Mithaq

Mithaq refers to a "Covenant" or "Solemn Agreement." The most significant is the primordial covenant mentioned in the Quran (7:172), where the souls of all human beings bore witness to the Lordship of Allah before they were born. This Mithaq is the basis of the "Fitra" (natural disposition). Life is seen as a test of whether we will remain faithful to this original covenant or break it through disbelief and sin. The Quran describes the primordial covenant: "And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam,from their loins,their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], 'Am I not your Lord?' They said, 'Yes, we have testified.' [This],lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, 'Indeed, we were of this unaware'" (7:172). This covenant established that every human soul acknowledged Allah as their Lord. This is the basis of fitrah,the innate disposition to recognize the Creator. The covenant also includes the promise to worship Allah alone and to follow His guidance. The Prophets were sent to remind humanity of this covenant and to provide guidance for fulfilling it. The Quran says: "And We did not send any messenger before you except that We revealed to him that there is no god except Me, so worship Me" (21:25). The covenant is also renewed in this life. When a person embraces Islam, they are entering into a covenant with Allah, affirming the Shahada and committing to follow His commands. The Prophet said: "The covenant between us and them is prayer; whoever abandons it has disbelieved" (Tirmidhi). This refers to the covenant of prayer. The covenant also includes covenants between people. Muslims are commanded to fulfill their promises and covenants. The Quran says: "And fulfill the covenant of Allah when you have taken it, and do not break oaths after their confirmation" (16:91). For believers, the primordial covenant is a reminder of their original commitment to worship Allah alone. They strive to remain faithful to it, avoiding shirk and living a life of submission. They renew their covenant through worship, repentance, and righteous deeds. The covenant is also a source of hope. Even if they sin, they can return to Allah, renew their covenant, and seek His forgiveness. The Prophet said: "Allah extends His hand at night to accept the repentance of the one who sinned during the day" (Muslim). The covenant is binding, but Allah's mercy is vast. The believer trusts in that mercy, while striving to be faithful to the covenant they made with their Lord.