The Reality of Bay‘ah

Bay‘ah is an important Islamic term. After the death of the Messenger (peace be upon him), the Companions pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). In Islamic history, the practice of pledging allegiance to the person entrusted with the collective leadership of Muslims has been widely recognized. This tradition of bay‘ah continued even after the first four caliphs. Indeed, the term bay‘ah is widely used in religious circles even where there is no Islamic state system.

In our country, this term is used particularly in connection with the relationship between pirs and murids. Anyone wishing to become a murid must pledge allegiance to a pir. Since there are many pirs in the country, the term is widely known. However, many people do not know the true meaning (reality) of the Islamic term bay‘ah. Yet this matter is extremely important in the social system of Islam. Therefore, it is especially necessary to discuss it.

The Lexical Meaning of Bay‘ah

The word bay‘ah is derived from an Arabic word. Bay‘ means buying and selling, dealing, selling and purchasing. This word is used to mean both sale and purchase. Its original meaning, however, is sale. Taking a price in exchange for an item is called sale, while giving a price for an item is called purchase. Since there can be no purchase without a sale, and no sale without a purchase, the two meanings are both expressed by the word bay‘ah. Strictly speaking, it is the act of selling that is called bay‘ah. The primary meaning of the Arabic word is sale, but its secondary meanings are contract, oath and pledge. In buying and selling, transactions take place on the basis of an agreement to accept the terms settled between the buyer and seller. In this way, the word bay‘ah is used to mean contract, oath, pledge, showing respect, acknowledging allegiance, and so on.

The verb derived from the Arabic word is Arabic. Its meaning is not limited to sale alone. It can mean making a contract, showing respect, acknowledging leadership, pledging allegiance, offering for sale, finalizing a contract, and conducting business transactions, among other things.

In the famous Arabic-English dictionary Arabic, compiled by Milton Cowan, the following meanings are given for Arabic:

To sell, to make a contract, to pay homage, to acknowledge as sovereign or leader, to pledge allegiance, to offer for sale, to agree on the terms of a sale, to buy, to purchase, etc.

This dictionary gives the meanings of Arabic as: agreement, arrangement, business deal, commercial transaction, bargain, sale, purchase, homage, etc.

The Use of This Term in the Qur’an

In the Noble Qur’an, the word bay‘ is used in several surahs to mean buying and selling, trade and commerce, and being occupied with various activities for the purpose of earning a livelihood.

Arabic

“When the call to prayer is made on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave off buying and selling.” (Surah al-Jumu‘ah 62:9)

Arabic

Those whom neither business, buying and selling, nor any other commercial activity distracts from the remembrance of Allah.

Surah al-Nur 24:37

In these two verses, all means of earning a livelihood have been expressed by the word bay‘.

In Surah al-Tawbah, Surah al-Fath and Surah al-Mumtahanah, the word bay‘ is used metaphorically in the sense of sale. Here, however, sale means entering into a contract or making a pledge to dedicate one’s very self, life and property to Allah and His Messenger for a great purpose.

Arabic

“Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their wealth in exchange for Paradise. They fight in the way of Allah, kill and are killed. This is a binding promise from Allah in the Torah, the Gospel and the Qur’an. And who is more faithful to his promise than Allah? So rejoice in the bargain you have made. That is the supreme success.” (Surah al-Tawbah 9:111)

Arabic

“O Messenger! Those who pledge allegiance to you are in fact pledging allegiance to Allah. The hand of Allah is over their hands.” (Surah al-Fath 48:18)

Arabic

“O Prophet! When believing women come to you to pledge allegiance that they will not associate anything with Allah, will not steal, commit adultery, kill their children, bring forth a slander they have fabricated between their hands and feet, or disobey you in what is right, then accept their pledge. Indeed, Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surah al-Mumtahanah 60:12)

In these verses, the word bay‘ah is used as an Islamic technical term in a specific sense. In Surah al-Tawbah, it means dedicating one’s life and property to Allah; in Surah al-Fath, it means pledging to die at the Messenger’s command; and in Surah al-Mumtahanah, it means promising not to disobey Allah and His Messenger. The true purpose of all these pledges is an oath of complete obedience to Allah and His Messenger.

