Surah Al-Anfal, Verse 27/28

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*Surah Al-Anfal, Verse 27:*

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَخُونُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ وَتَخُونُوا أَمَانَاتِكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

O you who believe! Betray not Allah and His Messenger, nor betray knowingly your Amanat (things entrusted to you, and all the duties which Allah has ordained for you).

#COMMENTARY

Trusts may be of various kinds:

1. Property, goods, credit, etc.

2. Plans, confidences, secrets etc.

3. Knowledge, talents, opportunities, etc., which we are expected to use for our fellow-men. Men may betray the trust of Almighty ALLĀH and His Prophet by misusing property, or abusing the confidence reposed in them, or the knowledge or talents given to them. On that special occasion, when the plans for the protection of Almighty ALLĀH's worshippers against annihilation were of special importance, the Prophet's trust and confidence had to be guarded with special care. Occasions for scrupulously respecting the trust and confidence of our fellow-men occur every day in our life, and few of us can claim perfection in this respect. Hence the special distinction of the Prophet of ALLĀH, who earned the title of Al-Amīn, the one who was true to every trust reposed in him.

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*Surah Al-Anfal, Verse 28:*

وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلَادُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

And know that your possessions and your children are but a trial and that surely with Allah is a mighty reward.

#COMMENTARY

A big family- many sons -was considered a source of power and strength: chapter iii, verses 10 and 116. So in English, a man with many children is said to have his "quiver full": compared Psalms, chapter cxxvii, verses 4-5: "As arrows are in the hands of a mighty man, so are the children of thy youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." So with property and possessions: they add to a man's dignity, power, and influence. But both possessions and a large family are a temptation and a trial. They may turn out to be a source of spiritual downfall, if they are mishandled, or if the love of them excludes the love of Almighty ALLĀH (Sub-haanahu wata'aala).