A commitment

When you promise a person that you will do a certain thing or you will not do certain thing, it means that you have made a commitment.

A commitment is something that must be respected. There is no religion that authorises the non-observance of a commitment. It is something that is so clear and obvious that even the uneducated accept it.

Not respecting a commitment is a kind of deceiving and dishonesty. A sincere person cannot commit such a lowly thing. It is something that casts a person into lowliness. Nabi (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) qualified it as one of the evil traits of a hypocrite. 

Anything that can be termed a contract is a commitment such as the marriage contract, the employment contract, etc. So, this also demands to be respected. There are certain conditions that are mentioned in a contract. These conditions must be respected. Besides that, there are other conditions that are automatically included in a contract. These must also be respected. For example, it is never mentioned in a marriage contract, that food, shelter, etc. should be provided to the wife. However, these things apply automatically when a marriage contract is signed. Similarly, treating the wife kindly, giving her affection, love, etc., are not mentioned in the contract but these must be respected because they are automatically included in the contract. A person, who does not treat his wife well, is not a good person because he is not respecting certain conditions that are imposed on him due to concluding a marriage contract.

Employees and workers

Similarly, employees, workers and officers, who are lazy at work and are not respecting the commitment that they had made when they had taken up the job, are betraying their clients and employers. It is dishonesty that they are committing towards an entire nation. They are not serious people. 

Leaders

Similarly, leaders of a country commit themselves to the nation who had supported them by their small cross in elections. But very often, after the election, the opposite of what they had proclaimed before the election happens. It is dishonesty on their behalf and a betrayal towards those who had hope that they would rectify the situation.

Remember that life does not end here in this lowly world. This match will continue even after death. It is only the first half that we are playing here. The second half will be played after death. Those who believe that they have deceived the next person are in reality deceiving themselves. Eventually, this role will cease. Remember the saying: 

"One hundred days for the thief, one day for the master."

We must understand that by deceiving others, we are deceiving ourselves. By cheating others, we are cheating ourselves and finally we are destroying our future.

The future lies in sincerity, honesty and in respecting a commitment.

[English version of "L'engagement" – Al Jamiat – Vol.3 No.9]