He, Most High, says:

“Among them are those who pledged to Allah, ‘If He gives us of His bounty, we will surely give in charity and be among the righteous.’”

“But when He gave them of His bounty, they became stingy with it and turned away in aversion.”

“So He caused hypocrisy to persist in their hearts until the Day they meet Him, because they broke their promise to Allah and because they used to lie.”

He—glorified be He—also says:

“And fear Allah, in whose name you make demands of one another, and be mindful of the ties of kinship.”

Quran commentators, such as al-Dahhāk and others, explained “you make demands of one another” as meaning: “You enter into covenants and contracts with one another.” This is because each contracting party asks the other to fulfill what the contract requires, whether an action, an abstention, a payment, a benefit, or the like. In this verse and throughout the rest of the surah, He—glorified be He—has brought together the rulings governing the bonds between human beings: innate bonds, such as kinship, and acquired bonds, such as contracts, which include ties through marriage, guardianship over an orphan’s property, and the like.

He—glorified be He—also says:

“Fulfill the covenant of Allah when you make a covenant, and do not break oaths after confirming them, having made Allah your guarantor. Surely Allah knows what you do.”

“And do not be like the woman who unraveled her yarn after spinning it firmly, using your oaths as a means of deception among yourselves.”

Aymān (oaths) is the plural of yamīn (oath), and every contract is an oath. It is said that it was given this name because people used to conclude it by shaking right hands. This is indicated by His words:

“Except those polytheists with whom you have made a treaty and who have not failed you in anything or supported anyone against you. Fulfill your treaty with them until its appointed term. Surely Allah loves the righteous.”

“Then, when the sacred months have passed, kill the polytheists wherever you find them