In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Imam al-Nawawi records in his book Meadows of the Righteous:
باب الوفاء بالعهد وَإنجاز الوَعد
Chapter on fulfilling the covenant and keeping promises.
Source: Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn 1/185
Allah Almighty said:
وَأَوْفُوا بِالْعَهْدِ إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْئُولًا
Honour your pledges, for you will surely be accountable for them.
Surat al-Isra’ 17:34
And Allah said:
وَأَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ إِذَا عَاهَدتُّمْ وَلَا تَنقُضُوا الْأَيْمَانَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمُ اللَّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ كَفِيلًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ
Honour Allah’s covenant when you make a pledge, and do not break your oaths after confirming them, having made Allah your guarantor. Surely Allah knows all you do.
Surat al-Nahl 16:91
And Allah said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِ
O believers! Honour your obligations.
Surat al-Ma’idah 5:1
And Allah said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُوا مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ
O believers! Why do you say what you do not do? How despicable it is in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do!
Surat al-Saff 61:2-3
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مِنْ عَلَامَاتِ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلَاثَةٌ وَإِنْ صَامَ وَصَلَّى وَزَعَمَ أَنَّهُ مُسْلِمٌ إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ وَإِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ
Among the signs of a hypocrite are three, even if he fasts and prays and claims to be a Muslim: when he speaks he lies, when he gives a promise he breaks it, and when he is trusted he betrays.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 33, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
أَرْبَعٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ كَانَ مُنَافِقًا خَالِصًا وَمَنْ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَلَّةٌ مِنْهُنَّ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَلَّةٌ مِنْ نِفَاقٍ حَتَّى يَدَعَهَا إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ وَإِذَا عَاهَدَ غَدَرَ وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ وَإِذَا خَاصَمَ فَجَرَ
There are four signs that make someone a pure hypocrite and whoever has them has a characteristic of hypocrisy until he abandons it: when he speaks he lies, when he makes a covenant he is treacherous, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he argues he is wicked
Source: Sahih Bukhari 34, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Jabir ibn Abdullah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to me:
لَوْ قَدْ جَاءَ مَالُ الْبَحْرَيْنِ قَدْ أَعْطَيْتُكَ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا
If the goods come from Bahrain, I will give you such and such amount.
The goods from Bahrain did not arrive until after the Prophet passed away. When the goods arrived, Abu Bakr ordered an announcement, “Whoever has a promise or a debt from the Prophet, let him come to us and we will give it to him.” I said, “Indeed, the Prophet told me I could have such and such amount.” Abu Bakr gave me a handful of coins and I counted it as five hundred. Abu Bakr said:
خُذْ مِثْلَيْهَا
Take twice what you have been promised.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1470, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
