Amanah is an important quality of a believer. Iman cannot be complete without amanah. The Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said:

لَا إِيمَانَ لِمَنْ لَا أَمَانَةَ لَهُ

He who does not have amanah does not have Iman. -Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 12383; Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaiba, Hadith 30956

The essential demand of Iman is amanah and trustworthiness.  Believers will be amin and faithful. Khiyanah is a sign of hypocrite. The issue of amanah and khiyanah is very wide in Islam. Some aspects of khiyana are presented here in the light of Quran and Sunnah.

Kufr is the worst type of khiyana

Human conscience, intelligence and talent are the unique gifts of Allah. They are also amanah from Allah. Therefore, the demand of a sound conscience is that you will submit yourself to Allah and His Messenger. You will obey all the commandments of Allah and His Messenger.

All sins are Khiyanah

Every sin, whether it is major or minor, is treason. Allah says:

يٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَا تَخُوْنُوا اللهَ وَ الرَّسُوْلَ وَ تَخُوْنُوْہا اَمٰنٰتِكُمْ وَ انْتُمْ تَعْلَمُوْنَ.

O believers! Do not betray the trust of Allah and His Messenger and do not betray your mutual trusts while you know. - Surah Anfal (8): 27

Allama Ibn Kathir r.a. said, here khiyanah has a broad meaning. All sins, whether it is major or minor, contagious or non-contagious, are included in this word. - Tafsir Ibn Qathir 4/41

In the Qur'an, misuse of eye is called the treachery of the eye. Allah says-

يَعْلَمُ خَآىِٕنَةَ الْاَعْیُنِ وَ مَا تُخْفِي الصُّدُوْرُ.

Allah knows the dishonesty of the eyes and the secrets of the heart. - Surah Mu'min (40): 19

Here only the treachery of the eyes is mentioned. However, it is not limited only in the eyes. Every organ given by Allah is a deposit. Using any part of the body in disobedience to Allah is the betrayal of that deposit. Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibnul As. said-

أَوَّلُ مَا خَلَقَ اللهُ تَعَالَى مِنَ الْإِنْسَانِ فَرْجَهُ وَقَالَ هَذِهِ أَمَانَةٌ اسْوْدَعتُكَهَا, فَلَا تَلْبَسْهَا إِلّا بِحَقٍّ.

The first organ that Allah created for man is his private part. After it was created, Allah said to man, I entrusted it to you; you should not use it except in the right way. If you keep this deposit undisturbed, I will save you. So private parts are amanah; ears, eyes, tongue, stomach, hands, feet are also amanah. He who does not have trust does not have faith. - Tafsir Qurtubi 14/254

Breaking a promise is a khiyanah

Breaking a promise is a serious crime and severe khiyanah. If the promise is with Allah or His Messenger, then breaking it is the biggest khiyanah. That is what the People of the Book did. Allah says:

فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِمْ مِّیْثَاقَهُمْ لَعَنّٰهُمْ وَ جَعَلْنَا قُلُوْبَهُمْ قٰسِیَةً، یُحَرِّفُوْنَ الْكَلِمَ عَنْ مَّوَاضِعِهٖ وَ نَسُوْا حَظًّا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُوْا بِهٖ.

Then because of their breach of promise, I drive them away from my mercy and harden their hearts. They put the sayings (of the Torah) out of their place and forget a large part of what they were advised. - Surah Mayida (5): 13

Then Allah says:

وَ لَا تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلٰی خَآىِٕنَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ اِلَّا قَلِيْلًا مِنْهُمْ فَعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَ اصْفَحْ, اِنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحسِنِيْنَ.

(Also in the future) you will know a certain treachery from all of them except a few. So (now) forgive them and turn away from them. Surely Allah loves those who are good in deeds. - Surah Mayida (5): 13

That is, betrayal is their old character. But now you are not permitted to punish all Bani Israel collectively. When the time comes, Allah Himself will punish them.

In this verse the word 'Khainah' is mentioned after some serious sins including breaking a promise. Because breaking the promise and bilateral agreement is a big betrayal.

Imam Qurtubi r.a. said - their treachery was to break the agreement made between the Messenger of Allah and them and to cooperate with the polytheists in war. - Tafsir Qurtubi 6/116

Helping injustice is a serious khiyanah

Helping injustice and falsehood is a treason. Even justifying someone's claim until the validity of his claim is confirmed is a form of betrayal. In the Holy Qur'an, Allah says:

وَ لَا تَكُنْ لِّلْخَآىِٕنِیْنَ خَصِیْمًا.

And you will not be a supporter of traitors. - Surah Nisa (4): 105

Allah Ta'ala also says:

وَ لَا تُجَادِلْ عَنِ الَّذِيْنَ يَخْتَانُوْنَ اَنْفُسَهُمْ, اِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَنْ كَانَ خَوَّانًا اَثِيْمًا.

Do not argue on behalf of those who betray themselves. Allah does not like a treacherous sinner. - Surah Nisa (4): 107

Injustice can happen to individuals as well as to specific tribes or groups.

It is treason to entrust responsibility to the incompetent

No work can be done perfectly without the skillful hands of competent people. Therefore, the responsibility of doing any work should be given to the person who is qualified, competent and trustworthy. Giving responsibility to the weak or incompetent people is one kind of khiyanah.

