Bay'ah wa Iradat

Bay’ah wa Iradat

(Pledge and Devotion)

In the Holy Quran, Allah (SWT) says,

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

“Surely those who pledge allegiance to you, O Prophet, are actually pledging allegiance to Allah. Allah’s Hand is over theirs. Whoever breaks their pledge, it will only be to their own loss. And whoever fulfills their pledge to Allah, He will grant them a great reward” (48:10)

What is Bay'ah? What are its goals and purposes? Bay'ah (pledge of allegiance) is a contract. Arabs had the tradition of placing one’s hands on top of the other’s at the time of a contractual agreement. All states have the tradition of taking a pledge of faithfulness and allegiance. Hence, to emphasize an important matter a Bay'ah is taken. At the time of the Prophet of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him), all new Muslims took a pledge of allegiance. Anyone doing Tawbah (repentance) had to take a pledge of allegiance. The Bay'ah of Taqwa and Tawbah (pledge of God consciousness and Repentance) was also taken from women.

At times, a pledge was taken to fight (in the way of Allah), till one’s last breath, as witnessed at the time of Hudaybiyyah. At other times, the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), would take a pledge of silence from some of his companions ; not to ask anything from anyone. For example, if the reins of the camel fell on the ground, these companions would have the camels sit down, and they would retrieve the reins rather than to ask anyone for help. From time to time, the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), would take a pledge to remain steadfast in the love of Allah (SWT) and His Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). In Islam, taking a pledge of allegiance (Bay’ah) is an important matter.

The question arises, that if we have the Holy Quran, the Books of Hadith and of Jurisprudence, then why do we need to take a pledge?

If you contemplate, two and two make four and if you subtract two from four, we get two. Mathematics is a science of certainty and hardly any other science can be so precise. However, from first grade till tenth grade, we learn mathematics from teachers. Only after ten years of learning do we then have some level of expertise in the subject.

In fact, one cannot find their own mistakes but a teacher recognizes a student’s mistakes. Since we need a teacher for such trivial things, in important matters, there is a higher chance of mistakes and errors. A teacher supervises his students and corrects them on their mistakes. If one needs a teacher in worldly matters, then why would we not need a mentor or Sheikh in seeking God’s path?

So, what is the reason to remain attached to the same person for education? If you get teachings from different people, it may confuse you. Therefore, you should follow your chosen teacher. If you change your attorney often, in the proceedings of a lawsuit, would you expect success? You have several law books, can you proceed in a lawsuit by reading those? The answer is no. There is a specialist in every field and one has to trust him/her to be able to succeed.

How do respected Elders (Sheikhs) take a Bay'ah? For men, they hold their hands and take a pledge to live according to the commandments of Allah (SWT) and His Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and to their best ability, they will abstain from sins and persist in good deeds. If one has not completed their religious education, they can follow another sheikh and this phenomenon is called becoming a Taalib, or student.

Some befriend an experienced and pious religious person and listen to their kind advice and act upon it. Such people are called Fellows of God’s path (Rafeeq e Rah e Khuda). Such people are not Murshids (Spiritual Mentor), but advisors.

During the act of Bay'ah, after reciting Astaghfar, some recite the following verses of the Holy Quran,

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

Surely those who pledge allegiance to you, “O Prophet” are actually pledging allegiance to Allah. Allah’s Hand is over theirs. Whoever breaks their pledge, it will only be to their own loss. And whoever fulfills their pledge to Allah, He will grant them a great reward (48:10)

Some Sheikhs say, I advise you of this,

۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْعَدْلِ وَٱلْإِحْسَـٰنِ وَإِيتَآئِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ وَٱلْبَغْىِ ۚ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

Indeed, Allah commands Justice, Grace as well as courtesy to close relatives. He forbids indecency, wickedness and aggression. He instructs you so perhaps you will be mindful (16:90)

After this the Sheikh (Spiritual master) always keeps his Murid (follower) under his supervision and with his spiritual assistance and excellence of his attention, prevents the follower from bad deeds and assists in keeping his intention and deeds aright.

