Farooqi’s Guide to Sufism : What Is Pledge of Allegiance?

Preface

The word Ba’it (Pledge) has always remained a subject of different opinions. But there are few people who really know the literal and real meaning of the word pledge. If it is not considered my exaggeration, let me say that the conflict between Hazrat Syedna Imam Hussain (R.A) and Yazid in the battle of Karbala was not about the Sultanate or any Dominion but it was for the Pledge. Imam Aali Muqam (R.A) preferred to sacrifice himself and his whole family - 72 in number – but did not compromise the sacredness of the Pledge. So, one can understand the importance of the word ‘Pledge’. It’s obviously neither a joke nor an ordinary custom as people think about it. They either have not taken it seriously or not tried to understand it.

 

Shah ast Hussain (R.A) Badshah ast Hussain (R.A)

Deen ast Hussain (R.A) Deen Panah ast Hussain (R.A)

Sar Dad na dad Dast dar Dast Yazid

Haqqa aey kay Bina aey Laa Ilaha ast Hussain (R.A)

(Hazrat Imam Hussain (R.A) is, no doubt, dignified personality of Islam and real protagonist of Islamic thought and faith who sacrificed his dear life but did not sanction un-islamic actions of Yazid) 

 

Hazrat Kahwaja Moinudeen Chishti Ajmeri (R.A)

 

Ay Karbala ki Khaak tu is Ehsaan ko naa bhool

Tarpi hay Tujh pay Laash e Jigar Gosha e Batool (R.A)

Mazloom kay lahoo say teri piyas bujh gai

Seraab kar gaya tujh ko Rag e rasool (P.B.U.H))

Sar Kat ke Charh jaye nezy ki noak par

Lakin Yazeedon ki itaat na kar qubool

(Listen, O soil of Karbala! You must never forget this fact that you were selected for “martyrdom” of Imam Hussain (R.A) who is descendant/off-spring of Hazrat Syeda Fatima-Al-Zahra (R.A). He is the leader of the martyrs of Islam who sacrificed his dear life for cause of Islam but did not make compromise with the gang of Yazid)

 

(Maulana Zafar Ali Khan)

 The Interpretation of the word Pledge

 

The Bai’t (Pledge) is an Arabic word which is derived from “Ba'ei '' (بیع ) which means to sell, to give yourself to someone in return for something. The interpretation of Ba’ei wa Sharah, selling and purchasing is also derived from it.

This word is used at many places in the Holy Quran. As it is said,

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ إِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ يَدُ ٱللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ ۚ فَمَن نَّكَثَ فَإِنَّمَا يَنكُثُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِۦ ۖ    وَمَنْ أَوْفَىٰ بِمَا عَـٰهَدَ عَلَيْهُ ٱللَّهَ فَسَيُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًۭا

 

“Those who swear allegiance unto thee (Muhammad), swear allegiance only unto Allah. The Hand of Allah is above their hands. So, whosoever breaketh his oath, breaketh it only to his soul's hurt; while whosoever keepeth his covenant with Allah, on him will He bestow immense reward.” (Al Fatah- 10)

 It is said at another place:

لَّقَدْ رَضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحْتَ ٱلشَّجَرَةِ فَعَلِمَ مَا فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَنزَلَ ٱلسَّكِينَةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَثَـٰبَهُمْ فَتْحًۭا قَرِيبًۭا

 “Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they gave the pledge to you under the tree, He knew what was in their hearts, and He sent down As-Sakinah upon them, and He rewarded them with a near victory.” (Al Fatah- 18)

 Note: Bait-e-Rizwan is mentioned here which has an important rank in the history of Islam.

 Then the pledge of women is particularly discussed in these words.

يٰۤاَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ اِذَا جَآءَكَ الۡمُؤۡمِنٰتُ يُبَايِعۡنَكَ عَلٰٓى اَنۡ لَّا يُشۡرِكۡنَ بِاللّٰهِ شَيۡـئًا وَّلَا يَسۡرِقۡنَ وَلَا يَزۡنِيۡنَ وَلَا يَقۡتُلۡنَ اَوۡلَادَهُنَّ وَلَا يَاۡتِيۡنَ بِبُهۡتَانٍ يَّفۡتَرِيۡنَهٗ بَيۡنَ اَيۡدِيۡهِنَّ وَاَرۡجُلِهِنَّ وَلَا يَعۡصِيۡنَكَ فِىۡ مَعۡرُوۡفٍ​ فَبَايِعۡهُنَّ وَاسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُنَّ اللّٰهَ​ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ‏ 

 “O Prophet! If believing women come unto thee, taking oath of allegiance unto thee that they will ascribe no thing as partner unto Allah, and will neither steal nor commit adultery nor kill their children, nor produce any lie that they have devised between their hands and feet, nor disobey thee in what is right, then accept their allegiance and ask Allah to forgive them. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (Al Mumtahna- 12)

 

Another Similar Word is Ishtra “ٱشْتَرَىٰ”

Another word Ishtra “ٱشْتَرَىٰ” is used for selling and purchasing in Arabic language.

Various examples of this word are found in the Holy Quran:

وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِى ثَمَنًۭا قَلِيلًۭا

“And you don’t sell my signs for a small price.”

 Then it is said,

اِنَّ اللّٰهَ اشۡتَرٰى مِنَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ اَنۡفُسَهُمۡ وَاَمۡوَالَهُمۡ بِاَنَّ لَهُمُ الۡجَـنَّةَ​ ؕ يُقَاتِلُوۡنَ فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ فَيَقۡتُلُوۡنَ وَ يُقۡتَلُوۡنَ​وَعۡدًا عَلَيۡهِ حَقًّا فِى التَّوۡرٰٮةِ وَالۡاِنۡجِيۡلِ وَالۡقُرۡاٰنِ​ ؕ وَمَنۡ اَوۡفٰى بِعَهۡدِهٖ مِنَ اللّٰهِ فَاسۡتَـبۡشِرُوۡا بِبَيۡعِكُمُ الَّذِىۡ بَايَعۡتُمۡ بِهٖ​ ؕ وَذٰ لِكَ هُوَ الۡفَوۡزُ الۡعَظِيۡمُ‏

 “Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah, so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur’an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? So, rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment.” (Al Taubah- 111) 

 In the Holy Quran and Hadiths, the word “بیعت” and “اشتری” are used at many places. Its summary is “to give and take.” So, wherever these words are used in the Holy Quran, they indicate the same meaning and interpretation.

Stay focused!

1-    The believers gave their lives and wealth to Allah and in return they got the will of Allah (Reference of Bait e Rizwan). That’s why this quality is also used for the Companions of Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H).

رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ ۚ

“Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Allah.” (Al Maidah- 119)

اِنَّ اللّٰهَ اشۡتَرٰى مِنَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ اَنۡفُسَهُمۡ وَاَمۡوَالَهُمۡ بِاَنَّ لَهُمُ الۡجَـنَّةَ​ ؕ

 

“Verily, Allah has purchased the believers their lives and their properties for (the price) that theirs shall be the Paradise.” (Al Taubah-111)

 Hence, it is proved that this word is not just to crack the jokes, to get amusement or satisfy personal interest or disinterest. The meaning of this word has surfaced all the sacrifices and diligence of a believer. The martyrdom of Hazrat Syedna Imam Hussain (R.A) and the others in the battle of Karbala is an effort to sustain the sanctity of the spirit of the pledge. If a Muslim doesn’t know about the importance and need of the term pledge, we can only pity on him/her and call it an ignorance.

 

Women and the concept of pledge

1- It is said that for a woman the pledge/allegiance is actually like marriage because in this contract a woman has to accept a person three times by saying “I accept”.

2-    A woman can Pledge her allegiance to her husband only, because he is the real Peer, Sheikh and Murshid of her.

(Even if this unlucky husband doesn't even know a proper way to wash or clean?)

3- In order to pledge her allegiance, a woman must first seek permission from her parents or from her husband; if she is married, otherwise her pledge of allegiance will not be valid.

