Don't Make Promises You Cannot Keep

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

A promise is a commitment by someone to do something or not do something in the future.

Don't make a promise to someone if you don't intend to keep. If you didn't fulfill that promise, you are not only doing something unlawful, you have also inherited one of the signs of a hypocrite.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whoever has the following four (characteristics) will be a pure hypocrite and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up.

1. Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays (he proves to be dishonest).
[If you keep something as a trust with him, he will not return it.]

2. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie.

3. Whenever he makes a covenant (promises), he proves treacherous (he breaks his promise).

[Breaking promises fall into two categories. 1) Making a promise without intending to keep it. Al-Awzaa’i said that one who says, "I will do such-and-such inshaAllah," without intending to do it has committed both lying and breaking a promise. 2) Making a promise intending to keep it and then later deciding to break it]

4. Whenever he disputes, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner." (Bukhari)

If at the time of making the promise, you have a firm belief that you can keep that promise but something comes up and you are not able to fulfill the promise, or you change your mind after reflecting on it, this is not considered as breaking a promise.

When people relied on your promise, it harms them when you did not fulfill it, whether it is a minor harm or a major one. Who is to say it is minor or major when it comes to individual emotions or circumstances? What is small to us can be a big deal to others and vice versa. So you must strive to keep your promises or you should not make promises to people.

Don't abuse the word Insha Allah (God Will) by saying it when you don't intend to fulfill your promise. If you do so, you are committing additional unlawful act--using the Name of Allah in vain.

Actually, by using the word Insha Allah, a person is promising to do his best to fulfill a promise. So, if for example, you promise to someone to meet at a certain place by 6 pm, it means you will carefully plan, taking into account traffic time (if you are driving), to get to the meeting place by 6 p.m. sharp. If on the way, something happens, despite your best laid plans, that's another story. What's important is that you have done your part in promising to come on time.

May Allah grant us tawfiq. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.