Trust, Loaned Items, and Borrowed Goods in Islam – Rules and Etiquettes
Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
Linguistic meaning of Wadīʿah (Deposit):
The term Wadīʿah refers to “a trust or something given to another for safekeeping.”
Verb forms: أودع, استودع, ائتمن – meaning “to deposit something with someone.”
[al-Munjid: p. 957; al-Qāmūs al-Muḥīṭ: p. 994]
Sharʿī definition:
It is used for both the act of entrusting and the entrusted item.
[al-Fiqh al-Islāmī wa Adillatuh, 5/4016]
Linguistic meaning of ʿĀriyah:
It means “a borrowed item.”
Verb forms: أعار – to lend; استعار – to borrow.
[al-Muʿjam al-Wasīṭ: p. 537]
Sharʿī definition:
To allow someone to benefit from an item without taking compensation.
[Mughnī al-Muḥtāj, 2/264; Kashshāf al-Qināʿ, 4/67; al-Fiqh al-Islāmī wa Adillatuh, 5/4036]
① ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهَا﴾
“Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due.” [al-Nisāʾ: 58]
② ﴿فَلْيُؤَدِّ الَّذِي اؤْتُمِنَ أَمَانَتَهُ﴾
“Let the one who is entrusted discharge his trust.” [al-Baqarah: 283]
③ ﴿وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ﴾
“Help one another in righteousness and piety.” [al-Māʾidah: 2]
④ ﴿وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ﴾
“And they withhold small kindnesses (everyday items).” [al-Māʿūn: 7]
⑤ There is consensus (ijmāʿ) among scholars on the legitimacy of both Wadīʿah and ʿĀriyah.
[al-Mughnī, 6/382; al-Mabsūṭ, 11/109]
Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
أد الأمانة إلى من ائتمنك ولا تخن من خانك
“Return the trust to the one who entrusted you, and do not betray the one who betrayed you.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd 3019; al-Tirmidhī 1264 – ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ]
Some Qurʾānic verses mention retaliating equally (e.g., al-Shūrā: 40; al-Naḥl: 126; al-Baqarah: 194). Scholars offered different explanations:
① Ḥanafīs – Allowed betrayal in return if the items are of the same type.
② al-Shawkānī – Not allowed without the ruler’s permission.
③ Ibn Ḥazm – Obligatory to take only one’s due right in return.
④ al-Shāfiʿī – The prohibition in the hadith is for etiquette (not ḥarām).
The stronger opinion: The hadith specifies the general Qurʾānic permission and the prohibition is for etiquette.
[Nayl al-Awṭār, 3/690]
If damage occurs without betrayal, there is no liability in Wadīʿah (trust).
The Prophet ﷺ said:
ليس على المستعير غير المغل ضمان
“There is no liability on one entrusted with something except if he acts dishonestly.”
[Weak chain – Dāraquṭnī 3/41; but scholars have consensus on the ruling.]
In ʿĀriyah, if the item is damaged, it must be replaced or compensated.
When the Prophet ﷺ borrowed armor from Ṣafwān ibn Umayyah on the day of Ḥunayn, Ṣafwān asked:
أغصبا يا محمد؟ – “Are you taking it by force, O Muhammad?”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
بل عارية مضمونة – “No, it is a guaranteed loan (to be returned or compensated).”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd 2042; Musnad Aḥmad 3/401]
① Withholding such items is condemned in the Qurʾān [al-Māʿūn: 4–8].
② Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه said: At the time of the Prophet ﷺ, we considered lending a bucket and a cooking pot as part of al-Māʿūn (everyday charity).
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd 1459]
③ Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما and Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه explained al-Māʿūn as household items people exchange—e.g., axe, bucket, rope, cooking pot.
④ Jābir رضي الله عنه narrated: The Prophet ﷺ explained that among the rights of livestock are:
إطراق فحلها وإعارة دلوها ومنحتها وحلبها على الماء وحمل عليها فى سبيل الله
“Allowing the mating of its male, lending its bucket, granting its milk, milking it at water points, and using it for carrying in the path of Allah.”
[Muslim 988]
Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
◈ Definition of Amānah (Trust) and ʿĀriyah (Borrowed Goods)
Linguistic meaning of Wadīʿah (Deposit):
The term Wadīʿah refers to “a trust or something given to another for safekeeping.”