Sometimes, Bay'ah is taken from small children, it is called the Bay'ah of Barakah (Pledge for blessings).

For women, taking a verbal pledge is enough (without holding hands). Some religious elders would hold one end of a piece of cloth (shawl, prayer mat, or scarf) in their hand and let the female Murid hold the other end of the cloth. It is not recommended for women to take off their veils in front of their Sheikhs, even if the Sheikh is senile.

What would be the right age for taking a pledge of allegiance? It is recommended that one be in their youth or young adulthood with good understanding and the acumen to differentiate between right and wrong. They should practice steadfastly the teachings (of Islam).

What is the criterion to be a spiritual mentor or Sheikh? They should be able to fulfill the spiritual needs of the follower. Some spiritual masters hold the opinion that they should be well-versed in the Quranic verses of commandments, Hadith and important principles and matters of Jurisprudence, in addition to having spiritual blessings from an experienced spiritual master.

Some elders point out that when you are in the company of a good spiritual master, all temptations and bad thoughts cease and one is immediately connected to the thoughts of Allah (SWT) and the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).

سوچ سمجھ کر دینا ہاتھ ورنہ پیچھے ندامت ہے

غیر سے جو کر دے آزاد لازم اس کی صحبت ہے

(حسرت)

In this Urdu couplet, Hazrat Abdul Qadeer Hasrat says:

Beware, take a pledge cautiously

Lest you should repent

One who frees you from the thoughts of Other (than Allah)

Seek his company eagerly

The Criterion for differentiating right from wrong is the human eye. Whoever has a steady heart, his vision will be focused on a dot. An anxious person is not able to focus.

It is said that if you recite Durood (Salawat on Prophet) behind your spiritual master, a true spiritual master would turn back and if you ask some question, he would answer promptly.

It is important to remember that one’s thoughts and effects of one’s company vibrate and move centrifugally. Good company leads to good, and evil company leads to evil. If you throw a stone in water, a small circle of waves is generated. If a pebble and a large stone are thrown simultaneously, the circle of waves from the pebble will disappear in the circle of waves generated by the large stone. Similarly, if a person with ordinary thoughts and weak faith sits in the company of a Kamil (a master with complete faith and action), his temptations, and evil thoughts will dissipate and vanish and he will be influenced by the effects of the company of the person with stronger thought process.

صحبت صالح ترا صالح کند

صحبت طالح ترا طالح کند

In this Persian couplet, poet Moulana Rumi says:

A pious company will make you pious

A wretched fellow will make you wretched

Importantly, if someone makes a mistake after taking a pledge, he or she should repent again.

If a chaste (sinless) person makes Istighfar, it is even better for him. Once a companion of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) took a pledge from the Prophet of Allah. After a while, our beloved Prophet asked him to take a pledge again. He reminded him that he had just taken a pledge. The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) replied “No worries, do it again.”

Is it essential for everyone to be a Murid?

If a person deems it necessary to avoid sins and remain steadfast on good deeds, to maintain a high spiritual standard then yes. If not, then you will be at a loss.

A famous proverb is “Man La Sheikha-lahu Fa Sheikhu-Hu Ash Saitan”

(Shaytan is the guide of the one who has no spiritual guide).

The Holy Quran and Hadith books are available, there are books of taṣawwuf (Islamic mysticism) and Salook (the spiritual journey), then why did Qadri, Naqshbandi, Chisti orders form?

The answer to this question is that just as Jurists and scholars derive different conclusions from these sources and developed different schools of Madahib like Maaliki, Hanbali etc. Similarly we have different schools of the spiritual journey like Qadri, Chisti and Naqshbandi etc.

People have different personalities and nature. Some like humor and love, others like to be serious and quiet. Each likes to choose a spiritual mentor with similar nature.

وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا ۖ

For each [religious following] is a direction (2:148)

Some spiritual masters have permission from one school and then give Bay'ah to a different spiritual school to get the blessings and teachings from that order.

