(Part 8)
By Rifat Shafiq
Continuing the discussion on the characteristics of the Jews, in this section we will examine another of their negative traits.
7. Breaking Covenants and Agreements
Covenants, agreements, and pledges are among the fundamental values of human life, as trust, security, and social order among people are built upon these principles. No society, whether small or large, can remain stable unless its people remain faithful to their commitments. Therefore, violating agreements is considered a reprehensible and condemnable act from the perspectives of reason, ethics, and human nature.
Human nature inherently detests the breaking of covenants, because it demands truthfulness, loyalty, and trustworthiness. A person naturally prefers to live among those who stand by their word, not among those who say one thing today and turn away from it tomorrow. In light of this natural principle, breaking promises has been regarded throughout history as one of the clear signs of bad character.
Allah, Glorified and Exalted, has also instructed believers in the Holy Qur’an to remain committed to their promises, and every individual is accountable for their covenant, as He says:
﴿وَأَوْفُوا بِالْعَهْدِ إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْئُولًا﴾
“O believers, remain faithful to your promises, for everyone is accountable for their covenants and commitments.”
Despite the fact that breaking covenants is a clearly immoral act, the Holy Qur’an states that the Children of Israel in earlier times had been tainted with this negative trait. They failed not only in upholding their agreements with ordinary people, but also in honoring their covenants with their prophets and even with Allah, Glorified and Exalted.
Allah, Glorified and Exalted, says in the Holy Qur’an:
﴿وَلَقَدْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَبَعَثْنَا مِنْهُمُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ نَقِيبًا ۖ وَقَالَ اللَّهُ إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ ۖ لَئِنْ أَقَمْتُمُ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَيْتُمُ الزَّكَاةَ وَآمَنْتُم بِرُسُلِي وَعَزَّرْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَقْرَضْتُمُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا لَأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ…﴾
(سورة المائدة: ۱۲)
“Allah made a covenant with the Children of Israel and appointed twelve leaders from among them and ˹then˺ said, “I am truly with you. If you establish prayer, pay alms-tax, believe in My messengers, support them, and lend to Allah a good loan, I will certainly forgive your sins and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow. And whoever among you disbelieves afterwards has truly strayed from the Right Way.”
However, despite all these commitments, they did not uphold the covenant. Therefore, Allah the Almighty says:
﴿فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِيثَاقَهُمْ لَعَنَّاهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَاسِيَةً﴾ (سورة المائدة: ۱۳)
“But for breaking their covenant We condemned them and hardened their hearts”
And indeed, Allah Almighty says:
﴿الَّذِينَ عَاهَدْتَ مِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَهُمْ فِي كُلِّ مَرَّةٍ وَهُمْ لَا يَتَّقُونَ﴾ (سورة الأنفال: ۵۶)
“The ones with whom you made a treaty but then they break their pledge every time, and they do not fear Allah.”
Exegetes write that this verse was revealed concerning the Banu Nadhir tribe of the Israelites, because they repeatedly broke their promises.
The French historian Gustave Le Bon wrote about the traits and ethics of the Jews:
“If we were to summarize some characteristics of the historical behavior of the Jews in one sentence, we could say that due to long conflicts and wars, they remained deprived of the full effect of civilizational ethics. In the history of the Israelites, examples of violence, violation, breaking of promises, and extremism are abundant, even at times when they held power, conflicts and wars did not cease.”
In short, this negative trait exists in the nature of the Jews; not only the Jews of the past but also the Jews of today are often not committed to their promises, as we have repeatedly observed that they have broken many agreements.
