OCCASION OF REVELATION (VERSE NO. 58)

      This verse revealed at the conquest of Mecca, when the victorious prophet entered his sacred home town. In that huge crowd of people who had gathered in front of KAABEH to welcome the Messenger of God, the prophet called OTHMÄN- IBN- TALAH, the custodian of the Shrine, and took the key of KAABEH from him, and cleaned and cleared the house of God from the dirt of idols.

      ABBASS, the prophet's uncle asked to give him the key and the custodianship of the sacred house which was and still is, an important religious and social position. The prophet refused to do that, and delivered the key back to OTHMÄN- IBN- TALAH, while he was reciting the above verse that: ``Allah commands you to deliver trusts back to their owners.''

JUSTICE AND TRUSTEESHIP IN ISLAM

      The said verse consists of common and general commandment that clearly states: ``Allah commands you to deliver trusts back to their owners.''

      In the second part of the verse, God issues another order that: ``When you judge between the people, judge with justice.''

      TRUST is a comprehensive word that applies to all sorts of material or social or spiritual things, committed or entrusted to some one as a task, duty or charge. A Muslims should by no means betray a trust, be it of a Muslim or of a non-Muslim. Even the learned and the scholars and sages of our society are the trustees of God, who hold the trust of God which is their knowledge and wisdom. After all, our very existence, and all our abilities, are God's deposites that we hold them in trust, and we should be careful about them.

      As for the importance of trusteeship in Islam, Hazrat Imam Sadiq (AS) has said: ``If the assassinator of HAZRAT ALI (AS) gives me something in trust, or asks me for an advice, or consults with me about something, if I accept that, I will indeed observe the rights and limits of trusteeship.''