In the first part we looked at the Pir and in this part we take a deeper look at the concept of “baith” (or the pledge of allegiance to a Spiritual Guide or Pir O Murshid).
With the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful
During the epoch of the Prophet Muhammad Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam there were many occasions when his followers placed their hands in his hands and pledged or made promises to him to do certain things. This act of pledging is called “baith”. Sometimes they would pledge to take part in holy battles and sometimes they would pledge to do good etc.
“O Prophet! When women come to you after having believed and they take the oath of allegiance that… then accept their allegiance and seek Allah’s protection for them. Indeed, Allah is Great Protector, Ever Merciful. Al Quran Sura Al Mumtahana 60:12
Accepting the pledge of allegiance was not something that the Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam himself started but it was an order from Allah Subhanatallah. This pledge that the Muslims made to him was actually a pledge to Allah Subhanatallah. The Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam was acting as the agent for Allah Subhanatallah.
“(O Prophet!) Those who swear allegiance to you as a matter of fact swear allegiance to Allah. Allah’s (helpful and benevolent) hand is above their hands….” Al Quran Sura Al Fath 48:10
Therefore “baith” is a sacred practice because although it was taken at the hands of the Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam, it was akin to taking it at the Hands of Allah Subhanatallah. Even today, the intention behind taking baith in the hands of a Spiritual Guide is so that we could pledge our allegiance to Allah Subhanatallah. The word used in the holy Quran for this pledge is “Baith,” and this word has its root from the word “to sell.” In this case the companions sold themselves to the Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam who is their spiritual guide and an agent of Allah Subhanatallah. If we become Allah’s and He is our protector then what is there to be afraid off.
“Baith” has many benefits if the disciple adheres to his pledge. It is a means of obtaining forgiveness for the wrong we do and we all do wrong at some point or the other.
“Yet such of these who turn with sincere repentance and amend (themselves) and hold fast to Allah and become sincere in their allegiance to Allah, it is these who are with the believers and Allah will soon grant these believers a great reward.” Al Quran Sura An Nisa 4:146.
“Baith” is the only means of access to Allah Subhanatallah and a means of gaining great spiritual benefits. As an example an ordinary person cannot get access to the president but he has to follow a procedure by going through his secretary to get to him. Similarly a spiritual guide is a means of access to Allah Subhanatallah because he is close to Him. On a social level “baith” is a means of uniting the ummah into a well organised community with a single person as the head.
“Hold fast to the means of access to Allah all together, and do not be disunited….” Al Quran Sura Al Imran 3:103
When the companions of the Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam took baith to him then this brought about Allah Subhanatallah’s pleasure.
“Allah’s good pleasure was on the believers when they swore fealty to you under the tree. He knew what was in their hearts, and He sent down tranquility to them and He rewarded them with a speedy victory.” Al Quran Sura AL Fath 48:18
Becoming a disciple is a step towards becoming humble and submissive to Allah’s representative. Allah Subhanatallah does not communicate with humanity except through his chosen people and we can access Him through the very same medium. If we are arrogant towards them then we are arrogant towards Him. Many were the nations that were destroyed because they did not listen to their Messengers. The first step towards Allah Subhanatallah is obedience and submission to His chosen ones in their presence. Obeying the Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam for us now is easy because it is somewhat ideological but if he were present now then it might be a very different story for many were the ones that rejected him in his presence. The point: we have to submit to a representative of Allah in our life time and this act of submission for us today is taking “baith”.
“So when I (Allah) have shaped him (Adam) in perfection and have breathed My revelation into him, fall you down in submission to him….” Al Quran Sura Al Hijr 15:29.
This entire scenario is similar to taking “baith”. The angels and Iblis were asked to submit to Adam (AS) by making prostration to him.
The concept of pledging allegiance was not only a “sunnath” of the Holy Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam but it continued with his companions after him. Whenever each of the four righteous Caliphs were assuming their duty as caliph, the Muslim masses used to pledge allegiance to them. The Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam’s grandson Hazrath Imaam Hussein (AS) did not pledge allegiance to the tyrant Yazid because Yazid was not chosen by Allah Subhanatallah but he usurped this position unlawfully. He was not worthy of being “Ameer ul Momineen” because he did not behave like a good Muslim. It was from this point onwards that the spiritual leadership became separated from the political leadership. It became decentralized. The political leaders were no longer the true caliphs but the spiritual leaders were rightfully the caliphs and this fact can be verified by the fact that political leaders such as Akbar and Aurange Zaib etc, all succumbed to Sufi masters of their times. There are many traditions of the Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam that command the Muslims to be obedient to the Ameer which in our times would be the Spiritual Guide or Pir O murshid. The Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam said:
“The prophets ruled over the children of Israel. Whenever a prophet died, another prophet succeeded him, but there will be no prophet after me. There will be caliphs and they will number many.” His companions asked: What then do you order us? He said: “Fulfill allegiance to the first and then the first. Give them their dues. Verily Allah will ask them about what He entrusted with them.” Al Hadith 2:26:2:26.
According to the Aulia Allah, taking baith is a very important fard and they term it “Fard ul Ain.” The following Hadith of the Prophet SAW) stresses just this. He said:
“Whoso takes off his hand from allegiance, will meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection while there will be no proof for him: and whoso dies while there was no allegiance on his neck dies a death of the days of ignorance.” Al Hadis 2:26:2:20.
The Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam did not only take the pledge of allegiance from his companions only. He took the pledge of allegiance from all the prophets even before Hazrath Adam (AS) was created in his physical form. The souls of everyone were created before the physical form of Hazrath Adam (AS) was given life. It was during this period that this pledge or covenant was made.
“Behold Allah took The Covenant of the Prophets saying: “I give you a book and wisdom: When there comes to you a messenger (referring to Muhammad Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam) confirming what is with you: you must believe in him and render him help.” Allah said “do you agree and take this covenant as binding on you?” They said “we agree…”Al Quran, Sura Al Imraan 3:81.
The Prophet Salalahu Alayhe Wasallam is therefore the Grand Spiritual Guide of all the Prophets that came before him as well as all the Aulia Allah that came after him. He is the chief guide to all of humanity, jinn and even angels.
There are many traditions on intercession that teach that the Prophet (SAW) will be granted intercession first by Allah Subhanatallah on the Day of Judgment and he in turn would then give permission to all the other prophets to intercede for their followers.
“And whoso takes for his allies Allah and His Messenger and those who believe, (let him know that surely such a one is the party of Allah) and it is the party of Allah that is truly triumphant.” Al Quran Sura Al Maidah 5:56
Taking “baith” is very much a part of Islam and there are ample Quranic verses and Traditions to show this.
Peace and salutations be upon Allah’s Messengers who are responsible for guiding humanity throughout time. Ameen.