(Even if her parents/husband are absolutely illiterate, ignorant of religion, weary of prayer and fasting, and do not even know the meaning of the word pledge?)

4- “There is no need for a woman to pledge her allegiance somewhere because her allegiance would automatically be done there where her parents or her elder brother have pledged their allegiance and after her marriage that allegiance would be shifted towards her husband’s Murshid.”

(Even if no one in her family has pledged allegiance till date and they do not even consider it necessary. And as that a woman does not have her own separate identity, and could be tied with someone of her parents or brother’s choice. However, in contrast to the concepts of Europe, Islam has given to the women an independent position and status. Neither did the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) call Sayyida Fatimah (R.A) Miss Muhammad, while she was unmarried nor did Sayyida Ayesha Siddiqa (R.A) her own identity and existence by giving herself the name of Mrs. Muhammad (P.B.U.H)

5- “A woman cannot pledge her allegiance because it is prohibited in Islam for a woman to visit, speak, or make a promise to a non-mahram.”

(Whether that woman spends the whole day in the markets, at the intersections, in schools, colleges, universities and at many more places, throughout her life. She might have gone through thousands of transactions, covenants, promises, education and learning activities with unprivileged youth, old men and men of all ages. It all becomes fair but if she promises to a pious person to follow the goodness and avoid the sin, it becomes objectionable and non-Islamic. At once the father and brothers feel that it’s all against their dignity and they become bloodshed.

In short, there are many other opinions of the same kind, which are not being written here because of their length. I hope the terrible or happy side of the picture has become clear. The guidance is only from Allah and it is the right of the pious, as this principle is explained in the Qur'an:

ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًۭى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ

“This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah;”               (Surah Al Baqara-2)

It means that the Qur'an is certainly a guide, a source of knowledge and wisdom, but it is not in everyone's fate to absorb its virtues and blessings, except for the fortunate ones who belong to the category of the pious people.

 

Men and the concept of pledge  

There are few objections from confused men about the concept of pledge.

1-    It is a totally unnecessary and unnatural act to make a pledge of allegiance. It is just a pretense for earning livelihood and running the business of Peeri Muridi.

2-    We do not accept anyone's slavery other than obeying Allah, because Allah Himself has commanded the Prophet (PBUH) of Islam to say,

  “Allah is enough for me”.

 So, there is no space for anyone else other than Allah.

 They even consider the name Ghulam e Muhammad (servant of Muhammad (P.B.U.H) is undesirable and an act of heresy.

(There are numerous verses of the Holy Quran which openly testify the slavery, following, obedience, love and pledge of allegiance to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H). But the people who have objections, they ignore all these verses because of their bigotry and stubbornness.

Allah Almighty says,

يُضِلُّ بِهِۦ كَثِيرًۭا وَيَهْدِى بِهِۦ كَثِيرًۭا ۚ

“He misleads many thereby (Quran) and guides many thereby (Quran).” (Surah Al Baqarah: 26)

(Then after the death of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H), all the Companions of the Prophet (P.B.U.H) pledged their allegiance to Hazrat Siddique Akbar (R.A). Thousands of Hadiths are witness to the act of pledge. And this act of pledge remained in fashion till Hazrat Imam Hussain in one way or the other. Later on, the great people of the nation continued the act of pledge to avail its benefits. In its result Islam has gotten countless reformers, saints, scholars, and sufis.)

 

3-    The necessity of allegiance and its importance in Islamic jurisprudence cannot be denied, but what should we do? There is selfishness everywhere, the pious people are less in number, into whom we should devote our allegiance? The ironic situations are everywhere that made this act suspicious. We can find various examples of so-called peers, mullas who get engaged in unfair means and acts and make the whole act of allegiance questionable.

4-    Only that person can pledge allegiance to a pious man who offers prayers, fasts, abstains from all evil deeds, keeps himself away from all kinds of sins, and is free from the responsibilities of children.  Otherwise, if he pledges allegiance, he will become the worst sinner.

 (Why do these people think that after believing in Kalmah (There is none worthy of worship except Allah. Muhammad (P.B.U.H) is The Messenger of ALLAH) one can perform the act of sin but to take pledge one has to be innocent from all kinds of sin. Don’t these people think that even the ‘Kalmah’ is also an act of pledge.