In Surah al-Tawbah, bay‘ah means promising to use the believers’ lives and property in accordance with Allah’s will and not according to their own wishes. In Surah al-Fath, bay‘ah means pledging to give one’s life at the Messenger’s command. Before the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, when the rumor spread that Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) had been killed by the people of Makkah, all the Companions present took that pledge, declaring themselves ready to fight the Quraysh even while unarmed. In Surah al-Mumtahanah, the purpose of bay‘ah is the promise not to disobey Allah and His Messenger. Thus, in all these verses, the essence of bay‘ah is to surrender the believer’s life, property, desires and entire self to Allah’s will. This is the essence of accepting Islam. The word Islam itself means submission. Through bay‘ah, the outward form of submission is manifested.

An Explanation of Bay‘ah

In verse 111 of Surah al-Tawbah, Allah Himself declares that He has purchased the lives and property of the believers. Allah did not say that the believers had sold their lives and property to Him. But if the owner of property does not sell it of his own free will, no one can purchase it. If it is taken by force, it is not considered to have been purchased.

Not every believer sells his life and property to Allah. Those who do so are the true believers. Thus, in this verse Allah means that He has purchased only from those who voluntarily sold their lives and property. In other words, those whose lives and property He purchased agreed to sell them willingly and contentedly. They were not purchased by force, nor were they compelled to sell.

When something is purchased from someone, the seller must be paid its price. Otherwise, the obligation of purchase has not been fulfilled. If an item is taken without paying its price, it is understood that the owner gave it as a gift rather than selling it. Therefore, when Allah declares that He has purchased the believers’ lives and property, He also mentions the price. The price He intends to pay is nothing found in this world. He intends to pay such a tremendous price as cannot be found anywhere in this world.

He has declared that He will give Paradise in exchange for the believer’s life and property. Since Paradise cannot be obtained in this worldly life, it is not possible to pay its price immediately here. Thus, Allah has purchased the believer’s life and property on credit. Since Allah is not taking the price in cash, He does not take the believer’s life and property immediately upon the sale. Rather, He keeps the believer’s life and property in his own custody as a trust. If He had taken the life and property into His own hands at the time of purchase, the matter would have been settled. But although Allah has declared that He has purchased them, He has kept the believer’s life and property entrusted to the believer. In other words, Allah is saying: O believer, you claim that you have sold your life and property to Me; you must prove this claim in practice. Your life and property are no longer yours. If, throughout the rest of your life, you use this life and property entirely according to My will, I will acknowledge that you truly sold them to Me. If you provide this proof, you will certainly receive Paradise as their price in the Hereafter after death.

What Does Pledging Allegiance to the Messenger Mean??

Once property is sold to someone, ownership of it passes into the buyer’s hands. The seller cannot sell that property to someone else again. How can the same person sell the same property repeatedly?

After the believer sells his life and property to Allah, ownership of them passes into the hands of the buyer. It is established in the Qur’an and Hadith that the Companions pledged allegiance to the Messenger (peace be upon him). This raises the question: What does pledging allegiance to the Messenger mean? Once one’s life and property have been sold to Allah, what was sold again to the Messenger (peace be upon him)? The reality of bay‘ah will be understood only when this question is answered correctly.

It has already been stated that Allah purchased the believer’s life and property and left them in the believer’s own custody as a trust. The conscious believer knows very well that the life and property surrendered to Allah’s ownership must be used according to Allah’s will; that is the proper duty. There is always a danger that, because of Satan’s whisperings, the deception of the nafs, the demands of family and relatives, and pressure from friends and associates, one may spend one’s life and property contrary to Allah’s will. Therefore, the Companions pledged allegiance to the Messenger (peace be upon him) precisely in order to use this trust from Allah correctly, in accordance with Allah’s will.

