Living The Quran
From Issue: 582 [Read full issue]
Covenant in God's Name
An-Nahl (The Bee) Sura 16: Verses 91-92
"And fulfill God's covenant when you have made the covenant, and do not break your oaths after having confirmed them; indeed, you have made God your guarantor. Surely God Knows all that you do. And do not be like her who destroys her yarn that she herself made strong, betraying by making your oaths a means of deception among yourselves in order that you may be a community greater in numbers than another community. In this, God is only testing you, and on the Day of Resurrection. He will certainly make clear to you all that on which you used to differ."
Any covenant which is made in God's Name means God's covenant. God's covenant consists of a "rope" of light woven from the threads of Divine Will, Wisdom, and Favouring, and functions as that which is responsible for order in the universe, and is able to establish peace, order, and harmony in the human life. It refers to the spiritual, moral, and social obligations that arise from one's belief in and worship of God, and to all pledges or promises a person gives to another by naming God. It is aimed at justice, good judgment, devotion to doing good, and mutual help in society, as well as the eradication of all evil, indecency and all shameful deeds - such as fornication, adultery, and all similar vices - including, too, insolence and offenses against one another. So, making a covenant with God calls for fulfilling all these obligations that arise from faith in Him, and fulfilling these obligations is a sign of true guidance, while breaking the covenant means misguidance and transgression.
In social life, individuals, communities, and nations or states enter into different treaties with one another on certain conditions, and God Almighty orders loyalty to them. No individual or community, relying on its power or material superiority, should be able to break the treaties and betray the conditions. We are strictly forbidden from making our religion merely a means to take advantage of others in our relations and agreements. It is interesting to note that during the Prophet's time, the Quraysh were prone to break their treaties with other tribes when a more powerful party offered them an alliance. Such vices are almost the norm in international affairs today. Islam commands more rigorous ethical and moral standards; a covenant is binding before both humankind and God.
Compiled From:
"The Quran: Annotated Interpretation in Modern English" - Ali Unal, p. 558