The Basis of Organization in Islam - Bai’yah - The Basis for Organization of a Revivalist Party in Islam

The Basis of Organization in Islam

I have already pointed out that the type of organization that we repeatedly come across in the Holy Qur’an, and in the life and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) — as well as in the entire thirteen hundred year’s history of the Muslim Ummah — is based on a pattern that is distinct from that usually found in today’s world. And this pattern is one of bai‘yah, or “pledge of allegiance.” Now, the question is: what is meant by bai‘yah?

The word bai‘yah is from the Arabic verb“           ” meaning to sell. And what is the basic nature of selling? Exchange! You exchange your dollars for a loaf or a cake. You exchange your rupees for a bag of onions. Before the invention of coins and currency, people would exchange one merchandise for another, and this, as you know, is called barter system. It makes no difference whether you call the dollars the price and the loaf the merchandise, or you call the dollars the merchandise and the loaf the price. This is because whenever there is selling, buying is taking place as well. Both can be called prices as well as the commodities.

I have given you this background so that you can appreciate and feel for yourself the beauty, the elegance, and the splendor of the following Qur’anic verse:

Allah has verily bought the lives and possessions of the faithful in exchange for Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah, and kill and are killed. This is a promise incumbent on Him, as in the Torah, so the Gospel and the Qur’an. And who is more true to his promise than Allah? So rejoice at the bargain you have made with Him; for this will be supreme triumph. (At-Tawbah 9:111)

This is one of the most important verses of the Holy Qur’an, but, unfortunately, it no longer occupies the pivotal position in our lives as it did in the lives of the Companions (RAA). This verse talks about a bargain or a transaction between the mo’min (the faithful, the believer) on the one hand and Almighty Allah (SWT) on the other. In this transaction, Almighty Allah (SWT) is the purchaser and the believer is the seller. When a person has Iman (true faith), it means that he has already committed himself to devote and dedicate his life, his capabilities, his energies, his resources, his possessions, and his wealth for the sake of Almighty Allah (SWT) and, in return, he is given the promise of the rewards of the Paradise in the life to come. This is the bai‘yah between the faithful and Almighty Allah (SWT). On the basis of this bai‘yah, what are the believers doing? They are fighting in the way of Allah (SWT), they are fighting to make the Deen of Allah supreme, they are fighting to establish the Islamic Order in its totality. And, during the course of this conflict, they are killing their opponents, the enemies of Allah (SWT), and they are being killed by them as well.

The transaction between the believer and Allah (SWT) mentioned above is not a cash bargain; rather, it’s a credit bargain. I am required to invest all that I have, including my life and property, for the cause of Almighty Allah (SWT). And what do I get in return? A promise. A word of assurance from Allah that He will reward me in the Hereafter. Anyone can see that there is a lot of risk involved in this venture. What if I don’t get anything in return? What if I am not compensated for my sacrifices? I am willing to surrender and renounce everything I have in this world, but what if I don’t receive any recompense? Surely I don’t want to be a double loser. So why should I make sacrifices? Isn’t one in hand better than two in the bush?

It is quite natural to have doubts regarding the mere promise of a future payment. This is exactly why Almighty Allah (SWT) has reassured us in a most emphatic manner that the promise is on Him. Don’t let any misgivings come in your way. Don’t let any doubts or suspicions stop you from striving in the way of Allah (SWT). The promise is on Him. He will most certainly fulfill His promise. He has made this promise thrice: in the Torah, in the Gospel, and then in the Qur’an. And who can be more faithful and trustworthy in his promise than Allah (SWT) Himself? So rejoice and celebrate, because of this bargain you have made with Almighty Allah (SWT). What you are asked to give up is so trivial and insignificant, and what you’ll get is so glorious and exalted. This, indeed, is the biggest triumph, the supreme and ultimate success.

Here, we see that the verse under discussion starts with the verb “     ” and ends with the noun “      ”. What is the difference between the two? The first refers to simple purchasing, the second refers to the process of transaction between two parties. It was a common practice among the Arabs that, when it came to buying and selling, they would argue about the price or the quality of the merchandise, but when the deal was finally settled, they would shake hands with each other. This handshake was a symbol that the bargain has been settled, that no party can now go back on his words. This final agreement, symbolized by a handshake, is called “          ” and this, in fact, is the basis of bai‘yah.

