‫ﺍﻟﺒ ﹶ ﹾﻴ ﹶﻌﺔ‬

al-Bayfiah
a talk given on the occassion
of the
Mildu-n-Nabı
a
2010/1431
by
Sƒaykƒ A. Nooruddeen Durkee
 ۗ ‫ﹶﻭﻟ ﹶ ﹺﺬ ﹾﻛ ﹸﺮ ﺍﷲ ﹺ ﺃ ﹶ ﹾﻛﺒﹶ ﹸﺮ‬
WA LA-DƒIKRU-LL◊HI AKBAR
and the remembrance of Allh is the greatest!
(Sürah al-Añkabut 29:45)

©
2010/1431

Sƒaykƒ A. Nooruddeen Durkee

Green Mountain School
GreenMountainSchool.Org
e-mail: [email protected]
Before getting to the actual topic of my talk for this mawlid celebra-
tion, which is on the subject of bayfiah, I would like to say just a few
words on the subject of mawlid generally and specifically.
First I would like to relate a story told to me by a student from India
who is studying for his doctorate at the University of Virginia.
When he was a boy, he told me, when mawlid time came around the
whole area of Dehli in which he lived was lit up and there were fire-
works and fun things for kids as well as talks by scholars in the
masajid and circles of dhikr and darood in every neighborhood.
But as he was growing up he began to notice that there were certain
neighborhoods that were no longer lit up, and as time passed these
areas of darkness became larger and larger, and the fireworks gradu-
ally stopped and there were fewer and fewer gatherings of scholars
in the masajid and circles of dhikr and darood began to disappear.
He asked his father what was happening and why the event which
was the cause of so much happiness and joy seemed to be gradually
disappearing.
His father told him, “In one word...the Wahhabis.” It seems that
people began to doubt the way things were and, as oil money rolled
in to build new masajid and pay for imams to staff them, they were
explicitly told in no certain terms that these mawalid had to cease.
In the last few years he has noticed that when he returns home, the
darkness seems to be rapidly overcoming the light.
Well that is the story in one city in India, but we see that almost
every place the Wahhabis/Jihadis/Salafis or, as some now call them,
the “archaic revivalists” (since Wahhab and Jihad and Salaf are no-
ble names and these people are anything but noble, so why should
we allow them to arrogate these noble names) have spread their poi-
son, the lights have gone off or are going out all over our world.
Just recently there was a report that upwards of 60%+ (some say
80%) of the masajid in North America are either funded outright or
are under the outright or nominal control of these fanatics.
 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

And if you think that fanatics is too strong a term for them, remem-
ber that these are the people who attack and kill Muslims (through
the magic of takfır (‫ﺮ‬% %‫ﻴ‬% %‫ﻔ‬% %‫ﻜ‬% %‫ )ﺗ‬which allows them to call Muslims kaffir
simply because they don’t agree with their idea of what √Islam is or
isn’t) all over the world. These are the poeple who, through their ac-
tive embrace of terrorism, have made all of our lives miserable on a
daily basis (think airport security lines, profiling of Muslim, the ICE
etc.) and taken the joy out of our lives with their grim view of life.
If you don’t agree with me then let me ask you some questions.!
H!o!w! !i!s! !i!t! !p!o!s!s!i!b!l!e! !t!h!a!t! !a! !M!u!s!l!i!m! !w!o!u!l!d! !t!h!r!o!w! !a!c!i!d! !i!n!t!o! !t!h!e! !e!y!e!s! !o!f! !a!
!g!i!r!l! !c!h!i!l!d! !o!n! !h!e!r! !w!ay to school in the belief that he was somehow
performing an Islamic act? Or how could it be than a Muslim would
strap on a suicide vest (or even contemplate suicide) and go into a
masjid of a different sect at the time of Friday prayers and blow
himself and thirty or forty others up? Or how could it be that a
group of Muslims would come into a town – Muslims that pray and
fast, that perhaps speak Arabic, who sit on the floor, who have
beards, who wear turbans – and at gunpoint round up other Muslim
men and boys from a different sect and lock them up in a cargo
container and refuse them food or water until they die of thirst, and
at the same time tell the women of that village, the mothers, wives
and sisters of those whom they have imprisoned, that they will
shoot them if they try to rescue their husbands, brothers or sons.
And justify what they do in the name of √Islm? How is this possi-
ble? Or go back just 75 years and look at the attacks on Makkah and
Madinah by “muslims” who claimed that the inhabitants of Makkah
and Madinah were not truly Muslims (courtesy again of the magic
of takfir) so they could shed the blood, steal the wealth and the dis-
honor fellow Muslims as well as the Prophet a and his family d.
This is in truth the reality of our lives in these times. It is these Ar-
chaic Revivalists who have sought by all means and by spending the
wealth of the √ummah to put an end to the celebration or observa-
tion of the mawalid, because the last thing they want us to know is
“Who was, and even more importantly, who is, Mu˛ammad a.

