EN.MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA — Muhammad Azis, a member of the Muhammadiyah Central Board’s Council for Waqf Utilization, has urged Muslim to not be hungry for power and make trustworthiness and justice guiding principles in daily life.
Aziz delivered the message during a Sunday Morning Islamic Sermon at Ahmad Dahlan University in Yogyakarta on (23/8).
In his lecture, he discussed Surah An-Nisa, verse 58. The verse instructs believers to return trusts to those entitled to them. It also calls for justice when judging disputes.
Aziz said Surah An-Nisa is a Madinan chapter that frequently addresses those who have embraced the faith. Therefore, he said, its command on trust and justice carries serious responsibilities for Muslims in every position.
“We all receive trusts, from the smallest to the greatest,” he said. “There are trusts as parents, heads of households, principals, lecturers, deans, rectors, subdistrict heads, regents, governors and presidents. Everyone has trust.”
He stressed that Muhammadiyah does not encourage people to pursue positions of authority. Instead, those entrusted with a role must carry out their responsibilities as well as possible.
“Do not be hungry for power,” he said. “But when you are given a trust, fulfill it as well as you can. Do not reverse that principle.”
Trust Begins with Confidence
Aziz linked the concept of amanah, or trust, with feelings of security and confidence. People leave something in another person’s care because they believe it will not be misused. This can involve something as simple as leaving house keys with a neighbor. However, the same principle also applies to entrusting public officials with authority.
Therefore, he said, people test trust in everyday life. It exists between parents and children, husbands and wives, and supervisors and employees. It also shapes the responsibilities of public officials. Those who receive trust should not abuse it simply because nobody is watching.
“Trust is tested in everyday life,” he said.
Aziz also pointed to Abu Bakar as-Siddiq as an example of deep trust and conviction in the Prophet Muhammad. When reports of the Isra and Mi’raj prompted doubt among many people, Abu Bakar accepted them with full conviction. He trusted the account because it came from the Prophet Muhammad.
According to Aziz, the example shows that trust plays a central role in sustaining communal life. People place their trust in others because of integrity and a record of conduct that gives them confidence.
Justice Must Guide Every Decision
Beyond amanah, Aziz also emphasized the Islamic command to uphold justice. He said every person will eventually face situations that require a decision.
Teachers must treat their students fairly. Parents must treat their children fairly. Likewise, lecturers must act fairly toward students, and leaders toward the people they serve. Such decisions, he said, must rest on truth rather than personal feelings, close relationships or power.
Aziz also urged educators not to take offense when students offer valid criticism. A wise lecturer or teacher, he said, should have the courage to acknowledge an error when a student presents a more accurate view.
“If what a student says is correct, a wise lecturer should say, ‘What you said is correct, and what I said earlier was mistaken,’” he said. “If it is true, we must appreciate it.”
To illustrate the importance of justice, Aziz cited several examples from Islamic history. One involved Ali bin Abi Thalib, who accepted a court ruling when he could not provide sufficient evidence for his claim. The lesson, Aziz said, is that justice must stand on evidence and rules, even when the outcome does not favor someone in a high position.
He also cited Umar bin Khattab as an example of a leader who did not allow power to justify arbitrary conduct. Justice, Aziz said, must protect everyone, including the weak and those from different groups.
The same principle appears in the Prophet Muhammad’s warning against unequal law enforcement. The law, Aziz said, must not fall harshly on ordinary people while sparing those with status and power.
He warned that such injustice can damage society. When powerful people escape accountability, while ordinary citizens face severe punishment, public trust suffers.
Justice Starts Close to Home
However, Aziz said demanding justice requires more than criticizing institutions and systems outside oneself. Justice must also begin in the closest spaces of daily life. It must take root in families, schools, universities, workplaces, markets and other communities.
“We often complain about injustice, the legal system and bureaucracy,” he said. “But we must also begin with ourselves. Justice must be upheld within each of our families.”
