The Twenty-First Greater Sin: Non fulfilment of a Promise
promise
[N] คำสัญญา,
See also: คำมั่นสัญญา,
คำปฏิญาณ,
Syn. assurance, avowal, agreement, warrant
The twenty-first of the Greater sins is ‘Breaking of a promise.’ There are authentic traditions to this effect from Abdul Azīm where he quotes that Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) has proved it to be a Greater sin with the help of the following verse of Holy Qur’an:
“And those who break the covenant of Allah after its confirmation and
cut asunder 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.”
(Surah Ra’d 13:25)
The Holy Qur’an denounces the breaking of promise in the following
ayat too:
“Yea, whoever fulfills his promise and guards (against evil) - then
surely Allah loves those who guard (against evil).
(As for) those who take a small price for the covenant of Allah and
their own oaths - surely they shall have no portion in the hereafter, and Allah
will not speak to them, nor will He look upon them on the Day of Resurrection
nor will He purify them, and they shall have a painful chastisement.”
(Surah
Ali-‘Imrān 3:76-77)
Amir ul-Mu’minīn ‘Ali (a.s.) advises Malik al-Ashtar regarding the
honouring of promises:
“Breaking a promise causes the anger of Allah.”
(Nahjul Balagha)
‘Ali (a.s.) also quotes the same verse after this.
Hazrat Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) said:
“There are four types of sinners who are punished very
soon:
a) The person who violates the pact that he has made with you, even
though you have respected it.
b) One who inflicts harm upon you even though you caused him no harm.
c) One who has promised you something
and you are faithful upon your agreement but he is unfaithful.
d) One who wants to severe relations even though the relative wishes to
continue the relationship.”
(Khisāl)
Breaking of a promise is a very
serious sin. It is a sin that sows the seed of hypocrisy in the
heart of the person who commits it. The person dies in a state of disbelief and
is raised with the hypocrites on the Day of Judgment.
It follows from this tradition, that
a person who is unjust, a liar and one who does not keep his word, does not
possess morals. He is not a just person (Ādil) but a
transgressor (Fasiq) and it is not Wajib to fulfill the rights of
brotherhood towards him.
Mutual covenants and agreements
The third type of promise is when people form actual covenants and
agreements. The ayats and the traditions state that it is Wajib to
fulfill this type of promise and it is Harām to go against
them.
For example in Surah al-‘Isrā’:
“...and fulfill the promise; Surely (every) promise shall be
questioned about.”
(Surah
al-‘Isrā’, 17:34)
Similarly the Qur’an describes truthful and the pious people
thus,
“...and those who fulfill their promise when they make a promise..”
(Surah
al-Baqarah 2:177)
Also when describing those who shall be saved from Hell and earn
Paradise, Allah (S.w.T.) says,
“And those who are keepers of their trusts and their covenant.”
(Surah
Al-Mum’inūn, 23:8)
Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) says,
“To keep your word to your believing brother is Wajib like a vow,
even though there is no expiation for going against it.”
The Holy Prophet (S) said:
“One who has belief in Allah and in last day (Qiyāma) must keep his
word when he promises.”
(Usūl
al-Kāfi)
Thus keeping a promise is a fulfillment for the belief in Allah
(S.w.T.) and the Day of Qiyāma. Similarly, the beginning verses of Surah as-Saff
have also denounced the breaking of promise and clearly prove that
non-fulfillment of a promise (of every type) is Harām.
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