has more daunting roles which she must fulfill at home, on her children, husband and other members of the family.
Everybody, all human being no matter your gender, class or social status you must fulfill your responsibility nature has bestowed on you, that which you vowed to keep.
The politician, governor, Minister, lawmakers, President are also responsible for the welfare of the people. The presence of peace, justice and orderliness are critical aspect of the public or societal amanah. It is emphatically clear from the Quran and hadiths of the Prophet that any one who rules over the affairs of the Muslims must sincerely and dutifully work for their welfare if he desires paradise. This means if you fail as a leader to achieve this in your environment, you are a candidate for hell fire. The same goes for all public offices as clearly indicated by the narration of Abu Dharr who said, “I said to Messenger of Allah: ‘Why do you not appoint me to an (official) position?’ He patted me on the shoulder with his hand and said, ‘O Abu Dharr, you are a weak man and it is a trust and it will be a cause of disgrace and remorse on the Day of Resurrection except for the one who takes it up with a full sense of responsibility and fulfills what is entrusted to him.”
The Prophet said, “he is not one of us who cheats.” In fact, the Islamic economic and financial system is based on the prohibition of cheating, corruption and unlawful gains. Yet, over 50 per cent of our politicians are Muslims. Of course they know all these, but they chose to dare Allah and look the other way. “The people can suffer, they can ravage in poverty, while I live in superfluous luxury. I don’t care, let the judgment come, when we get to the bridge, we will cross it.” That’s what they are quick to say. Allah is oft-forgiven, very merciful, but he will not renege on His promise. The creation of paradise and hell fire was certainly meant for some. Allah knows that Nigerian politicians may be occupants of the latter.
Also read: How arrogance, pride (Al-Kibr) destroy society!
“Truly, We did offer al-Amaanah (the trust or moral responsibility or honesty and all the duties which Allah has ordained) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allah’s Torment). But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its results)” (Al-Ahzaab 33:72).
The amanah (trust) includes everything that Allah has entrusted to you and instructed you to take care of. That includes guarding your physical faculties from engaging in anything that is not pleasing to Allah, and guarding anything that has been entrusted to you that has to do with the rights and dues of others.
“Those who are faithfully true to their amanah (all the duties which Allah has ordained, honesty, moral responsibility and trusts etc.) and to their covenants”
[al-Mu’minoon 23:8].
“And if Allah had so willed, He would have made you a people, but He misleads whom He wills, and guides whom He wills, and verily ye shall be questioned of what ye used to do.” (Al-Nahl, 16: 93)
“Verily! Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due; and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice. Verily, how excellent is the teaching which He (Allah) gives you! Truly, Allah is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer.” (al-Nisa, 4: 58)
“That Day shall we set a seal on their mouths. But their hands will speak to us, and their feet bear witness, to all that they did.” (Yasin, 36: 65)
“Verily! Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due” (An-Nisa’ 4:58).
“Ibn ‘Umar said, I heard the Messenger of Allah S.A.W says: “All of you are shepherds and each of you is responsible for his flock. An Imam is a shepherd and he is responsible for those in his care. A man is a shepherd in respect of his family and is responsible for those in his care. The woman is a shepherd in respect of her husband’s house and is responsible for those in her care. The servant is a shepherd in respect of his master’s property and is responsible for what is in his care. All of you are shepherds and each of you is responsible for his flock.” (Al-Bukhari, 2000).
I ask Allah SWT to guide us to the right path. May Allah make us like His pious servants who lived up to the sacred trusts committed to them.
May Allah preserve us against the temptations of evil and shaytan’s whispers, and make good for us in this life and in the hereafter.
May Allah forgive us, and cover our faults, and show us the light of His mercy and guidance. Aamin.
