Recently...

Recently, questions on the sanctity of the mal of non-Muslims have been raised with the contemporary religious authorities in the Shi'a world. All, in their different ways, have said that the sanctity of mal of covers the non-Muslims amongst whom we live in the West.[^2] Look at the example of the (s.a.w): he first established his credibility among the Quraysh with his truthfulness and trustworthiness.

Before he left Mecca to migrate to Medina, the Prophet instructed ‘Ali bin Abi Talib to return the mal entrusted by others to him back to their owners. Imam 'Ali himself was highly regarded by the Prophet because of many good qualities.

The most important among those, as pointed out by Imam as-Sadiq, were truthfulness and trustworthiness.[^3] Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq says: “Do not be deceived by frequency of their prayers or their fasting because many a time a person becomes [habitually] attached to prayer and fasting so much that he would feel uneasy if he neglects it. Test them instead with truthfulness and trustworthiness”.

^4 After all, a "mu'min", in the ethical sense, is defined as “one whom the believers can entrust with their lives and property.”[^5] Al-Husayn ash-Shabbani said to Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s) that “a person from your followers thinks that the property and lives of Banu Umayyah”[^6] have no sanctity, and now something from them has come to him as a trust”.

The Imam said, “Return the trust to its owner even if they be Magi...”[^7] There are similar hadith about the property of the Khawarij.[^8] Nothing portrays the importance of trustworthiness more than the emotionally charged statement of Imam Zaynul 'Abidin to his Shi'ahs: “I warn you about the returning of the things entrusted to you.

I swear by Him who sent Muhammad as the Messenger-if the killer of my father, Husayn bin Ali, entrusted me with the sword with which he killed him, I would still return it back to him!”[^9] The rules concerning the daily prayers also remind Muslims to respect the property of others: the water and the place of ablution, and the dress and the place of worship must be mubah.[^10] Therefore, if you ever find yourself in a position where you are entrusted with the mal of other people, then you have to be very careful in fulfilling your duty: a clerk; cashier; accountant; supplies manager, etc.