Library Ethics Greater Sins Chapter 24 The Twenty-Second Greater Sin:Khayanat Anyone could be the owner of the entrusted property
Anyone could be the owner of the entrusted property
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Anyone could be the owner of the entrusted property
We have numerous traditions dealing with this subject. They emphatically state that it is Wajib to guard the trust and HarÄm to misappropriate it, whether the one who entrusts it, is a Muslim or a Kafir. It is even Wajib to protect the goods entrusted by a Nasibi (those are openly inimical to Ahl ul-Bayt a.s.) in spite of the fact that the Nasibi are the worst kind of people.
Hazrat Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says:
“Fear Allah! And return the entrusted thing to the owner. Even if the murderer of ‘Ali (a.s.) entrusts me with something, I shall deliver it to him (when he desires).”
Imam (a.s.) also says,
“Then fear Allah! And guard the trusts (placed by) the white as well as the black (people). Even if the one who entrusts is from the Khwarij or a Syrian (those who hate ‘Ali [a.s.]).” That is, even if he is a confirmed enemy of the Ahl ul-Bayt (a.s.).
A man inquired from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.),
“Is it allowed to misappropriate the property of a Nasibi?”
Imam (a.s.) replied,
“Honour the trust of every person who entrusts you with it, or seeks your advice. Even if it is the killer of Imam Husain (a.s.).”
(Wasa’il ul-Shia)
Another similar narration is as follows:
Husain Shabani says that he asked Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.), “One of your followers considers the property and blood of Bani Umayya permissible for himself. He is also in possession of some property entrusted to him by the Bani Umayya?”
Imam (a.s.) replied,
“Restore the entrusted property to its owner even if they are MajÅ«s (fireworshippers).”
Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) is also reported to have said,
“Allah has not sent any messenger but with (the order to propagate) truth and restoring of trust, whether of a righteous man or a sinner.”
(Wasa’il ul-Shia)
Muhammad Bin Qasim says that he mentioned to Abul Hasan, Imam Musa al-Kadhim (a.s.) regarding the person who had entrusted someone with something valuable. “The trustee is an Arab and he is competent enough not to return the trust. Whereas the one who entrusts is a wretched Khariji (enemy of Ahl ul-Bayt)?”
Imam (a.s.) said,
“Tell him to return the trust; because it is a divine trust that he is entrusted with.” (Meaning that it is a trust, which is to be restored according to divine command).
Hazrat Imam Zayn ul-’AbidÄ«n (a.s.) advises his Shias:
“You must return the trusts when required. By the One who has sent Muhammad (S) as a messenger with trust, even if the killer of my father Husain (a.s.) had entrusted me with the sword with which he had slain him, I would have delivered it back to him.”
