This chapter ties a person's word to their faith. Keeping promises, honoring agreements, and returning what is entrusted are not small courtesies but signs of a sound heart, while breaking them is listed among the marks of nifaq (hypocrisy), the gap between what one shows and what one truly is.
Notice the two angles set side by side. First the warning, in two narrations, naming the traits that betray hypocrisy, lying, breaking promises, and betraying trust. Then a living example in Abu Bakr, who honored even an unwritten promise the Prophet, peace be upon him, had made and paid it generously. Word and deed are meant to match.
Hadith 688
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه ، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "آية المنافق ثلاث: إذا حدث كذب، وإذا وعد أخلف، وإذا اؤتمن خان" ((متفق عليه)) . زاد في ((رواية لمسلم)): "وإن صام وصلى وزعم أنه مسلم".
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Three are the signs of a hypocrite: When he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is trusted, he betrays his trust." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Another narration adds the words: "Even if he observes Saum (fasts), performs Salat (prayer) and claims to be a Muslim."
In plain words
The Prophet named three marks of a hypocrite: lying when he speaks, breaking a promise, and betraying a trust. How a person keeps their word reveals the truth of their character.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 688 In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 9
Hadith 689
'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'as (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص رضي الله عنهما، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "أربع من كن فيه كان منافقا خالصاً. ومن كانت فيه خصلة منهن كانت فيه خصلة من النفاق حتى يدعها : إذا اؤتمن خان ، وإذا حدث كذب، وإذا عاهد غدر، وإذا خاصم فجر" ((متفق عليه)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Four are the qualities which, when found in a person, make him a sheer hypocrite, and one who possesses one of them, possesses one characteristic of hypocrisy until he abandons it. These are: When he is entrusted with something, he betrays trust; when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he acts treacherously; and when he argues, he behaves in a very imprudent, insulting manner." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Four traits brand a person a thorough hypocrite, and holding any one of them carries a trace of it until dropped: betraying trust, lying, breaking promises, and turning vile when arguing. These are habits to root out.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 689 In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 10
Hadith 690
Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن جابر رضي الله عنه قال: قال لي النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم: "لو قد جاء مال البحرين أعطيتك هكذا وهكذا وهكذا" فلم يجئ مال البحرين حتى قبض النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، فلما جاء مال البحرين أمر أبو بكر رضي الله عنه فنادي: من كان له عند رسول صلى الله عليه وسلم عدة أو دين فليأتنا. فأتيته وقلت له: إن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال لى كذا وكذا، فحثى لى حثية، فعددتها، فإذا هى خمسمائة، فقال لى: خذ مثلها. ((متفق عليه)) .
The Prophet (ﷺ) said to me, "When the revenues of Bahrain will arrive, I shall give you such and such and such." He passed away before the revenues were received. When they arrive during the caliphate of Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him), he ordered to be announced: "Anyone whom Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) promised or owed anything, should come to him." I went to him and said: "Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had said to me such and such." He took a double handful out of the money and gave it to me. I counted it and found that it was five hundred dirham. Then Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) said to me: "Take twice as much more of that amount." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Though the Prophet died before he could fulfill a promise of money to Jabir, Abu Bakr honored that unwritten word and even gave him extra. A promise is kept faithfully, even one made by another.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 690 In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 11