The Trustworthy Boy

Long before he became a prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a young man living in the city of Makkah. He grew up as an orphan, cared for first by his grandfather and then by his uncle Abu Talib. Even as a boy, there was something special about him — he always told the truth. While some people might tell a small lie to avoid trouble, Muhammad never did. If someone asked him to look after their money or their belongings, he would guard them carefully and return every single thing. He never cheated, and he never broke a promise. Because of this, the people of Makkah gave him a special name: "Al-Amin," which means "The Trustworthy One." (Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, 1/195) When the great merchants of Makkah needed someone to take their goods on trading journeys, they chose Muhammad because they knew he would be honest and fair. A noble woman named Khadijah heard about his truthfulness and good character, and she asked him to lead her trading caravan to Syria. He did such an excellent job that she was deeply impressed. (Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, 1/199) Even people who later disagreed with his message still admitted that he had never once told a lie. When he stood on Mount Safa and asked the people of Quraysh, "If I told you there was an army behind this mountain, would you believe me?" they all replied, "Yes, we have never known you to tell a lie." (Sahih al-Bukhari, 4971) His honesty was known to every person in Makkah, young and old. They trusted him with their most precious things because they knew he would always do the right thing.