Indeed, a long list of books was sent with the number of students for each book, for the library to purchase them from international publishing houses. Weeks after the start of the academic year, a painful message came to the Dean from this library in which the official says: ...
Peace be upon you, two incidents happened to me, each carrying a lesson; the first was years ago at one of the universities where I studied. The dean requested that every professor provide her with an approved book for each subject they teach, so she could send the names of the books and the required quantities to one of the libraries in Amman to provide them at reasonable prices.
I told the dean at the time: "I, Doctor, will not specify a particular book for pharmacology, as I require students in this subject to use slides (Slides), which I give them after each lecture. These slides contain information from various books, so I cannot commit to a specific book."
Other colleagues provided the dean with book names and student numbers for each subject, assuming they would require students to use these books. Indeed, a long list of books with student numbers for each was sent to the library to purchase from international publishers.
Weeks after the start of the academic year, a painful message came to the dean from this library, in which the responsible person said: "Esteemed Dean, you requested a list of books with the required quantities, and we purchased them, waiting for your students to come and buy them from us. Yet, weeks into the academic year, not a single student has purchased any copy of any book! The number of copies sold is zero, and you are not unaware that this greatly harms us as a library."
Of course, the library was hurt because it paid thousands in vain. What happened was that several professors did not require their students to use the prescribed textbook (Textbook), nor was there a need for it. If he had said this from the beginning: "I will not require my students to use a specific book," this poor library would not have purchased them. This is the first evidence regarding the topic of respecting one's word; when we say a word, we respect it.
One of the distinguished female doctors announced that she wanted to give a free public course on a very beneficial topic that strengthens a Muslim's faith and refutes some of the doubts raised frequently. She announced it on her page, and I was among those who shared this announcement. Indeed, dozens of sisters registered that they wanted to attend the free public course.
The time for the first meeting came, and the doctor, after exhausting herself in preparing the material and the slides, launched the course. But how many attendees were there? Only one sister! One sister and dozens of other registered sisters did not attend, forcing the doctor to cancel the course, apologetic and disappointed by this indifference.
These two incidents are but examples of a very widespread phenomenon, which is the disrespect many of us have for our words; one registers for an activity, joins a group, then does not follow up nor bother to apologize, with a complete lack of responsibility.
Brother, if you are not serious about attending, do not register your name, otherwise, you will sin for the harm you cause others, whether material, moral, or both. Allah the Almighty has warned us against our actions contradicting our words and promises, saying: {O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do} (Surah As-Saff, 61:2-3). This is a detestable behavior.
And our Prophet, peace be upon him, warned us against the characteristics of hypocrites, including: "And if he makes a promise, he breaks it." Giving one's word in a matter is akin to making a promise, and failing to keep one's word is breaking the promise. And he, peace be upon him, said: "None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." By Allah, I ask you: would you be pleased if people did to you what we have mentioned?
Disrespecting one's word takes many forms:
It is regrettable that many of us would commit if they knew that their lack of commitment would result in financial penalties, but they do not care to the same extent if they knew that their lack of commitment would harm their Muslim brothers materially or morally.
This matter is a cause for many of the righteous to lose enthusiasm for providing beneficial knowledge due to the frustration and indifference they face. The short message from all of this: Remind myself and you to respect our words and fulfill them, and not to underestimate the harm that our failure to do so causes to others.
Peace be upon you.