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 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

And one further story. Recently I was invited to give a talk on the
Sƒuhada-e-Karbal√. I had just gotten to the point where I was
drawing connections between happened at Karbal√ and the events
of the present day where we find that Yazıd is still very much in
control throughout the entire Muslim world, even in that nation
which considers itself “Sƒifi”, when suddenly my host gave me the
five minute cut off slip meaning “that’s enough of that.” And I
hadn’t even gotten to the point of explaining how the people who
killed al-Husayn e were not only intent on killing him and his fam-
ily, but in actuality were intent then (and now) on killing the
Prophet a himself because in truth and in the deep reality, the last
thing they want to see is true √Islm practiced anywhere on this
earth because if real √Islm were to be practiced in full it would
mean the end of their spreading corruption and filth in the world.
One of the main reasons that we observe this Mawlid of the Rasül
a is because it is of the utmost neccesity to educate each generation
as to who is Mu˛ammad a, who are his companions g and his
friends, and what is his a Message, so that we may at least have the
possiblity of islands of light and truth in this world; places where
the scholars of taqwah are free to speak, places where the circles of
dƒikr and darood exist and the √awliya karm l continue in their
training of the present and future souls of the √ummah.

To start at the beginning.

Mu˛ammad a was born in Makkah in 570ce, and √Islm has been
inextricably linked with that city ever since. He a was born into the
moeity or kinship group of the Hashemites,(‫ﻲ‬%‫ﺷﻤ‬ % ‫ﺎ‬%‫)ﻫ‬‎, a clan within the
larger ruling tribe of the Quraisƒ (‫)ﻗﺮﻳﺶ‬.
It was in Makkah, a polytheistic pilgrimage city, in a nearby moun-
tain cave known as Hira on the Mountain of Light (jabalu-n-nür),
that he began receiving divine revelations from Allh u through
the Angel Jibrıl e in 610ce, and began to preach pure monotheism
in opposition to the animism, totemism and polytheism that pre-
vailed in Makkah and, importantly, was the source of its income.
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 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

He a began preaching first to his family and friends and in time he

began preaching openly the the people of Makkah including those
who came from all over Arabia to worship their gods at the Kafibah
(‫ﺔ‬% ‫ﺒ‬% ‫ﻌ‬% ‫ﻜ‬% ‫ )ﺍﻟ‬the shrine in which the idols were then ensconced but which
had originally been built for the pure worship of Allh u by the
Prophets √Ibrahım and Ismafiil d on the foundations established by
Adam e at the beginning of human time.
The Quraysƒ had tried many times and in many ways to subdue the
Muslims and force them to reject √Islm. The Quraysƒ, like many in
the world today, wanted √Islm to be totally eradicated from their
society, as it was an outright threat not only to their traditionl way
of life but, perhaps more importantly, their economic well being.
However. they were generally unsuccessful in all their attempts to
eradicate √Islam, but continued to humiliate and threaten the
Prophet a and his companions l by all the means at their disposal.
In spite of all the tactics of the Quraysƒ the Muslims remained
steadfast in √Islm and, a fact which many people in our times do
not understand, never agressed against or fought with the Quraysƒ.
The Quraysƒ were very angry and concerned about the situation that
had developed, especially after important and highly respected
members of the community such as fiUmar and Hamza k entered
into and strengthened the cause of √Islm. No matter what tactics
the Quraysƒ resorted to, the Muslims were slowly increasing in
number as the Message of √Islm began to reach more people.
The Quraysƒ had tried many times to negotiate with the Prophet a
and had failed every time. Finally in desperation they made him the
following offer.
The Offer of Quraysƒ to Mu˛ammad ibn Abdullah ibn fiAbdu-l-
Mu†allib al-Hasƒim.
“If your ambition is to possess wealth, we will amass for you as
much as you wish; if your aspiration is to win honor and power, we
are prepared to swear allegiance to you as our overlord and king; if
you have fancy for beauty, you shall have the hand of the finest
maiden of your own choice.”
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 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

