One should note that breaking a covenant or promise might...

One should note that breaking a covenant or promise might sometimes lead to disbelief or weak faith. At any rate, it is a blameworthy act which entails losses. It has also been prohibited in traditions.

The Holy Prophet (SAW) has been reported as saying: “The closest of you to me on the Day of Judgment is the most truthful ones in speaking, giving the trusts (back to their owners), the keepers of promise, and the most close to people in good temperament.”[^10] The Holy Prophet (SAW) has been reported as saying: “Whoever has the following features is a hypocrite though he may observe fasting, offer prayer and claims to be a Muslim; one who breaches the trust when he is trusted, one who tells lie when he speaks, one who makes a promise and then breaks it.

In His book, God says: “Surely Allah does not love the treacherous!” And He says: “The curse of Allah be on liars!” And: “And mention Isma’eel in the Book; surely he was truthful in (his) promise.” [^11] Jurisprudents, in their books on the rulings of transactions and business, have invoked the phrase “believers abide by their covenants”, showing that they should not make a contract null and void without reason, for it is binding for the two parties.

Imam Baqir (AS) has been reported by Abu Hamzah ath-Thumali as saying: “There are four features that make perfect the faith of whoever have them, remove his sins, and make him meet his Lord while being pleased with him though his sins are from top to toe.

Those features are the following: to fulfill what one has made incumbent on himself for the sake of God, to be truthful to people with his tongue, to be ashamed of what is blameworthy to God and people, and to have a good temperament with people.”[^12] The fulfillment of a promise will lead to the perfection of human beings. It is also a feature of the prophets.

In relation to Prophet Abraham, God says: “And (of) Ibrahim who fulfilled the commandment.” [^13] God describes the believers as ones who fulfill their promises. It is a good feature which leaves its impact on the unjust too. In this relation, it has been narrated that one day, an-No’man ibn al-Munthir, An Arab king, had gone for hunting. The king became tired after some activity and his glance fell on an old tent set up in the middle of the desert.