The Good Life

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od enjoins justice, kindness and charity to one’s kindred, and forbids indecency, abomination and oppression. He admonishes you so that you may take heed. Keep faith with God when you make a covenant with Him. Do not break your oaths after having confirmed them and having called upon God to be your surety. God has knowledge of all your actions. Do not, like the woman who unravels the thread which she has firmly spun, take oaths with mutual deceit and break them on finding yourselves superior to others in numbers. In this God puts you to the proof. On the Day of Resurrection He will make clear to you that over which you are at variance. Had God willed, He would have united you into one community. But He leaves in error whom He wills and guides whom He wills. You shall be questioned about your actions. Do not take oaths to deceive each other, lest your foot should slip after it has stood firm, and lest evil should befall you for debarring others from the path of God, and lest there should await you a mighty punishment.

Do not sell the covenant of God for a trifling price. His reward is better then all your gain, if you but knew it. Your worldly riches are transitory, but God’s reward is everlasting. We shall reward the steadfast according to their noblest deeds. Be they men or women, those who believe and do what is right We shall surely endow with a good life; We shall reward them according to their noblest actions. (16:90-97)