Amanah 7/30/2021
If someone entrusted you with money or goods for safekeeping, and you accept to keep them in your custody for that person, then you are the trustee who have accepted the responsibility of Amanah, that is safekeeping of what you have been handed, and returning or delivering upon request on at set time, in this example.
Amanah is not limited to money and tangible goods. It can include humans, animals, job responsibilities, and much more. In fact, delivering this khutbah correctly is Amanah, translating it accurately is Amanah. Generally, whenever we make ourselves responsible for something, we bear the burden of Amanah–if we deliver, we get thawab (reward); if we don’t, we get iqab (punishment). Allah, Subhanahu Wa Taa’ala, says
Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it; but man [undertook to] bear it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant (of the consequences)
Al Ahzab 72
When it comes to Amanah, humans fall under three categories:
Munafiqoon pretend to keep Amanah, but the, in realty, they don’t
Mushrikoon don’t believe in Allah and do not keep Amanah
Mo’minoon (believers) keep Amanah, in actuality, not in pretense.
Amanah includes all that Allah required of Muslims, including prayer, fasting, zakat, haj and other Islamic duties. More examples include a secret another muslim entrusted you with, and tasks and responsibilities of taking care of Muslims matters. Therefore, a king, president, governor or any Muslim government employee bears Amanah. So does a teacher, a merchant, the head of a household, etc.
Allah SWT says:
And if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then a security deposit [should be] taken. And if one of you entrusts another, then let him who is entrusted discharge his trust [faithfully] and let him fear Allah, his Lord. And do not conceal testimony, for whoever conceals it – his heart is indeed sinful, and Allah is Knowing of what you do.
Al Baqarah 283
And:
Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing.
An-Nisa 58
Profit Mohammad, Salla Allah Aleyhi Wassallam, said:
render trust to whom entrusted you, and do not betray who betrayed you.
Note: tafseer is by Saheeh International on Quran.com.