Like Allama Muhammad Iqbal Says;

Choo mi goim musalmano balrazam

Kay danum mushkilat laa ilaha raa

(“When I say that I am a Muslim, my whole body becomes shivering because I understand the requirements of being called a Muslim.”)

Ye Shahadat gah ulfat mein qadam rakhna hy

Log asan samajhte hain musalman hona

(“It is to enter into the arena of pure love and sacrifice but majority of people take it as granted only”)

(The second proposition is that if someone is already a pious and a perfect Muslim, why does he need to take a pledge. The purpose of the pledge is to be guided by a pious scholar and who would be guided only by the one who needs to be corrected.)

 

As Sheikh Saadi Says, 

Yak zamana sohbat baa auliaa

Behtar az sad sala taa’at bay riya

 (“To enjoy the sweet company of an Allah’s friend is better than the obedience of one hundred years.”)

 

 

Allama Muhammad Iqbal Says,

  

Maulvi (R.A) hargiz na shud maula e room

Taa ghulam e shams Tabrezi(R.A) naa shud

(“Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi got the status of real and sincere saint when he became true follower of Shams Tabraiz (R.A).”)

5.We will pledge our allegiance to the one:

I. Who can win our case for us

II. Who can put our business on the fast track to win the laurels.

III. Who can arrange our love marriage by fair or unfair means?

IV. Who can manage our visit abroad and so on and on.

(All these matters are not associated with the pledge of allegiance.

Then what is the Pledge of Allegiance?

If we keep in mind all the teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah and of the pious people, the following points come to light regarding the pledge of allegiance;

  1- Pledge of Allegiance is the name of coming under the shadow of discipleship and education, under the tutelage and education of a perfect Murshid to seek the pleasure of Allah Almighty. It is a genuine promise on the hands of a pious person to ask for Tauba (an act of asking forgiveness from Allah Almighty from the past sins and misdeeds) and to be good in future. It is actually the renewal of the faith that we acquire by being born in a Muslim family or society.    

As it is proved by Quran and Sunnah

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ إِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ يَدُ ٱللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ

“Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, [O Muhammad] they are actually pledging allegiance to Allah]. The hand of Allah is over their hands.” (Surah Al-Fatah-10)

2- Pledge of allegiance is not just a name of giving blessings, taweez thread, but it is to learn the Qur'an and Sunnah, to be freed from the clutches of the self and the devil, to receive sincere prayer and guidance, to be guided by the truth, and to be patiently guided in this world and the hereafter. It is the name of having a true and perfect friendship with someone who is sincere, benevolent, righteous, pious and bound by Sharia and Sunnah. It is not a short time. It is not a temporary awareness to gain political, economic or social benefits.

Log takalluf ko bhi piyar samjah lyty hyn Faraz

Dost hota nahi har hath milane wala

(Every common fellow(layman) is never a friend who attends with smile)

 

3- The pledge of allegiance is basically to accept the guidance of a murshid whose physical connection to the blessed hand of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H).is established and confirmed.

“Scholars are heirs of Prophets” (Al-Hadith)

It is necessary to be an expert to teach, guide and educate to fulfill the purpose of a true murshid. Otherwise, there is a fear of missing the required and desired goal.

An Important Question and its answer

 I once asked my Sheikh e Mukkram, “How can a Murshid be tested?” He answered, “Never ever try to test a Walli Allah because everyone does not have the caliber to recognize him/her, only a Wali Allah can recognize another Wali Allah. But let me tell you one thing if you want to know that which one might be a true Murshid:

Start looking at the people who sit or live around him.

If there is a visible difference between their past and present life i.e. once they were wicked and now they are righteous enough, once they were not habitual of offering prayers and now they are regular in their prayers, once they used to eat haram and now their morsels are lawful. They were liars once and now they speak nothing but the truth only. He might be the true guide for the sinners. One should take full advantage of him. But if the situation is vice versa, stay away from him.      

May Allah keep us all safe. Ameen!