١٦٣. عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ:
«اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُوعِ فَإِنَّهُ بِئْسَ الضَّجِيعُ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخِيَانَةِ فَإِنَّهَا بِئْسَتِ الْبِطَانَةُ».
163. Abu Huraira (r.a.) narrated:
“The Messenger of Allah used to pray as:
“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from hunger, for it is an evil state; and I seek refuge in You from treachery, for it is an evil hidden trait.” (Abu Dawud, Witr, 32/1547. Also see Nasai, Istiadha, 19, 20; Ibn Majah, At’ima, 53)
Explanations:
Since the word “mu’min” (believer) comes from the same root of the words “amniyyah” (safety) and “amanat” (trust), Muslims who have faith in Allah should be the most trustworthy people on earth. Almighty Allah wants believers to be “trustworthy.” As a matter of fact, “amanat” was one of the most important characteristics of the prophets. Our Prophet was the symbol of being trustworthiness and the word “amin” (trustworthy) became like his second name. Thus, nothing is more natural for believers as the followers of the Muhammad al-Amin to be trusted ones. Those who deviate from this and be disloyal eventually lose their tie with being a believer and being a follower of Muhammad al-Amin.
As one of the signs of hypocrisy, disloyalty means treating something entrusted in contradiction with Islam, being unjust, and not giving the feeling of trustworthiness. As this is true in regards to the material issues, it also holds in moral matters as well. If a person changes or abandons the commands of the Book and the Sunnah, he becomes disloyal to the things that are entrusted him by Allah and His Messenger.
On the other hand, since a secret given to a friend is also a thing that should be kept safe, revealing a secret is also being disloyal.
Our Almighty Lord does not like the treacherous. (Al-Hajj; 22:38) (Al-Anfal; 8:58)
The snare of the false ones will never be successful. (Yusuf; 12:52)
Allah commands His Prophet to stay away from disloyalty and say:
“… so be not (used) as an advocate by those who betray their trust.” (Al-Nisa; 4:105)
“Contend not on behalf of such as betray their own souls; for Allah loves not one given to perfidy and crime.” (Al-Nisa; 4:107)
Those who became disloyal would not be saved in the hereafter even if they are the closest relatives of the Prophet.
It is said in a noble verse of the Qur’an:
“Allah sets forth, for an example to the unbelievers, the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot: they were (respectively) under two of our righteous servants, but they were false to their (husbands), and they profited nothing before Allah on their account, but were told: “Enter you the Fire along with (others) that enter!” (Al-Tahrim; 66:10)
When the Messenger of Allah was listing the inmates of Hell, he said:
“…And dishonest ones whose greed cannot be concealed even in the case of minor things.
…those who betray you morning and evening, in regard to your family and your property.” (Muslim, Jannat, 63)
In order to save one self from the Hell and enter into Paradise, one must be a believer. Faith cannot exist together with treachery. As a matter of fact, in our first hadith, we are told that there is no faith for the one who has no trust, and there is no religion for the one who does not fulfill his promises. Both of these issues are related to being trustworthy. This hadith proves how great the sin disloyalty is.
In some narrations, it is told that a believer can sometimes fall into sinful acts but being disloyal and lying are the things that a believer never commits. (Ahmad, V, 252; Baihaqi, Shuab, IV, 207)
The aim of this hadith is to emphasize the greatness of the sin of being disloyal and lying. Otherwise it does not aim to open the door of other sins to the believers. A believer should avoid all kinds of sins however disloyalty and lying are the things that should never seen in a believer. That is because these bad characters do not befit to a believer and do not comply with having faith.
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) described a Muslim as:
“Muslim is a brother to a Muslim. He would not be disloyal to him, lie to him, and withhold his help to him. The chastity, wealth, and blood of Muslims are forbidden (haram) to each other.” (Tirmidhi, Birr, 18/1927)
It is not possible to hide anything from Almighty Allah. He knows the evil looks of disloyal people and their bad intentions and records them as evidence against them in their book of deeds. It is said in the noble Qur’an:
“(Allah) knows of (the tricks) that deceive with the eyes, and all that the hearts (of men) conceal.” (Al-Mu’min; 40:19)
Thus, it is impossible for a person who believes in Allah and the Hereafter to be disloyal. As a matter of fact, in our second hadith, it is told that being disloyal is a sign of hypocrisy. The hadith continues listing the signs of hypocrisy as lying and breaking promises which are also various manifestations of treachery. In other words, those who are not trustworthy in their words and actions and give the impression of disloyalty eventually get away from being a believer and get closer to hypocrisy. Even if this person performs his acts of worship such as fasting and praying and thinks that he is a believer, the last situation would be the case in reality. For this reason, believers should pay extra attention to being trustworthy and having a high moral character.
In another hadith, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said that Allah the Exalted said:
“I will be the enemy of three persons on the Day of Resurrection” and mentioned people who don’t keep promises among them. (Bukhari, Buyu, 106)
In another hadith, he gave us the scaring news of:
“On the Day of Judgment, a flag will be planted for each disloyal people and it will be announced that the flags are the signs of their disloyalty.” (Bukhari, Jizya, 22; Adab, 99; Hiyal, 99; Muslim, Jihad, 11-17)
In our third hadith, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) advised us to be trustworthy (amin) people and not to react with disloyalty to those who were disloyal to us.
