Bay'at

''Bayʿah'' (, "Pledge of allegiance"), in Islamic terminology, is an oath of allegiance to a leader. It is known to have been practiced by the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In Bedouin culture it was a procedure for choosing the leader of the tribe, and is sometimes taken under a written pact given on behalf of the subjects by leading members of the tribe with the understanding that as long as the leader abides by certain requirements towards his people, they are to maintain their allegiance to him. ''Bayʿah'' is still practiced in countries such as Saudi Arabia and Sudan. In Morocco, ''bayʿah'' is one of the foundations of the monarchy.

Etymology and definitions

''Bay'ah'' derives from the Semitic triconsonantal root ''B-Y-’'', related to commerce, and shows the contractual nature of the bond between caliph and the people. ''Bay'ah'' originally referred to the striking together of hands between buyer and seller to mark an agreement. According to Bernard Lewis, ''bay'ah'' originally referred not to an oath of allegiance but to an agreement between two parties, and in the language of government a contractual agreement between ruler and ruled. In time, however, when an agreement was reached, an oath of allegiance by the ruled came "to be a normal part of the proceedings".

Definitions

Muslim historian Ibn Khaldun described Bay'ah as

Abu Hasan al-Mawardi (947-1058) maintained a bay'ah was a mandate "limited in time and authority" that could be revoked by those who pledged if the ruler abused his mandate.

According to Dr. Monir Ajalin, a bayah is more an acquiescence, and different from a mandate or an election. It is

In Islamic history

The tradition of ''bayʿah'' can be traced back to the era of Muhammad. From the beginning, ''bayʿah'' was taken by Muhammad as an oath of allegiance. Anybody who wanted to join the growing Islamic community did so by reciting the basic creed expressing faith in the oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad. However, this differed from the proclamation of faith necessary to become an individual Muslim. In addition to this, Muhammad formally took ''bayʿah'' from the people and tribes. Through this formal act, they were absorbed by the community and showed willingness to obey Muhammad. The text of the oath varies in different traditions, but often contains the ''Shahada'' and prayers of repentance.

It is reported that at annual gatherings outside Mecca, Muhammad met people from Yathrib (later renamed Medina), who accepted his call towards Islam. Muhammad then took ''bayʿah'' from them.

In Sunni Islam, the ''Bayʿah'' rite continued to be used throughout history to mark a caliph's accession, first in the Rashidun Caliphate (the ''Bayʿah'' of Abu Bakr occasioning the Shi'a-Sunni split), then throughout the Dynastic Caliphates (Umayyad, Abbasid and Ottoman). With the abolition of the Caliphate, ''Bayʿah'' remains in use today by some modern Muslim kingdoms such as Saudi Arabia and Morocco.

In the Qur'an

After the Pledge of the Tree, which led to the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the following was revealed in the Qur'an commemorating and appreciating the pledge and those who made it:

History

The ''bayʿah'' of Ridwan, a mass initiation of thousands of Muslims at the hands of Muhammad, is mentioned in the Qur'an. The tradition was continued by the caliphs.

In subsequent ages, it was associated with Sufi orders, and spiritual masters would initiate their followers. The practice still exists in Sufi orders around the world.

See also

* Bay'ah (Ahmadiyya)
* Bay'ah Mosque

References

Bibliography

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Sufism
Islamic culture
Islamic jurisprudence
Politics of Morocco
Elective monarchy
Islamic terminology