Quran Universe
13:25

وَٱلَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهۡدَ ٱللَّهِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مِيثَٰقِهِۦ وَيَقۡطَعُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦٓ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيُفۡسِدُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱللَّعۡنَةُ وَلَهُمۡ سُوٓءُ ٱلدَّارِ

Waallatheena yanqudoona AAahda Allahi min baAAdi meethaqihi wayaqtaAAoona ma amara Allahu bihi an yoosala wayufsidoona fee alardi olaika lahumu allaAAnatu walahum sooo alddari

But those who break the covenant of Allah after contracting it and sever that which Allah has ordered to be joined and spread corruption on earth - for them is the curse, and they will have the worst home.

Word by word
  1. وَٱلَّذِينَAnd those who
  2. يَنقُضُونَbreak
  3. عَهۡدَthe covenant
  4. ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
  5. مِنۢfrom
  6. بَعۡدِafter
  7. مِيثَٰقِهِۦcontracting it
  8. وَيَقۡطَعُونَand sever
  9. مَآwhat
  10. أَمَرَ(has been) commanded
  11. ٱللَّهُ(by) Allah
  12. بِهِۦٓfor it
  13. أَنto
  14. يُوصَلَbe joined
  15. وَيُفۡسِدُونَand spread corruption
  16. فِيin
  17. ٱلۡأَرۡضِthe earth
  18. أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَThose
  19. لَهُمُfor them
  20. ٱللَّعۡنَةُ(is) the curse
  21. وَلَهُمۡand for them
  22. سُوٓءُ(is) an evil
  23. ٱلدَّارِhome
Ar-Ra'd · 13:25Madinah

Breaking promises and cutting ties is the opposite road.

The mirror image of the believers' qualities

Their habits
break the covenantafter agreeing to it
cut what Allah joinedkinship severed
spread corruptionin the land
lead to
the bad homeaway from mercy
Two lists, side by side
keep, joinverses 20 and 21
break, cutthis verse

Ibn Kathir says this verse is the exact opposite of the qualities just listed. Where the believers kept their word and family ties, these broke their covenant, cut ties and spread harm. He cites the hadith on the signs of a hypocrite: lying, breaking promises, betraying trust.

It rarely starts big. One broken promise to a friend. One ignored call from a parent. One story passed on that you knew was untrue. Habits form a road, and roads lead somewhere.

Little broken promises and family fallouts are just part of life.

These small breaks are the opposite of the believers' road; I can turn back.

Try this

Look at the two lists in verses 20 to 25 and pick one quality to move toward this week.

Related13:18
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And those who break the covenant of Allah, after its ratification, and sever that which Allah has commanded to be joined, and work mischief in the land, on them is the curse, and for them is the unhappy (evil) home (i.e. Hell)(25)

Characteristics of the Wretched Ones which will lead to the Curse and the Evil Home

This is the destination of the Wretched ones and these are their characteristics. Allah mentioned their end in the Hereafter, to contrast the end that the believers earned, since their characteristics were to the opposite of the believer's qualities in this life. The latter used to keep Allah's covenant and join that which Allah has ordained on them to join. As for the former, they used to,

يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مِيثَاقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ

(break the covenant of Allah, after its ratification, and sever that which Allah has commanded to be joined, and work mischief in the land,) An authentic Hadith states that,

آيَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلَاثٌ: إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ، وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ، وَإِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ

(The signs of a hypocrite are three: Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie; whenever he promises, he always breaks it (his promise); if you entrust him, he proves to be dishonest.") In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said,

وَإِذَا عَاهَدَ غَدَرَ وَإِذَا خَاصَمَ فَجَرَ

(If he enters into a covenant, he betrays it; and if he disputes, he proves to be most quarrelsome.) This is why Allah said next,

أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ 

(on them is the curse,) they will be cast away from Allah's mercy,

وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ

(and for them is the unhappy home.) the evil end and destination,

وَمَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ

(Their dwelling place will be Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest.)[13:18]