Fidelity is the central virtue that upholds the faith: it begins with devotion to God and the Prophets and extends to gratitude toward every person who has done good, even if they do not belong to one's own faith.
The text is an Islamic sermon on fidelity (al-wafāʾ) as a central moral quality. It begins with praise and a declaration of faith and then introduces a parable: a man does not forget a single sip of water and later pays off the debts of the giver. Fidelity is presented as an Arab ethical ideal and a part of the faith. It applies in descending order to Allah, the Prophet, parents, scholars, friends, spouses, and even to non-believers who have done good. The second sermon deals extensively with marital fidelity, the rights of both spouses, and the protection of marital secrets. The text ends with supplications, including an explicit prayer for the Saudi King Salman and his Crown Prince Muhammad ibn Salman.
Koran 3:102 · Koran 2:40 · Koran 17:23 · Koran 17:24 · Koran 2:177 · Bukhari (Dschubair ibn Muttam)
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The same standards apply to every tradition, see Values.
Full text in English
A Sermon on Loyalty
Praise be to Allah, the Most Generous, the Bestower of Grace, whose blessings are immense and whose favors are abundant. He made generosity one of His attributes and bestowed it upon His servants. We bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, without partner, and we bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger, the most noble of people in soul and the most generous in hand. May Allah send prayers, peace, and abundant blessings upon him, his family, and his companions, and grant them much peace.
O servants of Allah, I exhort you and myself to fear Allah, for His fear is the key to all good. [O you who have believed, fear Allah truly and do not die except as Muslims] [Al Imran: 102].
O believers, a man from the nobles of Madinah, a person of virtue and high standing, passed by a house and asked for water. He was given a drink of water and then departed. Days passed, and then news arrived: the owner of the house who had given the man water was burdened with debts, his circumstances had become tight, and he was on the verge of selling the house in which he sheltered. When the man learned of this, he uttered a word that shakes meanings before bodies: "He has a sanctity and a pledge." So he paid off his debt and preserved his house for him. A single drink of water is something insignificant in the eyes of many people, but for those of loyalty, it is not a passing thing; rather, it is a covenant in the heart and a pledge on the neck. In such situations, the true nature of souls is revealed.
O servants of Allah, loyalty is an Arab custom, a branch of faith, and a praiseworthy trait. It is among the noble morals and beautiful characteristics. Speaking about loyalty is an engaging discourse, characterized by the sweetness of meanings and the beauty of structures, due to its connection with good manners. How happy is the one who is characterized by it and stores it for the Day of Resurrection. How much we need to speak about it in this time and remind people of it, for it is the path to righteousness and the way to all good.
The greatest loyalty, O servants of Allah, is loyalty to the covenant of Allah: that He is worshipped and not denied, that He is made unique and not associated with, that He is thanked and not disbelieved, and that His religion is respected and His law is adhered to. He, the Exalted and Glorious, said: [And fulfill My covenant, and I will fulfill your covenant] [Al Baqarah: 40]. Then comes loyalty to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, through sincere love for him, following his Sunnah, and adhering to his Sharia.
Among the greatest forms of loyalty is loyalty to parents. Allah, Blessed and Exalted, paired their right with His own right, saying: [And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment] [Al Isra: 23]. It is established among the wise that the more kindness increases, the more loyalty increases. Among loyalty to them is praying for them, as our Lord taught us: [My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up when I was small] [Al Isra: 24], and obeying them in what is not disobedience, doing good to them, and bringing joy to their souls. This is during their lifetimes. As for after their death: praying for them, executing their wills, and honoring their friends.
Among loyalty is loyalty to the people of knowledge in general, and to your teachers in particular. For knowledge is a light by which a person distinguishes error from truth, and in which a person learns noble traits and characteristics. How should loyalty be with these exceptional individuals? Their right is great, and many are heedless of their right. Inquiring about them, striving to meet their needs, praying for them, mentioning their virtues, defending their honor, gifting to them, and corresponding with them are forms of loyalty to them and to others.
When you turn over the biographies of the scholars, you find Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him, saying: "I have not extended my foot toward the house of Hammad, even though there are seven streets between me and him, out of reverence for him."
The more mixing occurs between two people, and the more one gives to the other—whether a brother, a spouse, or a companion—the more it is necessary to give them their due. Reflect on the mother of the believers, Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, and the greatness of the loyalty of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, toward her; for he used to thank her for her kindness, and he continued to mention her after her death.
