Obligations to God - The Third Pre-Requisite – Baiy’ah or Pledge of Allegiance

The Third Pre-Requisite – Baiy’ah or Pledge of Allegiance

The third pre-requisite for fulfilling our religious obligations is the method of organization that a group striving for the establishment of Islam should adopt, which is on the basis of the principle of Baiy’ah or personal allegiance to the leader.  The Qur’an and Sunnah guide us to follow this principle.  It is the only system of organization that we find mentioned in the Qur’an  and practically adopted in the Sunnah.  I have not been able to discover in the Qur’an and Sunnah any system other than that of Baiy’ah in the context of struggling to fulfill the aforementioned religious obligations, nor has anyone ever pointed one out any other system to me.  

Now let us try to understand first the meaning and implications of the Baiy’ah.  It stands for establishing a link with a man through a pledge for performing his/her Islamic duties in an organized and disciplined manner.  This Baiy’ah of Jihad signifies the pledge for performing such lofty Islamic duties as preaching Islam, spreading the message of Islam, acting as a witness unto mankind and striving for the establishment of Islam as a complete way of life backed by civil authority and government.  Included in it is the commitment to join an organization based on the principle of obedience to its leader (ameer) and the resolve to conduct Jihad and Hijrah under his leadership.

Our recent history has witnessed the movement launched by Syed Ahmad Shaheed in the Indian sub-continent – the “Tehreek-e-Shaheedain”  (The Movement of the two Martyrs).  It is named after Syed Ahmad Shaheed and Shah Ismail Shaheed, who was the grandson of Shah Waliullah.  Thousands of Muslims associated with this movement attained martyrdom (may God bless their pious souls).  In the wake of this movement there was an armed conflict in the Indian sub-continent in the cause of God.  Syed Ahmad Shaheed first took a pledge of allegiance for guidance (Baiy`ah Al-Irshad) and later he took the pledge for Jihad.  The final stage of Jihad happened as part of this pledge in that many pious souls literally fought with their swords in the battlefield and attained martyrdom while fighting against the Sikh army, and consequently won Allah’s immense pleasure and reward: 

And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah; they are dead.  Nay, they are living, though you do not perceive it. (Al-Baqarah 2:154) 

The entire movement was based on the principle of the personal pledge taken by Syed Ahmed Shaheed.  The term Baiy’ah has been abused much today, which is why it might bring bad images to peoples minds when I use it in the context of fulfilling religious obligations.  The same holds true for the term Mureed (disciple).  Many terms that are commonly used in reference to Islamic teachings have lost their original flair and comprehensive connotation with the gradual decline of our religion over fourteen long centuries.  Yet, this should not prevent us from attempting to clarify these terms and employing them in their correct and holistic usage. Our main concern is to revive and instill the real spirit of these terms into the life and blood of the Ummah.

 Another noteworthy point is that it is generally perceived in the religious circles that if one has not pledged loyalty to a renowned religious figure, he may not satisfactorily perform his religious duties.  Let me state with all the clarity as a matter of principle that this is most true for the Baiy’ah for Jihad.  If one is not associated with someone for the purpose of Jihad for the fulfillment of the duties that I have spelled out at length with reference to the Qur’an and Hadith, then these duties cannot be discharged at all.

 

A crucial point that must be addressed at this juncture is that since no Prophet or infallible figure is amongst us, we will have to look among ourselves for a person and a group that is striving to perform these duties and is inviting others towards this end.  If one is convinced about the intentions and integrity of such a person and group and in his/their understanding and sincerity, one is bound to join him/them in the struggle.  I do not mind at all if hundreds and thousands of such organizations come into being, as long as they are sincerely working towards the same objective.  In so far as they have a sound concept of the duties and are in accordance with the Qur’an and the Sunnah, it is immaterial how many such groups are working in this field for they are on their way to the same goal.  It is not at all necessary that there be only one group in existence at any one time.  

Furthermore, it is not for the leaders of any of these groups to demand unconditional obedience, as was the case with the Messenger (SAW),  since none of them are Prophets.  Obedience to the leaders of these groups will be conditional on their remaining within the limits of the Qur’an and the Sunnah.  A practical analogy for having multiple groups is the presence of numerous caravans moving from Mina to Arafat during the Hajj.  Each group carries its own banner, yet they all head towards the same direction and are committed to the same goal.  It is, therefore, immaterial that they are many in number.  However, if it is felt that there are some groups that lack a sound concept of the duties or that they are heading in the wrong direction (or even opting for illegitimate short cuts that could possibly distract them from their goal), or even if the group members are not satisfied with the sincerity of their leader, it is imperative that they look for another leader or gather like minded people together to form their own group.

No one has a monopoly that forbids others to the right of organizing their own group and implementing their own understanding of Islam’s mission and the methodology that is to be utilized for its achievement.  There is nothing wrong in this arrangement, as long as the intention is pure and sincerity of purpose is there, there is no unnecessary wrangling with others, and there exists a distinct purpose of establishing Islam.  If this is the case, then the multiplicity of such group is besides the point.  The groups that are imbued with sincerity will eventually merge together.

 

Unfortunately, today the case is that people neither move themselves nor let others move.  However, those who have committed sincerely to the cause of Islam should join a group that they consider is the best for achieving the ultimate objective of making Islam supreme. They must, however, keep their hearts and minds open to join another organization if they happen to find one that fulfills their requirements in a better fashion.  Is it not the same that we do in our worldly dealings?  If one embarks upon a particular trade in business and fails to do well, he immediately changes his trade and tries his luck elsewhere.  This is normal human behavior that should be displayed in matters of faith as well if there is a commitment to succeed.

Source: Obligations to God (Book by Dr Israr Ahmad)