ذَٲلِكَ فَضۡلُ ٱللَّهِ يُؤۡتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ‌ۚ

That is the Grace of Allâh, which He bestows on whom He wills (62:4)

Istighfar (seeking Forgiveness from Allah) should be practiced by all Muslim men and women. Then why do we need a spiritual master to help you say Istighfar?

Such questions are asked by the persons unfamiliar with the Quranic verses. It is mentioned in the Holy Quran,

وَلَوۡ أَنَّهُمۡ إِذ ظَّلَمُوٓاْ أَنفُسَهُمۡ جَآءُوكَ فَٱسۡتَغۡفَرُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱسۡتَغۡفَرَ لَهُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُواْ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابً۬ا رَّحِيمً۬ا

If only those “hypocrites” came to you “O Prophet” after wronging themselves, seeking Allah’s forgiveness, they would have certainly found Allah ever Accepting of Repentance, Most Merciful (4:64)

Thus, the Prophet’s (Peace Be Upon Him) seeking forgiveness, is forerunner of Allah’s mercy and forgiveness. This explains why seeking forgiveness alone is not enough and you need to obtain prayers and blessings of a person with an illuminated heart. When the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) blessed our eyes with his physical presence, he was seeking Allah’s forgiveness for us. When He is hidden from our physical eyes, then his Spiritual successor and appointee will make dua for forgiveness which (we hope), will be accepted.

If you contemplate, the Love for Allah is of great importance. There will be stations of light for people who love for the sake of Allah (SWT), of which even prophets would aspire (to be blessed with). If you cease to be stubborn and ponder why a Murid would leave his Murshid? For the sake of Allah (SWT). Love for Allah (الحب في الله), remains between them. Don’t you know? “المرء مع من أحب” (al-mar’u ma’a man ahabba) is a well-known saying attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3688). So you are with whom you love and vice versa.

In the Holy Quran,

وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱتَّبَعَتْهُمْ ذُرِّيَّتُهُم بِإِيمَـٰنٍ أَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَمَآ أَلَتْنَـٰهُم مِّنْ عَمَلِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍۢ ۚ كُلُّ ٱمْرِئٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَ رَهِينٌۭ

As for those who believe and whose descendants follow them in faith, We will elevate their descendants to their rank, never discounting anything of the reward of their deeds (52:21)

So Allah united the descendants with their forefathers. What are Murideen (plural of Murid)? They are spiritual children of the Sheikh. With the Will of Allah (SWT), followers will be united with their spiritual masters (in Jannah).

Friends! The purpose of this booklet is to aspire the readers to attain spiritual knowledge and live their lives according to the commandments of Allah (SWT) and his Prophet (peace be upon him). To help the reader choose his spiritual mentor for guidance, to take pledge, repent and develop God consciousness. To engage in different acts of remembrance and spiritual practices in order to benefit from their rewards.

taṣawwuf is derived from the Holy Quran and Hadith, its principles are accepted and agreed upon by all the Spiritual orders. Modus operandi of these spiritual orders may differ; their teachings do not. One spiritual order may stress on one agreed upon aspect (of self-improvement), and the other order may emphasize a different dimension.

Beauty is from head to toe. Spiritual Masters are all inspirational. They differ in their wonderful personalities and spiritual strengths like Tawheed, or servitude. However, all agree upon correctness of beliefs, self-purification and continuous presence (of heart). Repentance is the first step of self-purification, followed by God-consciousness (Taqwa), reliance on Allah (Tawakkul), patience (Sabar), then acceptance (Tasleem) and Reza (approval/pleasure). After taming the lower self (Tehzeeb- e -nafs), there is annihilation of actions (fanāʾ-e-afʿaāl), then annihilation of attributes (fanāʾ-e-ṣifāt) and then annihilation of self (fanāʾ-e-Dhāt) and at the end, there is servitude (abdiyyat).