English Translation

Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi and Ibn Ja'far told us — the meaning being the same — saying: Shu'bah told us, from Abu al-Fayd — Abd al-Rahman said in his hadith: I heard Sulaym ibn Amir say: There was a truce between Mu'awiyah and the Byzantines, and he used to march toward their lands until the truce expired, then raid them. A man on a mount made a habit of saying: "Faithfulness, not treachery! Faithfulness, not treachery!" And behold, it was Amr ibn Abasah. So I asked him about that, and he said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: 'Whoever has a covenant between himself and a people should neither loosen a knot of it nor tighten it until its term passes, or he renounces it to them on equal terms.'" So Mu'awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, turned back.