Breach of Promise

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ عِدَةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ أَخَاهُ نَذْرٌ[3] لَا كَفَّارَةَ لَهُ فَمَنْ أَخْلَفَ فَبِخُلْفِ اللَّهِ‌ بَدَأَ وَ لِمَقْتِهِ تَعَرَّضَ وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ- يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ ما لا تَفْعَلُونَ كَبُرَ مَقْتاً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ‌ أَنْ تَقُولُوا ما لا تَفْعَلُونَ‌[1].

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘The promise of a believer to his brother (in belief) is a vow that has no expiation. Whoever violates it has initiated to violate Allah and has subjected himself to His anger as it is said in His words: “Believers, why do you preach what you do not practice? (61:2). It is most hat

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنْ كانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ‌ وَ الْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيَفِ إِذَا وَعَدَ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever believes in Allah, and in the Day of Judgment, must fulfill his promise.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ أَيُّمَا مُؤْمِنٍ كَانَ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ مُؤْمِنٍ حِجَابٌ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ الْجَنَّةِ سَبْعِينَ أَلْفَ سُورٍ مَا بَيْنَ السُّورِ إِلَى السُّورِ مَسِيرَةُ أَلْفِ عَامٍ.

“Once I was in the presence of al-Rida (a.s.) and he stated to me as follows: ‘O Muhammad, in the time of the children of Israel there were four believing people. One of them once went to the house where the other three had gathered together for a meeting on a certain issue among them. He knocked the door and a slave c