The important issue here is that the transaction is to take place between Almighty Allah (SWT) and the believer, but we cannot deal directly with the Lord and Creator of the universe. It means that we need an intermediary, a go-between, to mediate this transaction. Allah (SWT) is purchasing the life and possessions of a mo’min, and the mo’min is willing to sell, but who would tell him how and when and in what manner to invest his life and possessions? For twelve long years in Makkah, the order of the day was to remain passive, non-violent, patient; in Madinah, the order was to go ahead, to fight, to confront. But who decided all this? Herein comes the role of the organization, of the ameer, and of listening and obeying.

Indeed it is all very simple and logical. Almighty Allah (SWT) is the buyer, and mo’min, the seller. In between these two was the hand of Muhammad. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. The real purchaser or the buyer is, of course, Almighty Allah (SWT), but the pledge of obedience and allegiance was given to Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Thus, the Holy Qur’an says:

Those who swear allegiance to you (O Prophet!) indeed swear allegiance to Allah; and Allah’s hand is over theirs. Then whosoever breaks the promise, breaks it to his own loss; but whosoever fulfills the promise made to Allah will receive a great reward from Him. (Al-Fath 48:10)

This makes it a trilateral agreement. Selling of the life and property by the believer to Almighty Allah (SWT), but the promise of obedience to Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The mo’min, in effect, says to the Prophet (SAW) that my life and property is at your disposal, you will tell me what to do with them, you will guide me as to how and when and in what manner to sacrifice them. The ultimate purpose remains the attainment of Allah’s pleasure and His rewards in the Hereafter. This is bai‘yah, pure and simple.

Please note that the wordings of the bai‘yah that was given by Muslim men to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) are not mentioned anywhere in the Holy Qur’an, although they are described fully in ahadith. On the other hand, we find that the wordings of the bai‘yah of women (bai‘yah al-nisa) are clearly mentioned in the Holy Qur’an. Thus, we read:

O Prophet, when believing women come to you and swear on oath that they will not associate anything with Allah, nor steal, nor fornicate, nor kill their children, nor accuse others for what they have fabricated themselves, nor disobey you in any rightful thing, then you should accept their allegiance, and ask forgiveness of Allah for them. Certainly Allah is forgiving and kind. (Al-Mumtahinah 60:12)

A study of the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) reveals that the most important bai‘yah that was taken by him after Hijrah was bai‘yah al-ridwan, which was taken just before the treaty of Hudaybiah. However, as regards the life of the Prophet (SAW) before his migration to Madinah, we find two very notable oaths of allegiance, given to the Prophet by the Muslim visitors from Madinah, or Yathrib, as it was then called.

The nearest point of Mina to Makkah is the valley of Aqabah, and it was here that, during the  annual Pilgrimage, six  men  from  Yathrib embraced Islam  after meeting with  Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The next year, five of them repeated their Pilgrimage and brought with them seven others. These twelve people pledged themselves to the Prophet (SAW), and this is known as the first pledge of Aqabah. The wordings of the oath taken by these twelve are identical with the wordings of the bai‘yah of women, as they appear in the Qur’anic verse quoted above. The next year, seventy two men and two women came from Yathrib and they pledged their allegiance to the Prophet (SAW), and this is known as the Second pledge of Aqabah. The wording of this bai‘yah is extremely significant, but we shall discuss it later.

Please note that there were a number of different pledges taken by the Prophet (SAW) from his Companions (RAA) on various occasions. As a matter of fact, whenever he felt the need to get a firm promise or commitment from his Companions (RAA), the Holy Prophet (SAW) would use the word bai‘yah. Thus, we see that Imam Nasai (RA), a great teacher and collector of traditions, has enumerated no less than ten different types of pledges that were taken by the Prophet (SAW) from his Companions (RAA) on different occasions. Let me quote them: 

bai‘yah that we shall listen and obey, 
that we shall always say the truth, 
that we give you the prerogative to prefer anybody over us, 
that we won’t run away from the battle field, 
that we promise to engage in Jihad, 
the bai‘yah that we shall always say what is just, 
that we shall always be sincere to every Muslim, 
that we are ready to die for the sake of Allah (SWT), and finally 
the bai‘yah that we are ready to leave our homes whenever you order us. 

What all this means is that bai‘yah is the only form of commitment and the only basis of organization that is found in the life and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). When the Companions (RAA) were digging the trench to protect Madinah in the battle of Ahzaab, they were chanting the following couplet:

We are those who have pledged ourselves to Muhammad for Jihad; and this Jihad is to continue as long as we are alive.

Source : Bai’yah-TheBasis for Organization of a Revivalist Party in Islam ( Lecture by Dr Israr Ahmad)

To be continued....