Loyalty is not limited to believers among themselves, but extends even to disbelievers. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, entered Mecca after his return from Ta'if, he entered under the protection of al-Muttalib. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, did not forget the kindness; therefore, when the Battle of Badr came, he recalled its kindness and taught his noble companions loyalty. As Jubayr ibn Muttalib, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said regarding the prisoners of Badr: "If al-Muttalib ibn Adi were alive and then spoke to me about these stinking ones, I would leave them for him" [Narrated by al-Bukhari]. And Allah, the Exalted, said in describing the people of faith: [And those who fulfill their covenant when they make it, and those who are patient in hardship and adversity and in times of battle. Those are the ones who are truthful, and those are the ones who fear Allah] [Al Baqarah: 177].
O servants of Allah, in the biographies of our righteous predecessors, may Allah be pleased with them, there are great lessons and noble benefits that encourage the Muslim to reflect on the meanings of loyalty and manliness, and remind us that kindness is not lost with its rightful owners, even if it is slight or a simple favor. Those of loyalty do not forget kindness, nor do they belittle a favor; rather, they see kindness as a debt on their necks.
Fidelity among the people of generosity is not mere words used to adorn gatherings, nor a claim raised by the tongue, but rather sincere stances that are translated into actions. Do not mention the virtue of the distant one and the companion, while forgetting the virtue of the close one, such as the parent, the sibling, or the spouse. For according to the degree of virtue is the fidelity, and the more you increase in character, generosity, and nobility, the more you increase in fidelity towards people. May Allah grant us and you good fidelity.
I say what you hear, and I seek forgiveness from Allah, the Great, the Majestic, for myself and for you.
The Second Sermon
Praise be to Allah Who has bestowed His gifts upon us and favored us with blessings. We bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, without partner, and we bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. May Allah send abundant peace and blessings upon him, his family, and his companions.
As for what follows, O servants of Allah:
Fidelity between spouses is among the greatest of moral qualities upon which marital life is established, through which affection endures, and through which the structure of the family stabilizes. For marriage in Islam is not a transient relationship nor a temporary interest, but rather a solemn covenant which Allah has made a cause for tranquility, affection, and mercy. Therefore, Islam has encouraged marriage and urged the facilitation of its means, due to what it contains of preserving religion, self, and society, and due to the great benefits and abundant good that result from it.
Know that marital happiness is only attained, with Allah’s success, through good conduct, pleasant treatment, gentleness, mercy, and cooperation between spouses. Conduct according to what is good includes good character, softness of manner, pleasant speech, beautiful treatment, overlooking mistakes, seeking excuses, and not forgetting kindness. Each of them should be a helper to the other in matters of religion and worldly affairs, and they should cooperate in raising their children and nurturing them in faith and virtue. Each should bear some of the burdens of life for the other. Let the spouses know that they are not competitors nor rivals, but rather complementary partners. Let each strive to bring joy to the other and to spread an atmosphere of intimacy and affection within the home. For the kind word, cheerfulness, affection, and overlooking slips are among the causes of the permanence of love and the stability of the family.
The husband must fulfill the rights of his wife, such as providing for her, being kind to her, and not being harsh with her in times of ease and wealth. For providing for the family is among the greatest gates of reward and nearness to Allah, the Most High.
In return, part of the wife’s fidelity to her husband is that she considers his circumstances and conditions, does not burden him with what he cannot bear, stands with him in times of hardship just as she stands with him in times of ease, and is a helper to him in facing the burdens of life. For hardships reveal the true nature of souls, and the people of fidelity are known in times of need and distress.
Among the greatest indicators of the sincerity of fidelity between spouses is the protection of marital secrets, the preservation of what occurs within homes, and the non-disclosure of private matters or the exposure of faults. For if secrets are lost, trust is lost, and that becomes a cause of separation and conflict.
Fear Allah, O servants of Allah, and raise yourselves and your families in fidelity, for it is the character of the prophets and the righteous.
I ask Allah, the Exalted, to purify our souls and to cleanse our hearts. Indeed, He is capable of all things, and worthy of response. He is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.
O Allah, grant our souls their piety and purify them. You are the best of those who purify them. You are their Guardian and their Master. O Allah, make faith beloved to us and adorn it in our hearts, and make disbelief, transgression, and disobedience hateful to us, and make us among the rightly guided. O Allah, honor Islam and the Muslims, and O Allah, unify their ranks and gather their word upon truth and guidance.
O Allah, guide our rulers to what You love and are pleased with. O Allah, support our ruler Salman bin Abdulaziz and his heir apparent Muhammad bin Salman with truth, and grant them a righteous inner circle that helps them in truth and guides them to it.
O Allah, forgive us, our fathers, and our mothers...
Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.