Bay'ah
Bayʿah, 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 asAbu Hasan al-Mawardi 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, 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, then throughout the Dynastic Caliphates. 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.