Selling one’s life and property to Allah means becoming bound by a pledge to use all one’s strength and ability, time, wealth and labor under Allah’s obedience. This pledge is so comprehensive that it means placing one’s willpower, thought, reflection and intellect under Allah’s will as well. To fulfill such a complete demand, it is not enough to make a private contract with Allah. Since people are surrounded by Satan’s whisperings, the deception of the nafs, the allure of the world, and the incitement of other people, complete obedience to Allah is not practically possible without an organizational system. For this reason, Allah instructed those who accepted the religion preached by His Messenger to organize themselves into a jama‘ah under the Messenger’s leadership. Without such organizational bonds, it is impossible to remove the countless obstacles on the path of complete obedience to Allah. Whoever accepted organizational discipline and agreed to join the Messenger’s jama‘ah became bound to obey the organization’s instructions for the purpose of complete obedience to Allah, so that he could remain safe from every kind of deception. Through obedience to the Islamic jama‘ah, obedience to Allah becomes practically easy and possible. This oath of obedience to the jama‘ah is known in Islamic terminology as bay‘ah. The bay‘ah that the Companions made to the Messenger (peace be upon him) was an oath of this obedience. The Companions’ practical lives testify that they fulfilled the implications of their bay‘ah to the letter. The demand of this bay‘ah is complete obedience to the Messenger. Thus, whenever the Messenger (peace be upon him) gave an instruction, the Companions obeyed it without excuse. Those who offered excuses were called hypocrites in the Qur’an.

On one occasion, the Messenger (peace be upon him) ordered everyone to go to war. Although one Companion’s mother was on her deathbed, he prepared to go to war and appeared at the appointed time. He informed the Messenger (peace be upon him) of his mother’s condition. He certainly did not intend to offer an excuse in order to stay behind. But after learning the situation, the Messenger (peace be upon him) sent him to serve his mother.

What is especially important to note here is that the Companion did not decide on his own not to go to war on the grounds that it was impossible to leave his mother in that condition. He believed that, because of his bay‘ah, he had no authority to make such a decision. Through bay‘ah, he had handed the right of decision-making to the Messenger. Therefore, he did not decide to disobey the Messenger’s command by presenting an excuse or objection. If he had not prepared to go to war and appeared before the Messenger, but had decided on his own not to go, that would have violated his bay‘ah.

Because the Messenger (peace be upon him), after learning the situation, permitted him to serve his mother, he received the reward for going to war even though he did not go. But if he had made that decision himself, it would have been a grave sin tantamount to disobeying the Messenger’s command.

Because three Companions agreed to go to the Battle of Tabuk at the Messenger’s command but delayed, they were confined to their homes for fifty days. They were socially boycotted until Allah Himself announced that their repentance had been accepted. This incident clearly demonstrates the importance of safeguarding the sanctity of bay‘ah.

Must This Bay‘ah Be Made Only to the Messenger??

The Companions pledged allegiance directly to the Messenger (peace be upon him). There is no human being superior to the Messenger (peace be upon him). Yet after the Messenger (peace be upon him) departed from this world, the Companions again pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). In the same way, they had to pledge allegiance to the succeeding caliphs. This proves that in Islam bay‘ah is an essential practice that had to continue after the Messenger, and that this practice should remain in force among the ummah forever.

There is, of course, a major difference in the matter of obedience between pledging allegiance to the Messenger (peace be upon him) and pledging allegiance to anyone after him. Allah and His Messenger must be obeyed unconditionally in all circumstances. No one besides the Messenger may be obeyed blindly; such people must be obeyed within the framework of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Obedience to the Messenger is absolute and unconditional, whereas obedience to others is conditional. The question now is: According to Islamic law, to whom should this bay‘ah be made? History proves that bay‘ah must be made to those responsible for the jama‘ah or other organization of Muslims. As long as the Messenger (peace be upon him) himself was responsible for this jama‘ah, bay‘ah had to be made to him or to someone appointed by him. After he departed from this world, bay‘ah had to be made to whoever was entrusted with responsibility for that jama‘ah. Thus, since the time of the Companions, this great teaching has continued: Muslims must remain organized in a jama‘ah, and bay‘ah must be made to whoever is elected leader of that jama‘ah. Muslims should not remain without a jama‘ah, and the proof of being organized into a jama‘ah is pledging allegiance to the amir of the jama‘ah.

