Four Habits to Possess

It is related by Abdullah Ibne Amr radhiyallahu anhu that the Apostle of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said:”Four things and habits are such that if you possess them then there is no harm if the world [and its blessings]are lost or do not come to [your] hand. [These are] :

(1) safe-keeping of trust;

(2) truthfulness in speech;

(3) good manners; and

(4) caution and abstinence in food.”

Musnad-i-Ahmad and Bayhaqi

Commentary
The word ‘trust’ is used in a very wide sense in the terminology of Islaam. It includes the fulfilment of the rights of Allah and of men as well as the carrying out of covenants and promises. Thus, a person who is trustworthy, i.e., who fulfils the rights of Allah as well as of men honestly and is truthful when he speaks and possess good manners and noble qualities of mind and character and exercises self-restraint in food and drink and does not over eat or partake of things that are forbidden or of a doubtful nature is, positively a very fine specimen of humanity. He is not only a perfect man in this world but in the never-ending life of the hereafter, too. Such exceptional favours will be conferred upon him that each one of them will be more valuable than all the blessings of the world put together. If a man like him remains poor in the earthly existence, he should not grieve for what he has is far superior to all that the world has to offer.