Arabiq Online - Arabic of the Qur'an

Sūra al-Mā'ida 5:7

The word مِيْثَاقٌ  is one you will have heard being recited numerous times as it is concentrated in Surah al-Baqara, Aal Imran and al-Ma’ida, especially when Allah mentions the Bani Isra’il. From the root وَثِقَ  which means a firm trust or something strong and unbreakable, مِيْثَاق  is translated as a covenant, treaty or alliance, and has a real air of seriousness about it as it’s a pact or agreement you make with God Himself.

The different kinds of مِيْثَاق mentioned in the Qur’an are between different communities like peace treaties, and also marriage is referred to as a mīthāq: a sacred bond not to be taken lightly. But mostly it’s mentioned in the context of God’s covenant with: the Bani Isra’il, the Christians, all of mankind, His messengers: to deliver the message to their people, and the believers.

So what’s in this mīthāq that we’ve made with God? The basic elements they all have in common is to simply: 

• worship Allah and nothing else
• to follow His guidance and not misuse it 
• to treat people kindly 
• to pray 
• to give out of our earnings 
• to not kill or persecute people, and
• to obey God’s commands. 

His Messengers had the additional task of delivering the message to their people. 

Unfortunately, people break these strong covenants, and the Qur’an reminds and reprimands the Bani Isra’il time and again in this regard:

وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّـهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَمِيثَاقَهُ الَّذِي وَاثَقَكُم بِهِ إِذْ قُلْتُمْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ ﴿٧﴾

"Remember Allah’s blessing upon you and His covenant with which He has bound you when you said, ‘We hear and obey.’ And be wary of Allah. Indeed Allah knows best what is in the breasts."

May He allow us to renew our mīthāq with Him in this blessed month and give us the tawfīq to uphold it.