At present, the approximately 250 million Muslims throughout the world are not organized into a single jama‘ah. Therefore, there is no single leader or amir of the entire ummah. Even all the Muslims of any one country are not organized into a single jama‘ah. The actual situation is that the consciousness of organizing into a jama‘ah has become weak among Muslims today. This consciousness is not widespread even among the respected scholars. That is why Islam’s influence on the lives of Muslims has declined so greatly.

The Commonly Practiced Bay‘ah

Although the great purpose for which bay‘ah was instituted in the era of the Companions is no longer being pursued today, the term bay‘ah is still commonly used in society.

The kings of several Arab countries take bay‘ah from the citizens as part of assuming governmental office. The true purpose of this bay‘ah is to express the citizens’ allegiance to the government led by the king. In our country, pirs take bay‘ah from their murids. The purpose of this bay‘ah is to promise to follow the pir’s guidance in religious matters.

The True Purpose of Bay‘ah

The purpose for which the Companions pledged allegiance to the Messenger (peace be upon him) is the true purpose. To establish the practice of bay‘ah for that purpose, several conditions must be fulfilled.

1. The call to the movement for establishing the religion that the Messenger (peace be upon him) conducted must be presented to society.

2. Those who respond to this call and are interested in joining the movement must be organized.

3. Their minds, understanding and character must be developed for the purpose of establishing the religion.

4. Bay‘ah must be taken from those who, having properly understood the great responsibility of establishing the religion, are willing to devote their lives and property to making Allah’s religion victorious.

5. Bay‘ah must be made to the person elected by the members of the jama‘ah formed for the purpose of establishing the religion as its amir. If bay‘ah is instituted in this manner, it does not in reality mean pledging allegiance to an individual; rather, it means pledging allegiance to the Islamic jama‘ah or organization.

In principle, it is more reasonable for bay‘ah to be made not to an individual but to the Islamic organization. Nevertheless, the oath of bay‘ah must be presented to a particular person, since an organization is not a living entity to whom it can be presented. Thus, bay‘ah to the Islamic organization must be made through the person responsible for the organization.

The concept of bay‘ah remains in force among organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood and Jamaat-e-Islami, which are conducting movements for the purpose of establishing the religion. Those who become members of Jamaat-e-Islami pledge allegiance to the organization by taking an oath. According to Article 8 of the Jamaat’s constitution, the oath of membership must be taken before the amir of the Jamaat or one of his representatives. This oath is regarded as bay‘ah.

The Obligations of Bay‘ah

The intention of a person who pledges allegiance to an Islamic organization working toward the great objective of establishing the religion must be as follows:

1. Through this bay‘ah, one takes an oath to use one’s life and property—that is, one’s entire self, which has been sold to Allah—in an organized manner for the purpose of establishing the religion. Therefore, one’s life and property must be spent in Allah’s path in this manner.

2. Any instruction or responsibility assigned to the person by the Islamic organization must be carried out without hesitation, provided that it does not conflict with the Qur’an and Sunnah; no worldly loss or harm in this matter may be feared.

3. If someone feels that an instruction from one of the organization’s responsible officials is incorrect, he must discuss it with the relevant officials and reach a resolution. One must beware that neglecting to carry out an instruction without discussion will constitute a violation of bay‘ah.

4. If, because of a particular difficulty or valid excuse, carrying out an instruction seems impossible, the excuse must be presented to the responsible official. The organization’s decision must be regarded as final. Failing to carry out an instruction on the pretext of one’s own excuse, without a decision from the organization, will be considered a violation of bay‘ah.

