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Fulfilling Contracts and Covenants

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Fulfilling Contracts and Covenants

الْوَفَاءُ بِالْعُقُودِ وَالْعُهُودِ

Fulfilling contracts and covenants (al-wafa' bi al-'uqud wa al-'uhud) is a cornerstone of Islamic ethics and a fundamental aspect of a believer's character. Islam places immense importance on honoring one's word and commitments, seeing it as a sign of true faith and moral integrity. This extends to agreements made with Allah, such as one's commitment to Tawhid (monotheism) and obedience, as well as to pacts and promises made with other human beings. The Quran praises [those who fulfill the covenant of Allah and do not break the contract], highlighting this virtue as a characteristic of the intelligent. Believers are commanded to [fulfill the covenant of Allah when you have taken it], underscoring the solemnity of such pledges. Breaking an oath or agreement is strongly condemned, likened to [she who untwisted her spun thread after it was strong], symbolizing wasted effort and deceit. Upholding covenants builds trust within communities and reflects an individual's deep sense of responsibility and accountability to both God and humanity, making it essential for a just and harmonious society.

Quran 3 verses

ٱلَّذِينَ يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَنقُضُونَ ٱلْمِيثَٰقَ

Allazeena yoofoona bi'ahdil laahi wa laa yanqu doonal meesaaq

Those who fulfill the covenant of Allah and do not break the contract,

جو خدا کے عہد کو پورا کرتے ہیں اور اقرار کو نہیں توڑتے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: الَّذِينَ يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّـهِ (those who fulfill [ their ] pledge with Allah). It covers all promises and pledges taken by Allah Ta` ala from His servants, the very first of which was the Divine Covenant taken in eternity before an assembly of all spirits, that is: اَلَستُ بِرَبِّکُم (Am I no...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: such as fulfil God’s covenant meaning the one that was taken from them while they were still atoms — or meaning any covenant — and do not break the pact by abandoning belief or religious obligations;
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Qualities of the Blessed Ones, which will lead to Paradise Allah states that those who have these good qualities, will earn the good, final home: victory and triumph in this life and the Hereafter, الَّذِينَ يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ يِنقُضُونَ الْمِيثَـقَ (Those who fulfill the covenant of Al...

وَأَوْفُوا۟ بِعَهْدِ ٱللَّهِ إِذَا عَٰهَدتُّمْ وَلَا تَنقُضُوا۟ ٱلْأَيْمَٰنَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ كَفِيلًا إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ

Wa awfoo bi Ahdil laahi izaa 'aahattum wa laa tanqudul aimaana ba'da tawkeedihaa wa qad ja'altumul laaha 'alaikum kafeelaa; innal laaha ya'lamu maa taf'aloon

And fulfill the covenant of Allah when you have taken it, [O believers], and do not break oaths after their confirmation while you have made Allah, over you, a witness. Indeed, Allah knows what you do.

اور جب خدا سے عہد واثق کرو تو اس کو پورا کرو اور جب پکی قسمیں کھاؤ تو اُن کو مت توڑو کہ تم خدا کو اپنا ضامن مقرر کرچکے ہو۔ اور جو کچھ تم کرتے ہو خدا اس کو جانتا ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary Breaking Pledges is Forbidden The word: عَھد ('ahd) is inclusive of all transactions, pacts and pledges the responsibility of which has been assumed verbally, whether one does or does not swear by it, and whether it relates to doing something or not doing it. In fact, these verses are the...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And fulfil God’s covenant effected by way of pledges of allegiance and oaths and in other ways when you made a covenant and do not break your oaths after pledging them and having made God surety over you that you will fulfill the covenant for you have sworn the oath by Him the sentence wa-qad ja‘alt...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Command to fulfill the Covenant This is one of the commands of Allah, to fulfill covenants, keep promises and to fulfill oaths after confirming them. Thus Allah says: وَلاَ تَنقُضُواْ الاٌّيْمَـنَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا (and do not break the oaths after you have confirmed them) There is no conflict...

وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّتِى نَقَضَتْ غَزْلَهَا مِنۢ بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ أَنكَٰثًا تَتَّخِذُونَ أَيْمَٰنَكُمْ دَخَلًۢا بَيْنَكُمْ أَن تَكُونَ أُمَّةٌ هِىَ أَرْبَىٰ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ إِنَّمَا يَبْلُوكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦ وَلَيُبَيِّنَنَّ لَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ مَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ

Wa laa takoonoo kallatee naqadat ghazlahaa mim ba'di quwwatin ankaasaa; tattakhizoona aimaanakum dakhlalam bainakum an takoona ummatun hiya arbaa min ummah; innnamaa yablookumul laahu bih; wa la yubaiyinanna lakum yawmal Qiyaamati maa kuntum fee takhtalifoon

And do not be like she who untwisted her spun thread after it was strong [by] taking your oaths as [means of] deceit between you because one community is more plentiful [in number or wealth] than another community. Allah only tries you thereby. And He will surely make clear to you on the Day of Resurrection that over which you used to differ.

اور اُس عورت کی طرح نہ ہونا جس نے محنت سے تو سوت کاتا۔ پھر اس کو توڑ کر ٹکڑے ٹکڑے کر ڈالا۔ کہ تم اپنی قسموں کو آپس میں اس بات کا ذریعہ بنانے لگو کہ ایک گروہ دوسرے گروہ سے زیادہ غالب رہے۔ بات یہ ہے کہ خدا تمہیں اس سے آزماتا ہے۔ اور جن باتوں میں تم اختلاف کرتے ہو قیامت کو اس کی حقیقت تم پر ظاہر کر دے گا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: In verse 92: أَن تَكُونَ أُمَّةٌ هِيَ أَرْ‌بَىٰ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ (merely because a group is higher [ in number and wealth ] than the other), Muslims have been ordered that they should not break the pact they enter into with a group simply for the sake of worldly interests and gains. For example, they ma...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And do not be like her who undoes spoils her yarn that which she has spun after having made it strong having set and spun it breaking it up into fibres ankāthan is a circumstantial qualifier ankāth is the plural of nikth and means that which is undone yunkathu — this was an imbecile Meccan woman who...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Command to fulfill the Covenant This is one of the commands of Allah, to fulfill covenants, keep promises and to fulfill oaths after confirming them. Thus Allah says: وَلاَ تَنقُضُواْ الاٌّيْمَـنَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا (and do not break the oaths after you have confirmed them) There is no conflict...

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