Living The Quran
From Issue: 694 [Read full issue]
Solid Foundation
Al-Maarij (Ways of Ascent) - Chapter 70: Verse 32
"Who are faithful to their trusts and to their pledges."
This is one of the basic moral qualities on which Islamic society is founded. The honouring of trust and pledges begins, according to Islam, with honouring the great trust that God offered to the heavens, the earth and the mountains but they refused to accept it, fearing that they would not be able to fulfil its commitments. Man however accepted it. This is the trust of faith and the fulfilment of its requirements out of choice but without compulsion. It also involves honouring the first pledge taken from man's nature, before birth, when this nature testifies to the truth of God's oneness. Faithfulness to all trusts and pledges in worldly transactions is founded on honouring the first trust and this first pledge.
Islam repeatedly emphasizes the importance of such faithfulness, to trust, confirming its role in building its society on solid foundations. It considers such faithfulness a distinctive feature of a believer. This is often repeated in the Quran and the Sunnah, leaving no room for doubts as to the importance Islam attaches to faithfulness.
Compiled From:
"In the Shade of the Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol 17, p. 261