The Reply of Mu˛ammad Rasulu-llh a:

“I am neither desirous of riches, ambitious of dignity nor do I seek-
dominion. I am sent by Allh u, who has ordained me to announce
the good news of √Islm to you. I give you the words of my Lord; I
admonish you. If you accept the message I bring you, Allh u will
be favorable to you both in this world and in the next. If you reject
my admonitions, I shall be patient, and leave it to Allh u to judge
between you and me.”
His a rejection of the offer of Quraysƒ was viewed as an insult
which increased their plotting to get rid of him. However, because
he a had successfully united some members of his powerful tribal
kinfolk or moiety, Banu Hasƒim, around himself notably his uncle,
√Imrn √Abu ‡alib, son of his highly respected father, Abd al-
Mu††alib, the Quraysƒ were unable to attack or kill the Prophet a
physically, without confronting the whole tribe in a bloody battle.
Consequently, in a new scheme to destroy the Prophet a and his
protective tribe, the Quraysƒ issued formal social and economic
sanctions and a physical blockade on the Banu Hasƒim tribe. This
ban was a public rejection of his a prophethood by most of the
Quraysƒ tribes and this resort to sanctions brought to a close the
first seven years of his active mission in Makkah
As a result of these sanctions he a, his family e and those who
followed him l lived in a state of want for three full years,
suffering often the pangs of hunger and thirst. During these three
years and the following three years he a, his family e and those
who follwed him l endured persecution with constant faith in
Allh u and the Prophet a, never complaining and through this
suffering established a condition to separate themselves from
sƒay†n. The followers of the Prophet a supported and protected
him at all times, even though their physical lives were often
threatened and, very importantly, never entered into outright con-
flict or violence with those who had made their lives misery — a
misery which resulted in the deaths of his beloved wife, Lady
Kƒadijah j, and his protector and uncle, √Imrn Abu ‡alib j.

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 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

In the tenth year of the Prophet’s a mission, just after the end of
the boycott by Quraysƒ and the death of Lady Khdijah j and his a
dear uncle and protector √Imrn Abu Talib j, the Prophet a and
his family f and companions l (who after ten years numbered
only one hundred and seventy) had to face grave difficulties.
Now, not just the elite of Mecca attacked the Prophet a, but even
young children hurled stones and insults at him. He a soon realized
that there was no hope left that the Makkans would accept √Islm,
and he thus decided to journey with his adopted son, Zayd ibn
Harithah g, to the nearby city of ‡√if (‫ﻒ‬% ‫ﺎﺋ‬% ‫ﻄ‬% ‫ )ﺍﻟ‬to invite the people
there to √Islm.
The people of ‡√if, devotees of the goddess al-Lat, rather than an-
swering him in a civil manner, set dogs on him and encouraged
their children to stone him, causing him to flee bleeding heavily.
Once Mu˛ammad a and Zayd g were outside the city walls,
Mu˛ammad a almost collapsed. They went a short distance outside
of the town and stopped in a vineyard belonging to two Makkans
who were there at the time. In the vineyard he sat by a fountain to
try and clean himself. He was still bleeding so heavily that he could
barely see straight.
The owners of the vineyard had seen Mu˛ammad a persecuted in
Makkah and on this occasion they felt some sympathy toward their
fellow townsman. A Christian worker in the vineyard took Mu˛am-
mad a into his hut, dressed his wounds, and let him rest and recu-
perate until he felt strong enough to resume his journey across the
rough mountainous terrain between ‡√if and Makkah. It was there
that the angel Jibril, e with the angels of the mountains, came to
Mu˛ammad a and asked him if he wanted him to destroy the town,
suggesting that Jibril e could crush it by slamming it between two
nearby mountains, but Mu˛ammad a declined Jibrıl’s e offer by
saying, “Maybe in time Allh u will produce from their offspring
ones who will worship Him alone.”
Mu˛ammad a then prayed:

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 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