Every Movement Has a Practice of Oaths

The essence of bay‘ah is an oath of allegiance. Those who campaign with firm determination to achieve a particular objective naturally arrange for all concerned to pledge their unconditional allegiance through a special kind of oath. Apart from Islamic movements, this practice of taking such oaths exists in every kind of movement. The oath to sacrifice one’s life for the achievement of an objective is known by names such as the fire oath, blood oath or solemn oath. There is even a practice of submitting an oath application written in one’s own blood. In Islam, however, an oath is taken only in the name of Allah.

Establishing the Religion and Bay‘ah

It is proven from the lives of the Messenger (peace be upon him) and the noble Companions that the work of establishing the Deen is the greatest of all obligations. Allah Almighty has declared in several surahs that He sent the Messengers for this very work.

(Arabic)

‘He is the One who sent His Messenger with guidance and the true way of obedience, so that the Messenger (peace be upon him) might make it—the way of obedience—prevail over every other way of obedience.’ (Surah At-Tawbah 33, Surah Al-Fath 28, and Surah As-Saff 9)

This great task is such that even a prophet cannot accomplish it alone. Therefore, all prophets endeavored to prepare a group of capable people for this work. The prophet who did not find the necessary number of people could not make Islam victorious or establish the Deen.

This proves that a Muslim congregation or organization is indispensable for establishing the Deen. In other words, forming a congregation is also obligatory for this great obligatory task of establishing the Deen. Thus, forming a congregation is the second greatest obligation. Bay‘ah is the bond of the congregation. Therefore, there is no alternative to Bay‘ah for establishing the Deen. In reality, that Bay‘ah which is instituted within an Islamic organization for the purpose of establishing the Deen is the true Islamic Bay‘ah.

In those Muslim organizations where the term Bay‘ah is used but there is no program or activity for establishing the Deen, the true reality of Bay‘ah is absent. Just as many Islamic terms, such as prayer, fasting, and remembrance, exist among Muslims while their realities are rarely practiced, the condition of the term Bay‘ah has likewise become the same.

In reality, the term Bay‘ah refers to an Islamic organization formed specifically for the purpose of striving in the path of Allah. The congregation of the noble Companions led by the Messenger (peace be upon him) is its ideal example. Bay‘ah is the lifeblood of that congregation.

In verse 111 of Surah At-Tawbah, Allah Most High has said that He has purchased the lives and wealth of those believers ‘who fight in the path of Allah, kill the enemy, and are themselves killed.’ There is no reason for fighting falsehood except the movement to establish the true Deen. Therefore, the Bay‘ah mentioned in the Noble Qur’an is for the purpose of striving in the path of Allah. Bay‘ah is needed for the movement to establish the Deen. It is through Bay‘ah that one must join a congregation. It is not possible to fulfill the responsibility of establishing the Deen without joining a congregation.

The relationship of the congregation and Bay‘ah to establishing the Deen may be compared to the relationship of prayer and ablution. Allah Almighty made ablution obligatory for the sake of prayer. Prayer itself is the actual obligation. Ablution is obligatory because that obligation cannot be fulfilled without it. Likewise, it is not possible to fulfill the responsibility of establishing the Deen without a congregation and Bay‘ah. Establishing the Deen itself is the actual obligation. For the sake of that obligation, forming a congregation is obligatory; and without the bond of Bay‘ah, the congregation cannot become strong, nor can its purpose be fulfilled. In other words, the obligation of joining a congregation is fulfilled through Bay‘ah.

If someone performs ablution but does not consider it necessary to offer prayer, he will receive no reward for his ablution. Rather than saying that he performed ablution, it would be appropriate to say that he washed his hands and face. One who does not care about prayer cannot properly be called someone who performed ablution merely because he washed the limbs of ablution like one performing ablution. For only a person who prays performs ablution; since he is not a person who prays, it must be considered that he did not perform ablution.

Likewise, Bay‘ah undertaken without the purpose of establishing the Deen is not true Bay‘ah. The reality of Bay‘ah in Islam is not found in such Bay‘ah. Nevertheless, however the term Bay‘ah may have become established, the fact that it remains alive in society can be useful in practicing its true reality. If the word Bay‘ah were not familiar to people at all, explaining its meaning would be even more difficult. Similarly, if prayer were not practiced in society, practicing the reality of prayer would be more difficult.