Verb forms: أودع, استودع, ائتمن – meaning “to deposit something with someone.”
[al-Munjid: p. 957; al-Qāmūs al-Muḥīṭ: p. 994]
Sharʿī definition:
It is used for both the act of entrusting and the entrusted item.
[al-Fiqh al-Islāmī wa Adillatuh, 5/4016]
Linguistic meaning of ʿĀriyah:
It means “a borrowed item.”
Verb forms: أعار – to lend; استعار – to borrow.
[al-Muʿjam al-Wasīṭ: p. 537]
Sharʿī definition:
To allow someone to benefit from an item without taking compensation.
[Mughnī al-Muḥtāj, 2/264; Kashshāf al-Qināʿ, 4/67; al-Fiqh al-Islāmī wa Adillatuh, 5/4036]
◈ Evidence for the Legitimacy of Trust and Borrowed Goods
① ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهَا﴾
“Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due.” [al-Nisāʾ: 58]
② ﴿فَلْيُؤَدِّ الَّذِي اؤْتُمِنَ أَمَانَتَهُ﴾
“Let the one who is entrusted discharge his trust.” [al-Baqarah: 283]
③ ﴿وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ﴾
“Help one another in righteousness and piety.” [al-Māʾidah: 2]
④ ﴿وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ﴾
“And they withhold small kindnesses (everyday items).” [al-Māʿūn: 7]
⑤ There is consensus (ijmāʿ) among scholars on the legitimacy of both Wadīʿah and ʿĀriyah.
[al-Mughnī, 6/382; al-Mabsūṭ, 11/109]
◈ Obligation to Return Trusts – Even to One Who Wronged You
Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
أد الأمانة إلى من ائتمنك ولا تخن من خانك
“Return the trust to the one who entrusted you, and do not betray the one who betrayed you.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd 3019; al-Tirmidhī 1264 – ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ]
◈ Reconciling with Verses on Retaliation
Some Qurʾānic verses mention retaliating equally (e.g., al-Shūrā: 40; al-Naḥl: 126; al-Baqarah: 194). Scholars offered different explanations:
① Ḥanafīs – Allowed betrayal in return if the items are of the same type.
② al-Shawkānī – Not allowed without the ruler’s permission.
③ Ibn Ḥazm – Obligatory to take only one’s due right in return.
④ al-Shāfiʿī – The prohibition in the hadith is for etiquette (not ḥarām).
The stronger opinion: The hadith specifies the general Qurʾānic permission and the prohibition is for etiquette.
[Nayl al-Awṭār, 3/690]
◈ Liability for Damage
If damage occurs without betrayal, there is no liability in Wadīʿah (trust).
The Prophet ﷺ said:
ليس على المستعير غير المغل ضمان
“There is no liability on one entrusted with something except if he acts dishonestly.”
[Weak chain – Dāraquṭnī 3/41; but scholars have consensus on the ruling.]
◈ Liability in Borrowed Goods (ʿĀriyah)
In ʿĀriyah, if the item is damaged, it must be replaced or compensated.
When the Prophet ﷺ borrowed armor from Ṣafwān ibn Umayyah on the day of Ḥunayn, Ṣafwān asked:
أغصبا يا محمد؟ – “Are you taking it by force, O Muhammad?”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
بل عارية مضمونة – “No, it is a guaranteed loan (to be returned or compensated).”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd 2042; Musnad Aḥmad 3/401]
◈ Encouragement to Lend Everyday Useful Items
① Withholding such items is condemned in the Qurʾān [al-Māʿūn: 4–8].
② Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه said: At the time of the Prophet ﷺ, we considered lending a bucket and a cooking pot as part of al-Māʿūn (everyday charity).
[Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd 1459]
③ Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما and Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه explained al-Māʿūn as household items people exchange—e.g., axe, bucket, rope, cooking pot.
④ Jābir رضي الله عنه narrated: The Prophet ﷺ explained that among the rights of livestock are:
إطراق فحلها وإعارة دلوها ومنحتها وحلبها على الماء وحمل عليها فى سبيل الله
“Allowing the mating of its male, lending its bucket, granting its milk, milking it at water points, and using it for carrying in the path of Allah.”
[Muslim 988]