“Oh Allh u, I complain to You of my weakness, my lack of re-

sources and my lowliness before men.
“Oh most Merciful! You are the Lord of the weak and You are my
Lord. To whom will You relinquish my fate! To one who will mis-
use me? Or to an enemy to whom You have given power over me?
If You are not angry with me then I do not care what happens to me.
Your favor is all that counts for me.
“I take refuge in the light of Your countenance, by which all dark-
ness is illuminated. And the things of this world and next are rightly
ordered. I wish to please You until You are pleased. There is no
power and no might save in You.”
Hearing this supplication the owners told their Christian worker
named Addas of Nineveh, to give a tray of grapes to the visitors.
Mu˛ammad a took the grapes, and before putting them into his
mouth he recited what what all Muslims now say prior to eating:
‫ﻢ ﺍﷲ ﹺ ﺍﻟﺮ ﹾﺣﻤ ﹺﻦ ﺍﻟﺮ ﹺﺣ ﹺ‬
‫ﻴﻢ‬ ‫ﺑ ﹺ ﹾﺴ ﹺ‬
‫ﱠ‬ ٰ‫ﱠ ﹶ‬
bismillhi-r-ra˛mni-r-ra˛ım
In the Name of Allh
The Universally Mercy Full — The Singularly Compassionate
Addas g became curious and inquired about the identity of
Mu˛ammad a, and in the conversation that ensued Addas g de-
clared his acceptance of √Islm, so that in the end the journey of the
Prophet a and Zayd g to ‡√if did not prove entirely fruitless.
Wary of returning to Makkah now that he a no longer enjoyed the
protection of √Abu ‡alib j, he sent a message to several leading
idolaters, asking their protection. Two refused, but eventually
Mutim ibn Adi, chief of the Nofal clan of Quraysƒ, agreed to
protect him. Next morning, he, his sons and nephews went fully
armed to the public square of the Kafiabah, and announced that
Mu˛ammad a was under their protection, thus enabling him to
safely return to Makkah albeit in a humilating way.

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 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

The failure at ‡√if was utterly heart-breaking for the Prophet a,

and he knew that but for the heroic intervention of Mutim ibn Adiy,
he might not have been able to enter Makkah at all. To a casual
observer it might appear that the Prophet a had reached the limits
of human endurance and patience. The progress of √Islm had come
to a standstill, and the outlook for the future could not look bleaker.
Oddly enough, the following sürah known as al-Køwtƒar was re-
vealed just after the return of the Prophet a from ‡√if:

‫ﻙ ﺍ ﹾﻟ ﹶ‬
‫ﻜ ﹾﻮﺛ ﹶ ﹶﺮ‬ ‫ﺇﹺﻧﱠﺎ ﺃ ﹶ ﹾﻋﻄﹶ ﹾﻴﻨﹶﺎ ﹶ‬
‫ﹶﺼ ﱢﻞ ﻟ ﹺ ﹶﺮﺑﱢ ﹶ‬
‫ﻚ ﹶﻭﺍ ﹾﻧ ﹶﺤ ﹾﺮ‬ ‫ﻓ ﹶ‬
‫ﻚ ﻫﹸ ﹶﻮ ﹾﺍﻷ ﹾﹶﺑﺘ ﹶ ﹸﺮ‬ ‫ﹺ‬
‫ﻥ ﹶﺷﺎﻧﺌ ﹶ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺇﹺ ﱠ‬
√inna √afitaynka-l-kowtƒar
fa-ßalli li-rabbika wa-n-har
√inna sƒniaka huwa-l-abårar
Truly We have bestowed abundance on you.
So offer prayer to your Lord and sacrifice.
Truly the one who hates you has been completely cut off.
(Süratu-l-Køwtƒar 108:1-3)
There are several differing reports as to the circumstances under
which it was revealed but according to Ibn Is˛q, it was revealed in
Makkah, just before the √Isr√ and Mirfij, when Afias ibn Wa√il as-
Sa˛mi said of the Prophet a that he was “a man who is cut off and
is of no consequence, and, if he were killed, he would be forgotten.”
al-Køwtƒar stems from a root meaning, “an overflowing river in
paradise”, and occurs only once in the Qur√n. The Sƒifia hold al-
Køwtƒar refers to Fatimah h, as the Messenger a declared that for
all men, their descendants are from their sons, but for him his sons
are the children of Fatimah h and they would be his abundance.
According to ˛adıtƒ the Prophet a once asked those who were with
him, “Do you know what al-Køwtƒar is?” They said, “Allh u and
His Prophet a know best. “

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 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