The True Bay‘ah Is to Allah

The incident of the noble Companions being unarmed at Hudaybiyyah and pledging to fight the Quraysh is mentioned in Surah Al-Fath as follows:

(Arabic)

‘O Messenger, surely those who pledge allegiance to you have in fact pledged allegiance to Allah. The hand of Allah is over their hands.’ (Surah Al-Fath: 10)

After a believer sells his life and wealth to Allah, they are entrusted back into the believer’s own hands. Therefore, the believer puts that trust to use in the path of the Deen through an Islamic organization. This verse expresses how Allah Most High accepts its being put to such use.

When a believer declares to the leader of an organization that he will devote his life for the sake of Allah’s pleasure, that declaration is in reality made to Allah Himself. The pledge at Hudaybiyyah was made to the Messenger (peace be upon him) in such a manner that it was as though it had been made to Allah Himself. Thus, when they pledged by placing their hands in the hand of the Messenger (peace be upon him), it was as though they had pledged by placing their hands in the hand of Allah. At that time, it was as though they had placed their hands in the hand of Allah. When Bay‘ah is made for the purpose of striving and establishing the Deen, it is in fact made to Allah Himself.

The following verse is also included among the words pronounced by the members of Jamaat-e-Islami when taking their pledge:

(Arabic)

‘Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my life, and my death are solely for Allah, Lord of the worlds.’ (Surah Al-An‘am 162)

The Bay‘ah taken through this verse is in fact Bay‘ah made to Allah Almighty Himself.

The Importance of Congregational Life

Human beings are social creatures. Islam is for human beings. Therefore, Islam has naturally prescribed laws applicable to every sphere of human society.

Society is the collective of individuals. Therefore, Islam has given such detailed rules and regulations to develop the individual so that he is suited to social life.

A balanced and comprehensive system extending from personal life to the state and international levels is indispensable for the welfare of humanity. Only Allah is capable of providing such a system. Therefore, Islam alone is the universal system.

The Messenger (peace be upon him) was sent with the responsibility of implementing that comprehensive system in human society. The task of building society is impossible without a social effort. No one could be more qualified than the Messenger to make Islam victorious. Yet Islam did not become victorious during the lifetime of every messenger. For unless a group of people—a congregation—qualified to make Islam victorious was gathered, even the most qualified messenger could not accomplish this task.

For this reason, after inviting all people to the Deen, every messenger also gave those who responded an organizational call, saying, …(Arabic)… (Fear Allah and obey me). This proves that just as believing in the Messenger is obligatory, joining a congregation of believers is likewise obligatory.

The Messenger (peace be upon him), emphasizing the importance of congregational life, said:

…(Arabic)…

1. ‘I command you to do five things which Allah has commanded me to do: organize yourselves, listen to the leader, obey, migrate, and strive in the path of Allah.’ (Musnad Ahmad, Tirmidhi)

…(Arabic)…

2. ‘When three people travel, let them appoint one of themselves as their amir.’ (Abu Dawud)

…(Arabic)…

3. ‘Whoever abandons the congregation has cast the chain of Islam from his neck.’ (Musnad Ahmad and Tirmidhi)

It is precisely because of this great importance of the congregation in Muslim life that the Hadith contains such strong exhortations to perform the obligatory prayer in congregation. The Messenger (peace be upon him) even expressed his intention to burn the houses of those who did not attend the congregational prayer.

The Qur’an, Hadith, and the lives of the noble Companions all prove that living a congregational life is obligatory.

Establishing the Deen and Congregational Life

It was while fulfilling the responsibility of establishing the Deen that the Messenger (peace be upon him) organized the noble Companions into a congregation. If the responsibility of making the Deen victorious is obligatory, then it naturally follows that joining a congregation is also obligatory. The bond through which one joins a congregation is Bay‘ah. The bond of the congregation is strengthened through Bay‘ah.

