One of the main reasons for Khadeeja (may Allah be pleased with her) to hire Rasoolullah as an employee for her trade was because of his title of sadiqul-ameen (honest and trustworthy). She had sent her servant Maysarah with the Rasoolullah, and she reports back on his innovation. He goes to Syria, sells what Khadeeja’s business was required to sell, and then with the earnings, he double backs and reinvests it and buys goods which he sells upon returning to Mecca. He practically doubled the sales; and unlike other sales people that Khadeeja had hired, Rasoolullah gives all of the earnings to his employer.

Lessons and Actions:

1. Trust is essential. The followers (employees, volunteers) must trust their leaders (managers), and leaders must trust their followers; lack of it has devastating effects on communications and teamwork.

2. Trust is a paradox. Before you can trust someone, you must trust someone. What!!!? I’m sure people came up to Khadeeja asking her to trust them with her caravan. So she must give them the trust in order to find out if they are worthy of that trust, and if they are, that is when they earn her trust. It puts you in a spot of vulnerability; but it’s essential. That is why there is a servant (Maysarah) that is sent with you to report back on everything.

3. Trust is based on what you do, not on what you say. Khadeeja (radhiAllahuanha) didn’t just earn Rasoolullah’s trust because of his title, but because of his beautiful character in action that was reported back to her from Maysarah.

4. Respectful environment flourishes because trust. In Khadeeja’s case, her sending over someone secretly to Rasoolullah to inquire about marriage.

5. If honesty is speaking the right things, integrity is doing the right things, and trust is built upon them both. The Messenger of Allah was sadiq (honesty and integrity), therefore he was also trustworthy.

6. Ask yourself, how can you build trust in your organizations? How can you build trust with your partners? How can you build trust with your clients and customers? How can trust lead to synergistic improvement?

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