The Seriousness of our Word

by Minister Louis Farrakhan

Why do the majority of people who believe in Allah (God) trust in Him completely? It is because whatever Allah (God) says, He performs according to His Word. There is one thing that is impossible for Allah (God) to do and that is, it is impossible for Him to lie. He has ultimate power to do whatever He wills. Therefore, whatever He causes His Prophets to say under His Guidance and Direction, we can put complete faith and trust that His Word or Promise will be fulfilled for He never breaks His Promise.

It is written in the Bible that the heavens and the Earth will pass away before one jot or tittle of the Word of Allah (God) will fail. What an excellent record Allah (God) has. He has made us in His Image and after His Likeness.

Therefore, we should strive to be like Allah (God) by striving hard to make our word bond that we may develop trust and confidence in all our relationships.

In the Qur�an, Allah (God) calls our nature Islam (submission to His Will). He gives us the ability to submit to His Will, but, He also gives us the right of choice. We can choose to obey or disobey. Whenever we give our word we should try to be like our Creator. We should be found striving to live up to what we say. Our word is so important, that we should think carefully before giving it. However, after giving our word, we should do all within our power to make our word bond. In practicing this most important principle, we build trust and confidence in all our relationships.

The most important relationship is our relationship with Allah (God), and, as Muslims we take an oath in our prayers when we say, "My prayers, my sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allah (God) the Lord of the Worlds."

We must strive to live up to this most important oath. If we are faithful to the oath that we have given to Allah (God), then, it follows that our oath or our word will have significant value with others.

It is this characteristic of living up to our word that produces trust, dependability, and earns its possessor the respect of those who may even be our enemies.

When we give our word, under all circumstances and conditions, both Bible and Qur�an teach us that we should always say, "If it be the Will of Allah (God) or Insha� Allah." We have no power over the next fraction of a second of our lives. So, in all matters, we must remember Allah (God) and say, I will see you tomorrow, if it be the Will of Allah (God) or I will do this or that, if it be the Will of Allah (God). However, we should never use the phrase Insha� Allah (God), or be it the Will of Allah (God) as a cover for our deceit in telling people that which we have no intention of doing. If we intend to keep our word, then, Allah (God) may help us to keep our word, but, if we have no intention to keep our word, but, use Allah�s (God�s) name as a cover for deceit, then, of course there can be no help coming from Allah (God) to make our word bond. And by doing this we earn Allah�s (God�s) displeasure. Our yea must be yea, and our nay must be nay unless our yea or nay is based on poor information or falsehood. So, with better information or truth, we may change our answer or our determination, but, by and large we all must strive to make our word bond.

The Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught us that a hypocrite is one who says from the mouth that which is not in the heart. When we give our word or promise and fail to perform after our promise, we destroy the confidence in us of those who depend on our word. In fact, the Qur�an teaches, it is the devil who promises and fails to perform after his promise. Look at how many of us are in league with the devil on this point. Therefore, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught all of His followers to strive to make our word bond. He teaches us that bond is life and whatever we give our word to do and fulfill it, we actually give life to that which we have given our word to.

No word or oath is more important after our word to Allah (God) than the oath that we give to one another in marriage. The marriage vow is called a marriage contract. A contract is an agreement between parties to do certain things or to fulfill certain requirements or duties.

A contractual agreement is only meaningful if the parties live up to that to which they have agreed. Breaking the agreement brings about the death of the contract.

This is how important our word is in building any relationship. Sometimes we say things that we really intend to do, however, as we are generally forgetful, it is always good that we have a reminder.

In marriage each partner is a natural reminder to the other of the word that both have given to Allah (God) and to each other in the company of our family and friends.

What importance do we attach to our oaths, or vows, or our word?

As Allah (God) is our greatest benefactor and He says that He would not even consider us were it not for our prayers. Yet, we have to be reminded that prayer is our duty to Him.

What about the word that we have given to each other that begins our journey toward union? Should not we remind each other of our word? Should not we strive to live up to our word? Every time we make our word bond we breathe life into the institution of marriage. Nothing sound can be built on a lie. The whole universe is constructed on truth. Falsehood has produced nothing in this wonderful creation. Therefore, falsehood can never produce the good that Allah (God) intended in His establishing the institution of marriage.

Some of us take offense at being reminded of our word because there are times that our desires lead us away from fulfilling our word. So, in the marriage we have to be mindful of how we remind our mate of his or her failure or shortcoming in living up to our word, for the reminder itself can produce friction. However, if we are humble of heart no matter how the reminder comes, if it is truth, we must bow to the truth and act accordingly.

The characteristic that made Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) so highly esteemed among the Arabs, even before His Prophetic Call, was His great trustworthiness and His sense of fairness and justice. Therefore, He was relied upon to settle disputes and quarrels. So, when Allah (God) chose Him, He chose a man that had earned the respect of His own tribe and other tribes because of His great characteristic of faithfulness. This is why before He was chosen, by Allah (God) to be His Messenger, He was called Al-Amin, the Faithful, the Trustworthy.

Writing bad checks, signing contracts and willfully neglecting to live up to its terms, making bills and failing to pay them gives us a record that marks us as untrustworthy. When people have no confidence in the word that we give, we cannot build sound or good relationships. Since Allah (God) created us as social beings, then, it is incumbent upon us to form good relationships with others and the best way to form a good relationship is to be found living up to the word that we give or the oath that we give in the performance of our duty.

In the journey of union with Allah (God) and with our mate, fidelity and infidelity is based on a word that we give. It is a wonderful thing to be faithful. Faith is that which marks the believer in contrast to the disbeliever and hypocrite. Remember, every word given is tested and in testing the quality of our oaths or words given we learn about ourselves. Are we liars or are we truthful? Are we faithful or unfaithful? Are we trustworthy or unworthy of trust?

In the Qur�an it reads, "Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, We believe, and will not be tried? And indeed We tried those before them, so Allah will certainly know those who are true and He will know the liars." Sura 29, verses 2-3

When we read this article, let us look into the mirror of our word and our actions corresponding to our word. What grade would we give ourselves if there were a word, contract or bill paying report card? Wouldn�t it be wonderful if we would strive to be like Allah (God), our Creator, by marshaling the force of our being to make our word bond. Let every believer strive to do this in every transaction that we make.

Remember, death comes to every relationship when our word begins to fail. Death comes to the marriage contract when infidelity enters the house.

Please read and discuss this article with your mate, your family and the family of believers.