ٱلَّذِينَ يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَنقُضُونَ ٱلْمِيثَـٰقَ 20
Translations
Those who fulfill the covenant of Allāh and do not break the contract,
Transliteration
Alladhīna yūfūna bi-'ahdi Allāhi wa-lā yanqudūna al-mīthāq
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the believers as those who fulfill the covenant with Allah and do not break their pledges or contracts. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as referring to those who honor their promises with Allah—including obedience to His commands and avoidance of His prohibitions—and who maintain integrity in their oaths and agreements with others. This verse emphasizes that fulfilling covenants is a defining characteristic of the righteous and a fundamental principle of Islamic ethics.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Ar-Ra'd, a Medinan surah that addresses various aspects of faith and righteousness. It comes within a passage (verses 19-24) that contrasts those who believe and act righteously with those who reject faith, providing guidance to the Muslim community during the formative period in Madinah regarding proper conduct and moral integrity.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The signs of a hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted with something, he betrays it' (Sahih Bukhari 33). Additionally, the Prophet emphasized covenant-keeping: 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should keep his promise' (Sahih Bukhari 2821).
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers are called to maintain unwavering integrity in all their commitments—whether in their relationship with Allah through obedience or with others through honesty and promise-keeping. In our modern era, this ayah reminds us that trustworthiness and fulfilling our obligations, both spiritual and practical, are not optional but core expressions of Islamic faith.
Related Ayahs
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى رَفَعَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا ۖ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ كُلٌّ يَجْرِى لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ يُدَبِّرُ ٱلْأَمْرَ يُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّكُم بِلِقَآءِ رَبِّكُمْ تُوقِنُونَ
It is Allāh who erected the heavens without pillars that you [can] see; then He established Himself above the Throne and made subject the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term. He arranges [each] matter; He details the signs that you may, of the meeting with your Lord, be certain.
جَنَّـٰتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا وَمَن صَلَحَ مِنْ ءَابَآئِهِمْ وَأَزْوَٰجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِهِمْ ۖ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَدْخُلُونَ عَلَيْهِم مِّن كُلِّ بَابٍ
Gardens of perpetual residence; they will enter them with whoever were righteous among their forefathers, their spouses and their descendants. And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [saying],
وَقَدْ مَكَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْمَكْرُ جَمِيعًا ۖ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ۗ وَسَيَعْلَمُ ٱلْكُفَّـٰرُ لِمَنْ عُقْبَى ٱلدَّارِ
And those before them had plotted, but to Allāh belongs the plan entirely. He knows what every soul earns, and the disbelievers will know for whom is the final home.
لَّهُمْ عَذَابٌ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَشَقُّ ۖ وَمَا لَهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَاقٍ
For them will be punishment in the life of [this] world, and the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe. And they will not have from Allāh any protector.