One of the virtues talked about in the Holy Quran is Keeping of the Promise or Covenant. It has been mentioned as one of the special and distinct features of the faithful Mo-mineen. Breaking of promise or breach of a covenant has been called therein as one of the habits of the polytheist Mushrikeen and hypocrite Munafeqeen.
Before we proceed to quote the relevant verses and traditions, we should know that not keeping the word or breaking of promise or trust is one of the offences that break the relation of confidence and trust in the society and thus its foundation. Fulfilling a promise, besides being an Islamic right, is also a human right.
In the words of the religious leaders we read that: there are three occasions when there should be on consideration of ones religion or good or evil, that is, all should be regarded equal be they gentlemen or evil doers, Muslims or unbelievers. These three occasions are: Return of trust, fulfilment of covenant, and good behaviour with parents.
Keeping of promise is, some times. Related to man connection with god wherein breach of promise includes the natural, rational and religious us trusts.
And sometimes it involves people's relations with one another.
Man's Covenant with Allah
Here are some verses about man's trust with God:
And those who break the covenant of Allah after its confirmation and cut as under that which Allah has ordered to be joined and make mischief in the land; as for those, upon them shall be curse and they shall have the evil issue of the abode.
And fulfil the covenant Allah when you have made a covenant, and do not break the oaths after making them fast, and you have indeed made Allah a surety for you; surely Allah knows what you do.
Commentators have given several meanings of the covenant of Allah but what is obvious is that it means those promises which men give to god and obviously the words given to the Holy messengers and the Imams are also the words given to God, and it includes the promises related with Faith, jihad etc.
And it should be stated that the religious commands issued through the Holy Prophet of Islam do contain a kind of the Divine orders and similarly rational obligations which are the outcome of the God-given faculty of thinking, intelligence, wisdom and too are linked with bye-covenant.
This is to say religious obligations and rational demands are covered by Ahdullah or the promise given to God.
He it is Who makes you travel by land and sea; until when you are in the ships, and they sail on with them in a pleasant breeze, and they rejoice, a violent wind overtakes them and the billows surge in on them from all sides, and they become certain that they are encompassed about, they pray to Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience: If Thou dost deliver us from this, we will most certainly be of the grateful ones. But when He delivers them, lo! they are unjustly rebellious in the earth.
Yes, many people make covenant with Allah during their bad days but when they are released from that trouble, they forget Allah. So we should pray to Allah so that He may not leave us to ourselves even for a moment.
Promise Keeping between Man and Man
The Holy Quran says in this connection: O you who believe! Fulfil the obligations.
Raagib says: Obligation is of three sorts: sometimes it is between man and God, sometimes man's promise with himself and sometimes between man and the entire humanity.
Since Al has come ahead of the word Uqood and as according to grammar it denotes a common category and from one angle the sentence is fully unconditional it can be derived that this Holy verse includes all sorts of promises and covenants which must be fulfilled those between men and man's promise to God and so also all the political, trade, family etc treaties or understandings.
And the Quran in another ayat says: and fulfil the promise; surely every promise shall be questioned about
Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) writes in his letter to Malik Ashtar: From among the divine commandments, there is no subject like the keeping of promise, which is most unanimously agreed, despite other disagreements. Therefore even the idol worshippers of the days of ignorance were respecting the oath among them since they had understood the harms of oath breaking.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: One who does not keep his promise has no religion.
Similarly there is another narration from Imam Ali (a.s.): Almighty Allah does not accept anything from His slaves except a good deed and nothing except the fulfilment of oath is acceptable in His court.
And there is another narration from Salman Farsi that also has the same meaning: The destruction of this community will be caused by their breach of promises.
The Holy constitution of Islam had given importance to oath keeping to such an extent that even if a common soldier gives protection to a man or group of the enemy it is incumbent upon all Muslims to keep that promise.
A group of Islamic scholars is of the opinion that one of the matters which attracted the idol worshippers and polytheist to Islam in its earlier period was the same fulfilling of covenants and keeping oaths. In this connection, Hisham bin Saalim quotes Imam Sadiq (a.s.):
The promise of a Muslim to another Muslim is a vow for which there is no expiation it means if he breaks it, it cannot be compensated and, really, it is considered as a promise given to God. So the Holy Quran says: O group of the faithful! Why do you not do as you say? Be afraid of this deed of not doing what is said as it will cause a great Divine anger.
In traditions, keeping of oaths and promise is considered as one of the signs of faith, like faith in God and the Hereafter. Hence the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) says: Whoever has faith in Allah and the Day of Judgement must keep the promise whenever he makes it.
Hypocrisy and Breach of a Vow
Hypocrisy and double face is one of the worst qualities of man and the cause of breaching vows and ignoring promise. The Holy Prophet has said in this connection: There are three qualities and conditions which make a man hypocrite even if he fasts and prays and is a Muslim in his opinions:
1 Shows dishonesty when trusted,
2 Tells a lie while speaking and
3 Breaks a promise.
Again Amirul Momineen (a.s.) says: Even if one undertakes something through a sign, he should fulfil it.
Are all the Promises Honourable?
If Islam has made a series of bonds and agreements as honourable, it has also ordered the breaking of some, for example relating to the enemy, when is felt that he is on the verge of dishonesty and breaching trust of agreement. In that case friendship must not be continued. Quranic proof of this is How can there be an agreement for the idolaters with Allah and with His Apostle when they continue to break trusts?
At another place it is mentioned: And if they break their oaths after their agreement and openly revile your religion, then fight the leaders of unbelief surely oaths are nothing so that they may desist.
On this ground, fulfilling an oath has been considered as one of the signs of the faithful and the wise and as one of the salient human virtue and Islam has consistently emphasised it and has ordered to ignore a promise given to the enemies of Allah even if they happen to be ones close relatives. Anyway, much more has been said in the matter of promise and covenant and its results and fruits. But we think this much is enough here.