 Abu Zar R.A. said, One day I said to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, will you make me a provincial governor? Then the Prophet slapped my chest with his hand and said-

يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ، إِنَّكَ ضَعِيفٌ، وَإِنَّهَا أَمَانَةُ، وَإِنَّهَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ خِزْيٌ وَنَدَامَةٌ، إِلّا مَنْ أَخَذَهَا بِحَقِّهَا، وَأَدَّى الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ فِيهَا..

Abu Zar! You are weak and it is deposit. On the Day of Resurrection it will be a source of shame and humiliation for people except the one who accepts the responsibility pefactly and fulfills the rights of responsibility. -Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1825; Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaiba, Hadith 33207

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

إِذَا وُسِّدَ الأَمْرُ إِلَى غَيْرِ أَهْلِهِ فَانْتَظِرِ السَّاعَةَ.

Wait for Qiyamah when the responsibility will be handed over to the incompetent. -Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 59; Sharhus Sunnah, Baghawi, Hadith 4232

Giving wrong suggestions to others is khiyanah

On the way of life, we go to others in various needs. Sometimes we need good advice and counseling. A good advice on time is more valuable than lots of money. On the other hand, a wrong suggestion can cause a great damage. So the advisor has to show trustworthiness. Abu Huraira r.a. narrated, the Messenger of Allah said:

مَنْ أَشَارَ عَلَى أَخِيهِ بِأَمْرٍ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّ الرُّشْدَ فِي غَيْرِهِ فَقَدْ خَانَهُ.

If anyone advises his brother, knowing that right guidance lies in another direction, he has deceived him.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.. -Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 3657; Mustadrake Hakeem, Hadith 350

Abu Huraira r.a. narrated another hadith from the Prophet -

إِنَّ الْمُسْتَشَارَ مُؤْتَمَنٌ.

"The person who is consulted is in a position of trust. -Jamee Tirmidhi, Hadith 2369; Al-Adabul Mufrad, Bukhari, Hadith 256; Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 5128

Lying is khiyanah

In a hadith lying is called 'a great betrayal'. It is narrated in a hadith,

كَبُرَتْ خِيَانَةً تُحَدِّثُ أَخَاكَ حَدِيثًا هُوَ لَكَ مُصَدِّقٌ, وَأَنْتَ بِهِ كَاذِبٌ.

It is a great betrayal that you tell your brother something, he believes it to be true, while you are a liar. -Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 17635; Al-Adabul Mufrad, Bukhari, Hadith 393; Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 4971

Disclosing private matters of husband and wife to others is betrayal

Abu Saeed Khudri r.a. narrated, the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said:

إِنَّ مِنْ أَعْظَمِ الْأَمَانَةِ عِنْدَ اللهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، الرَّجُلَ يُفْضِي إِلَى امْرَأَتِهِ، وَتُفْضِي إِلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ يَنْشُرُ سِرَّهَا،

On the Day of Resurrection, the biggest betrayal to Allah is that a man meets his wife, and the wife meets her husband, and then discloses (husband-wife's) private affairs to others. -Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1437; Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 11655

Majlis is amanah, leaking information is khiyanah

If someone says something and his body language shows that he does not want to let others know it, then his word is amanah. It should be concealed. Otherwise, it will be khiayanh. Jaber r.a. narrated, the Messenger of Allah said:

إِذَا حَدَّثَ الرَّجُلُ بِالْحَدِيثِ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ فَهِيَ أَمَانَةٌ.

When a person looks here and there while speaking to someone, then his words are amanah for the listener. -Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaiba, Hadith 26111; Jame' Tirmidhi, Hadith 1959; Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 4868

However, if it is related to violation of someone's rights, then it is important to inform the concerned person. The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam also gave that order.

Jaber r.a. narrated the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said:

الْمَجَالِسُ بِالْأَمَانَةِ إِلّا ثَلَاثَةَ مَجَالِسَ: سَفْكُ دَمٍ حَرَامٍ, أَوْ فَرْجٌ حَرَامٌ, أَوْ اقْتِطَاعُ مَالٍ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ.

قَالَ الْمَنَاوِيُّ : إِسْنَاده حَسَن. (عون المعبود 13/218)

All sittings are amanah (In other words, the advice or decision that is taken in a majlis in secret, the people present in the majlis should keep it as an amanah.) with the exception of three Majlis:

1. The Majlis that is related to a conspiracy to kill someone.

2. The Majlis that is related to adultery.

3. The Majlis that is related to destroy someone's wealth wrongfully. -Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 4869; Assunanul Kubra, Baihaqi, Hadith 21162

The learned Ulama said, "Taking someone's picture and spreading it without permission or recording the speech and broadcasting it without permission is also included in khiyanah."

Amanah can also be destroyed in many other ways. Hadhrat Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani D.B. said, doing other works during office hour, neglecting official duties, and misusing office furniture and government goods or using them for personal purposes- all are included in khiyanah. Similarly, the road we travel on is an amanah to us. Buses or trains are also amanah. House that we rent is also amanah to us from the owner. So these should be used in a legitimate way. Otherwise it will be khiyanah. ( Islahi Khutubat, V. 3)

Do not betray him who betrayed you

You can't do khiyanah with someone who did khiyanah with you. Abu Huraira r.a. narrated, the Holy Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said:

أَدِّ الأَمَانَةَ إِلَى مَنْ ائْتَمَنَكَ, وَلاَ تَخُنْ مَنْ خَانَكَ.

The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: Pay the deposit to him who deposited it with you, and do not betray him who betrayed you. -Jame Tirmidhi, Hadith 1264; Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 3535

Let's try give up all kinds of khiyanah! May Allah grant us tawfiq.