The pledge that one must take as a member of Jamaat-e-Islami is in reality the practical form of that Bay‘ah. The words ‘pledge’ or ‘oath’ alone do not convey the religious importance conveyed by the word Bay‘ah. Therefore, the pledge of membership should be regarded as possessing the status of Bay‘ah. Otherwise, the correct Shariah-based consciousness of obedience to the congregation cannot arise.

Every organization has a practice of taking pledges. The pledge of the members of the congregation is not conventional in nature. From the wording of this pledge, it is clear that the Shariah requirement of Bay‘ah is properly fulfilled through it.

Bay‘ah and the Islamic State

Some people believe that the existence of Bay‘ah depends on the Islamic state system. According to them, if there is no state system, there is no need for Bay‘ah either. The reasoning behind this statement is not understandable. An Islamic state system does not come into existence on its own. It is born from organized effort. Bay‘ah is connected with congregational life. An Islamic state system can be established only through a congregation bound by the firm bond of Bay‘ah. Thus, the Islamic state is the fruit of Bay‘ah. An Islamic state cannot be established without the system of Bay‘ah.

Before the Islamic state was established in Madinah, did the noble Companions not give Bay‘ah during the Messenger’s Makkan life? Did they wait until an Islamic state system existed before giving Bay‘ah to the Messenger (peace be upon him)?

Even by the judgment of reason, there is no way to avoid accepting that the congregation and Bay‘ah come first, and the Islamic state afterward.

Who Should Give Bay‘ah to Which Congregation??

Although the term Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah exists, it has no organizational form as such. All Muslims known as followers of the four madhhabs and Ahl al-Hadith are included among Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah. They are briefly called Sunnis. None of the madhhabs included within Ahl al-Sunnah counts the Shi‘a among them. In other words, the Shi‘a are not regarded as Sunnis.

Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah refers to those who follow the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the congregation of the noble Companions. Allah Almighty declared His Messenger to be the sole excellent example (Uswatun Hasanah), and the Messenger (peace be upon him) certified his Companions as the true followers of his example. In other words, the Messenger of Allah alone is Uswatun Hasanah; regarding following the Messenger, the noble Companions are Uswatun Hasanah.

All the Muslims of the world included among Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah do not constitute a congregation in an organizational sense. The true identity of a congregation is its imarah. There can be no congregation without an amir. All Sunnis of the world are not under a single imarah. Even all Sunnis within one country do not give Bay‘ah to one amir.

Therefore, it is natural that an amir should be selected from among those Sunnis who establish an organization—a congregation—for the purpose of establishing the Deen. All other members of that congregation will give Bay‘ah through the selected amir. This amir is the amir only of those belonging to this congregation. Those who do not join this congregation, although included among Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah, are not required to give Bay‘ah to the amir of this congregation.

For this reason, the amir of Jamaat-e-Islami is not the amir of all Sunni Muslims in the country. Only those who become members (rukn) of Jamaat-e-Islami give Bay‘ah to the congregation through this amir. Even a devoted worker of Jamaat-e-Islami is not considered included in Bay‘ah until he becomes a member or rukn. There are many capable workers who do more work than the rukn members. But if they are unwilling to pledge to devote their lives and wealth to establishing the Deen, they are not counted as rukn members. This pledge is called Bay‘ah in Islamic terminology.

Can Bay‘ah Be Withdrawn??

True Bay‘ah is made to Allah Almighty Himself. This Bay‘ah is a demand of faith. To withdraw this Bay‘ah means to abandon faith. If one intends to enter Paradise, it is impossible even to think of withdrawing this Bay‘ah.

However, the Bay‘ah one gives to a congregation formed for the purpose of establishing the Deen, in order to fulfill the demands of that Bay‘ah, may certainly be withdrawn for the sake of the Deen. If, after giving Bay‘ah to one congregation, a better religious congregation is found, then one should withdraw Bay‘ah from the inferior congregation and give Bay‘ah to the superior one. In such a situation, withdrawing Bay‘ah is not blameworthy at all. For withdrawing it in order to give Bay‘ah to a better congregation is not truly withdrawal; it is merely changing the place of Bay‘ah.

