ٱلَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَ ٱللَّهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مِيثَـٰقِهِۦ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦٓ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ 27
Translations
Who break the covenant of Allāh after contracting it and sever that which Allāh has ordered to be joined and cause corruption on earth. It is those who are the losers.
Transliteration
Alladhīna yanquḍūna ʿahda Allāhi min baʿdi mīthāqihi wa-yaqṭaʿūna mā amara Allāhu bihi an yūṣala wa-yufsidūna fī al-arḍ. Ūlāʾika hum al-khāsirūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes those who break Allah's covenant after confirming it, sever ties that Allah commanded to be maintained (such as kinship and justice), and spread corruption on earth—these are the losers. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this refers to those who violate their solemn obligations to Allah and harm society through moral and social corruption. The triple condemnation (breaking covenants, severing ties, spreading corruption) emphasizes the gravity of these transgressions and their inevitable consequence of loss in both this life and the Hereafter.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the opening section of Surah Al-Baqarah (verses 26-27) that immediately follows the description of the believers and the disbelievers. It provides a third category: hypocrites and covenant-breakers. The thematic context addresses the consequences for those who knowingly violate divine obligations, connecting to the broader Medinan themes of establishing societal justice and maintaining communal bonds.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said: 'Whoever severs the ties of kinship will not enter Paradise' (Sahih Bukhari 5984). Additionally, the Prophet warned: 'The breaker of oaths and the one who severs kinship will be among the worst on the Day of Judgment' (Sunan An-Nasa'i).
Themes
Key Lesson
Breaking covenants with Allah—whether through abandoning religious duties or severing family and social bonds—is a grave sin that leads to ultimate loss; believers must honor their commitments to Allah and maintain the bonds of kinship and justice that hold society together.