These two issues are so important that they are the foundations of social order and morality.
The first article commands us to fulfill the commands of Allah and also give other people their dues. In other words, as one pay attention to be loyal and honest in material goods, one must also do the same in moral issues.
The trust of Almighty Allah to His subjects is composed of all of His commands and revelations as it is expressed in the following verse:
“We did indeed offer the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof…”[1] A believer who fulfills these commands becomes loyal to the trust. Those who do not obey the rules of Islam become disloyal to Allah and His Messenger. He but no one else would be the one who faces the burdens of acting this way. As a matter of fact, “On account of their arrogance in the land and their plotting of evil, but the plotting of evil will surround only the authors thereof.” (Al-Fatir; 35:43)
This fact is more clearly told us in another noble verse:
“O you who believe! Betray not the trust of Allah and the Messenger, nor misappropriate knowingly things entrusted to you.” (Al-Anfal; 8:27)
If one thinks his own benefit, he should avoid being disrespectful and dishonest to the divine commands and the Sunnah of the Prophet and should extend our endless gratitude to Allah for His commands that make us alive. Performing our religious duties seriously and sincerely by not deviating from being loyal and obedient to them guarantees our happiness and salvation. If a person does not act this way and becomes disloyal to Allah and His Messenger, he becomes even more disloyal to the trusts of other people. If a person loses his character and self-respect and start being disloyal to Allah and His Messenger, that person becomes disloyal to others’ wealth, life, chastity, modesty, rights, laws, and his country, and national duties.
When they are dealt with from the perspective of entrusted things to humans, every right and responsibility, no matter how small they are, is a trust. Doing people injustice and deceiving them intentionally is treachery. If a promised work is not carefully done on time, it is also an example to disloyalty. Not being at work on time, doing late or incomplete job by ignoring the work is also being disloyal and the wage earned unfairly in turn is forbidden (haram.)
In our hadith, as being disloyal is forbidden, to react to disloyalty with disloyalty is also forbidden. However, those who started it are always more oppressive and their punishment is worse.
Since Our Exalted and Just Lord knows what everyone is doing the best, He will prove who has how much to give and how much to take and judge accordingly. This following story is one of the examplary examples of this fact:
Someone sat before Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) and asked:
“O Messenger of Allah! I have some slaves. They are disloyal and they always lie to me and disobey me. Thus, I scorn and strike them. What will be my situation because of them?”
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) answered:
“The punishment that you enforce on them will be measured against their disloyalty, disobedience, and lies, and if the punishment that you give them is equal to their wrong deeds, it is neither to your advantage or disadvantage. If the punishment that you give is less than what they have deserved, it is to your advantage. If the punishment that you give exceeds what they have deserved, you have to pay for the extra punishment and that will be taken from you by the method of eye for an eye.”
The man went to corner and started to cry his eyes out. Upon this, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) asked:
“Don’t you recite Almighty Allah’s following verse: “We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least, and if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it (to account): and enough are We to take account.”[2]
Upon this, the man said:
“O the Messenger of Allah! I swear to Allah, both for my goodness and theirs, there is no other option left than freeing them. You are my witness that they are all free.” (Tirmidhi, Tafsir, 21/3165)
In our forth hadith, a matter that most frequently causes the carnal-self to fall into disloyalty is mentioned. No matter how small, being disloyal to state and public goods is among the major sins that Allah informed us that He will not forgive and may cause one to go to Hell. That is because everybody in a country has a right in them. Thus, its punishment will be accordingly. Those who commit such major sins will come to terms with those they have deceived in the Hereafter in the sight of Allah unless they ask for their forgiveness in this world and promise Allah not to commit this kind of sin again. For the disloyal people, if there are rights of others on them, their good deeds will be distributed among the deceived innocents and when the good deeds are all finished, they will take the sins of those who have rights on them and thus they will go completely bankrupt.
Those who are disloyal cannot find anyone to help them in the difficult times of the doomsday. Abu Huraira (r.a.) narrated the important warning of the Prophet (pbuh) on this fact:
Once the Prophet (pbuh) got up amongst us and made a speech out misappropriation of war spoils and the state funds (ghulul). He emphasized that such disloyalty is a great evil, declared that it was a great sin, and explained that hence it is strictly prohibited. He said:
“Don’t commit ghulul for I should not like to see anyone amongst you on the Day of Resurrection, carrying over his neck a sheep that will be bleating, or carrying over his neck a horse that will be neighing and beg:
“O Allah’s Apostle! Intercede with Allah for me!” or I will reply:
“I can’t help you, for I have conveyed Allah’s Message to you on earth!”
Nor should I like to see a man carrying over his neck, a camel that will be grunting and say:
“O Allah’s Apostle! Intercede with Allah for me!” I will say to him:
“I can’t help you for I have conveyed Allah’s Message to you on earth!”