But if someone withdraws his Bay‘ah or abandons the congregation because of some personal weakness or because he finds following the path of the Islamic movement difficult, he demonstrates extreme weakness of faith. A severe warning has been given in the Hadith concerning this:

…(Arabic)…

‘Allah’s mercy is with the congregation. Whoever separates himself from it will be cast into Hell.’ (Tirmidhi)

…(Arabic)…

‘Whoever dies without the bond of Bay‘ah has died the death of the Age of Ignorance.’ (Muslim)

…(Arabic)…

‘Whoever abandons obedience and dies separated from the congregation has died the death of the Age of Ignorance.’ (Muslim)

Jamaat-e-Islami and Bay‘ah

To ensure that the limits of obedience are not violated in the slightest regarding the Bay‘ah relationship between the amir and the rukn members of Jamaat-e-Islami, the entire organization is administered and regulated by a constitution. The amir is accountable to the Majlis-e-Shura elected by the votes of the rukn members. The constitution contains clear provisions for taking corrective measures if the amir makes a mistake in the light of the Qur’an and Sunnah. There is even a constitutional procedure for expressing no confidence in the amir.

The term Bay‘ah is used in a restricted sense between a pir and a murid. In the case of the membership pledge within the congregation, it is used in a much broader sense. Becoming a member of the congregation means pledging to devote one’s life and wealth completely to Allah’s Deen, in Allah’s name and in hope of His pleasure. The meaning of Bay‘ah that existed in the era of the noble Companions is conveyed by membership in the congregation. Although the term Bay‘ah is not used in the constitution of the congregation, its spirit and significance are certainly present in the membership pledge.

The main purpose of this booklet is to create the realization and consciousness that the pledge required for accepting membership in the congregation—with the great resolve to establish Allah’s Deen and to sacrifice one’s life and wealth, time and labor, and all one’s physical and mental abilities—is equivalent to Bay‘ah in the terminology of the Qur’an and Hadith. May Allah Almighty inspire all members with this consciousness of Bay‘ah and keep them active—Ameen.

When Jamaat-e-Islami was first established in Lahore in 1941 through the initiative of Maulana Maududi (may Allah have mercy on him), the pledge taken by the founding members of the congregation was as follows:

“Syed Abul A‘la Maududi Sahib was unanimously elected amir. The customary method of Bay‘ah was not adopted. Rather, the entire congregation took the pledge together that, according to the explanation given above, everyone would obey the amir and follow his commands. After this Bay‘ah ‘Aam (collective Bay‘ah) was completed, that same state of weeping was again created which had occurred earlier when faith was renewed.”

This account from the first volume of the congregation’s proceedings makes it abundantly clear that the consciousness of Bay‘ah had been alive among everyone from the very beginning of the congregation. There is no doubt that the pledge they took to obey the amir of the congregation was Bay‘ah in Islamic terminology. Therefore, the pledge taken by the members of the congregation must certainly be regarded as Bay‘ah.

The Bay‘ah of the Congregation’s Workers and Associate Members

Those who have not taken the membership pledge of the congregation but participate in the Islamic movement as workers and associate members give a partial Bay‘ah for the purpose of establishing the Deen, even though they do not give a complete Bay‘ah like the rukn members. Associate members pledge to support the congregation, while workers pledge to advance toward becoming rukn members. The Bay‘ah of the rukn members is the Bay‘ah of …(Arabic)… (firm resolve). Workers give Bay‘ah to prepare for it, while associates give Bay‘ah in order to provide assistance.

But the demand of faith is complete Bay‘ah. Every believer should have the desire, interest, and resolve to fulfill this demand of faith. For the true purpose of faith is Allah’s pleasure and success in the Hereafter. To achieve this great purpose, one must advance along the path of complete Bay‘ah. May Allah Almighty grant us the ability to fulfill the Shariah demand by giving complete Bay‘ah, with the aim of attaining success in the Hereafter—Ameen.

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