Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Return the trust to the one who entrusted you, and do not betray the one who betrays you." __QUR_N__ __XREF_N__ __REF_N__
Imam Tirmidhi says: 1- This hadith is Hasan Gharib. 2- Some people of knowledge have followed this hadith. They say that when a person has something belonging to another in his charge, and he takes it away, then if something belonging to that person comes into his possession, it is not permissible for him to withhold from it as much as was taken from him. 3- Some of the Tabi'in among the people of knowledge have permitted this, and this is also the opinion of Sufyan al-Thawri. He says: If someone owes him dirhams, and dinars (as a trust) come into his possession, it is not permissible for him to withhold the dinars in exchange for his dirhams. However, if dirhams come into his possession, then it is permissible for him to withhold from the dirhams as much as is owed to him.
Hadith Referenceسنن ترمذي / كتاب البيوع عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم / 1264
1؎: This command is obligatory because Allah says: «إن الله يأمركم أن تؤدوا الأمانات إلى أهلها» (an-Nisa: 58).
2؎: This command is recommended (mustahabb) because Allah says: «وجزاء سيئة مثلها» (ash-Shura: 40) "The recompense of an evil is an evil like it," and also He says: «وإن عاقبتم فعاقبوا بمثل ما عوقبتم به» (an-Nahl: 126). Both these verses indicate that one should take back one's right. Ibn Hazm's statement is that if one gains control over the property of the one who committed treachery, then it is obligatory to take back one's right, and this will not be considered treachery. Rather, treachery would be if he were to take more than his due right.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Dr. Abdur Rahman Freywai
Explanation:
1: This ruling is obligatory because Allah says: ﴿إِنَّاللّهَيَأْمُرُكُمْأَنتُؤدُّواْالأَمَانَاتِإِلَىأَهْلِهَا﴾ ()
2: This ruling is recommended (mustahabb), because Allah says: ﴿وَجَزَاءسَيِّئَةٍسَيِّئَةٌمِّثْلُهَا﴾ () (“The recompense of an evil is an evil like it.”) And also He says: ﴿وَإِنْعَاقَبْتُمْفَعَاقِبُواْبِمِثْلِمَاعُوقِبْتُمبِهِ﴾ () These two verses indicate that one should take back his right. Ibn Hazm (rahimahullah) says that if someone has committed a breach of trust, then in the case of gaining control over his property, it is obligatory to take back one’s right. And this will not be considered a breach of trust; rather, breach of trust would be if he takes more than his right.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi – Majlis ‘Ilmi Dar al-Da‘wah, New Delhi Edition, Page: 1264
Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet ﷺ said: Pay the deposit to him who deposited it with you, and do not betray him who betrayed you.
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues: Benefit: In general types of dealings, if someone commits an excess against another, then retaliation in kind is permissible. The Noble Qur’an, by the principle (And the recompense of an evil is an evil like it) (Ash-Shura: 40), has permitted this. However, in those rights where prescribed punishments (hudud) apply, their judgment is the responsibility of the ruler (hakim). Similarly, the matter of betrayal (khiyanah) is also specific. If someone has unjustly usurped a right and refuses to return it, and then by chance some trust (amanah) or borrowed item (ariyah) of the oppressor comes into the hands of the oppressed, then should he keep his right and return the rest, or should he return the trust in full? The aforementioned ahadith do not permit betrayal. And betrayal always involves deception and theft. Therefore, such general permission cannot be given to any Muslim. However, if he explicitly states that he is taking his such-and-such right, then it will be permissible.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 3535
Narrated Abu Hurairah (RA): Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: "Give back what has been entrusted (to you) to him who has entrusted you, and do not violate the trust of him who violates your trust." [Reported by at-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud; at-Tirmidhi graded it Hasan (good) and al-Hakim graded it Sahih (authentic). Abu Hatim ar-Razi considered it Munkar (rejected)].