Nor should I like to see a man carrying over his neck gold and silver and saying:
“O Allah’s Apostle! Intercede with Allah for me!” I will say to him:
“I can’t help you for I have conveyed Allah’s Message to you on earth!”
Nor should I like to see a man one carrying clothes that will be fluttering and saying:
“O Allah’s Apostle! Intercede with Allah for me!” I will say to him:
“I can’t help you for I have conveyed Allah’s Message to you on earth!” (Bukhari, Jihad, 189; Muslim, Imarat, 24)
The fact that those who are disloyal will come on doomsday with the things that they have obtained unjustly is a strong threat and indicates that they deserve to go to Hell.
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Umar b. Khattab (r.a.) narrated that:
It was the day of Khaibar Military Expedition. A party of Companions of the Apostle of Allah (pbuh) came and said:
“So and so is a martyr.”
Then, they happened to pass by a man and said:
“So and so is a martyr too.”
Upon this, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) remarked:
“Nay, not so verily I have seen him in the Fire for the garment or cloak that he had stolen from the booty.”
Then the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) ordered:
“Umar the son of Khattab, go and announce to the people that none but the believers shall enter Paradise!”
I (Umar bin Khattab) went out and proclaimed:
“Verily none but the believers would be able to enter Paradise.” (Muslim, Iman (Faith), 182)
Unjustly getting others’ rightful shares is such an important matter that even martyrdom, which is one of the highest ranks, did not help for its forgiveness. For this reason, one must strictly stay away from undeserved gain and disloyalty.
The fact that the Prophet ordered to be announced that only believers will go to Paradise is to show that disloyalty and faith cannot be together under any circumstances.
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On the other hand, aiding disloyal ones is also disloyalty. The Prophet (pbuh) said:
“Anyone who conceals one who has been disloyal to a trust is like him.” (Abu Dawud, Jihad, 135/2716)
As it can be understood from our forth hadith, one must not go after the duties involving the rights of the public. However, if duty is given, one must try to do it in the best manner. A person who accepts this kind of responsibility does not have a right to take anything more than what is designated for him. Also, it is not considered nice of him to accept gifts while he is in that position. That is because those who give gifts to people in positions of responsibility may be after their own benefits that are against the benefits of the society. This may cause various disloyalties and corruptions.
The Noble Companions of the Prophet used to be extra careful about this issue:
Abu Bakr (r.a.) appointed Muadh b. Jabal as the zakat collector. Muadh (r.a.) returned with some stuff and said to Abu Bakr:
“These are yours and there are the gifts given to me.”
Umar (r.a.) said:
“Deliver all of them to Abu Bakr.”
Muadh (r.a.) acted slowly in returning the gifts that were given to him. When he went to sleep, he saw a dream. He saw himself as if he was at the edge of a huge fire. He was afraid of falling into it. At that moment, Umar (r.a.) came and saved him by pulling from his belt.
Muadh (r.a.) went to Abu Bakr in the morning and told him about his dream and returned all the stuff that was with him.
Abu Bakr said:
“Since you are doing this, I give the gifts back to you sincerely.”
Upon this Umar (r.a.) said:
“Now they became permissible (halal) for you.” (Ibn al-Jawzi, Manaqib, p. 261)
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) praised people who are loyal to public goods and showed that this is something to be proud of. One day, he said:
“What nice tribes are the tribes of Asad and Ash’ari; they do not run away from fighting and they are not disloyal to war booty. They are for my side, and I am for their side.” (Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 74/3947)
Almighty Allah is also with those who are trustworthy. In a noble hadith, this fact is told as:
“Allah, Most High, says: “I make a third with two partners as long as one of them does not cheat the other, but when he cheats him, I depart from them.” (Abu Dawud, Buyu, 26-27/3383)
There is no doubt that when Allah departs from the two partners, Satan will immediately interfere and drag them to miserable ends.
Another issue related to being disloyal is misguiding a friend who asks for advice. Those who misguide to the wrong path in spite of knowing the right one would be disloyal to their friends who trusted them and asked for their advice.
It is said in a noble hadith:
“If anyone advises his brother, knowing that guidance lies in another direction, he has deceived him.” (Abu Dawud, Ilm, 8/3657)
It is impossible to think of a worse betrayal than lying to a friend who trusts and listens to he liar. That is because people can be very deceivable and incautious to people that they think they would never lie. Thus, the damage they would get in such situations would be much more compared to other cases.
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“It is great treachery that you tell your brother something and have him believe you when you are lying!” (Abu Dawud, Kitab Al-Adab, 71/4971; Ahmad, IV, 183; Bukhari, al-Adab al-mufrad, no: 393)
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) who explained the dangers of disloyalty and treachery sought refuge in Allah in his prayers in order to be an example for his followers. As it can be seen in our fifth hadith:
He used to pray saying “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from treachery, for it is an evil hidden trait” and showed us how to pray. By this, he wanted to show that disloyalty is a bad characteristic that brings shame on people and degrades them to the lowest degrees and advised his followers to seek refuge in Allah from it.