—exalted is He:

“That is the expiation for your oaths when you have sworn. Guard your oaths. Thus Allah makes His signs clear to you, so that you may be grateful.”

There are many hadiths on this subject. Among them is the report in the two Sahīhs from ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar, who said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Whoever possesses four traits is a pure hypocrite, and whoever possesses one of them has a trait of hypocrisy until he abandons it: when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he breaks his promise; when he makes a covenant, he betrays it; and when he disputes, he behaves wickedly.”

Also in the two Sahīhs, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“A banner will be raised for every treacherous person on the Day of Resurrection.”

In Sahīh Muslim, Abū Sa‘īd reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Every treacherous person will have a banner at his backside on the Day of Resurrection.”

Another version states:

“Every treacherous person will have a banner on the Day of Resurrection by which he will be recognized, in proportion to his treachery. Indeed, no treacherous person commits greater treachery than a ruler of the people.”

In Sahīh Muslim, Buraydah ibn al-Husayb said:

“Whenever the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, appointed a commander over an army or a detachment, he would enjoin him personally to fear Allah and to treat the Muslims with him well. He would then say: ‘Go forth to battle in Allah’s name and in Allah’s cause. Fight those who disbelieve in Allah. Go forth to battle, but do not misappropriate the spoils, do not act treacherously, do not mutilate, and do not kill a child. When you encounter your enemies among the polytheists, invite them to three options—or alternatives. Whichever they accept, accept it from them and refrain from attacking them—’” (The hadith continues.)