He a said to them, “It is a river which Allh most Exalted has

promised me. To this flowing river belongs untold abundance, it is
plentitude and it is to this fountain and the river which flows from it
that my √Ummah will flock on the Day of Resurrection where they
will drink only once, and will never hunger or thirst again.”
This was the true promise of Allh u made at the time of the
darkest moment in his life and the proof of the truth is that it was at
this time that the Prophet a was taken on the wings of the Burq
from the precincts of the Kafibah in Makkah to Sinai to al-Kƒalıl to
Bayt La˛m and on to the furthest masjid of al-√Aqsa in al-Quds asƒ-
Sƒarıf. There he led all the Prophets f of the past in prayer and
was then elevated by Allh u, in the company of the angel Jibrıl
e, to the highest heavens, where he a met and conversed with
those same Prophets f and was then brought to the Cedar Tree
beyond the Garden of Refuge where he spoke directly with Allh
u, foreshadowing events that already loomed over the horizons,
even though at the moment there was no way to perceive them.
√Isr√ is referred to in the first verse of the 17th chapter of Al-
Qur’an al-Karım in the following √yat:
‫ﺍﳌ ﹶ ﹾﺴ ﹺﺠ ﹺﺪ‬ ‫ﺍﳊﺮ ﹺ‬
‫ﺍﻡ ﺇﹺﻟﹶﻰ ﹾ‬ ‫ﺳﺒﺤﺎﻥ ﺍﻟ ﱠ ﹺﺬﻱ ﺃﹶﺳﺮﻯ ﺑﹺﻌﺒ ﹺﺪﻩﹺ ﻟﹶﻴ ﹰﻼ ﻣﹺ ﹾ ﹺ ﹺ ﹾ‬
‫ﻦ ﺍﳌ ﹶ ﹾﺴﺠﺪ ﹶ ﹶ‬
‫ﹶ‬ ‫ﹾ‬ ‫ﹾ ﹶ ٰ ﹶﹾ‬ ‫ﹸﹾ ﹶ ﹶ‬
‫ﻴﺮ‬ ‫ﹾﺍﻷ ﹶ ﹾﻗﺼﻰ ﺍﻟ ﱠ ﹺﺬﻱ ﺑﺎﺭ ﹾﻛﻨﺎ ﺣﻮﻟﹶﻪ ﻟﹺﻨ ﹺﺮﻳﻪ ﻣﹺﻦ ﺁﻳﺎﺗﹺﻨﺎ ۚ ﺇﹺﻧﱠﻪ ﻫﻮ ﺍﻟﺴﻤﹺ ﹾ ﹺ‬
‫ﻴﻊ ﺍﻟﺒﹶﺼ ﹸ‬ ‫ﹸ ﹸﹶ ﱠ ﹸ‬ ‫ﹶ ﹶ ﹶ ﹶﹾ ﹸ ﹸ ﹶ ﹸ ﹾ ﹶ ﹶ‬ ‫ﹶ‬
subåhana-l-ladƒıı √asr bi-fiabådihi laylam-
mina-l-masjidi-l-˛aramıı √ila masjidi-l-√aqåßa-l-ladƒı
brakana howlahü li nuriyahu min √ytina;
innahu huwa samifiu-l-baßır
Glorified is He Who carried His worshipper by night
from the Inviolable Place of Prostration (masjidi-l-˛arm)
to the Furthest Place of Prostration (masjidi-l-√aqsa)
the neighborhood of which we have blessed
that We might show him some of Our Signs.
Surely He is the Hearing, the Seeing
(Süratu-l-√Isr√ 17:1)

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 ‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ( • ‪al-Bayfiah‬‬

‫‪The Mifirj, where the Prophet a is taken through the levels of the‬‬
‫‪seven heavens to visit and speak with the earlier prophets such as‬‬
‫‪√Ibrahım, Müs, and fiIs f, and then is taken by Jibrıl e to Allah‬‬
‫‪u. This heavenly ascension is referred to in Süratu-n-Najm:‬‬

‫ﺍﻟﺮ ﹺﺣﻴﻢ‬ ‫ﹺ‬

‫ﻦ‬ ‫ﻤ‬ ‫ﺣ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺮ‬ ‫ﻢ ﺍﷲ ﹺ‬
‫ﺑ ﹺ ﹾﺴ ﹺ‬
‫ﱠ‬ ‫ﹾ‬
‫ﱠ ﹶٰ‬
‫ﻯ۞‬ ‫ﺎﺣﺒ ﹸ ﹸ‬ ‫ﻢ ﺇﹺﺫﹶﺍ ﻫﻮﻯ ۞ ﻣﺎ ﹶﺿ ﱠﻞ ﺻ ﹺ‬ ‫ﻭﺍﻟﻨ ﱠ ﹾﺠ ﹺ‬
‫ﻢ ﹶﻭ ﹶﻣﺎ ﻏ ﹶﹶﻮ ٰ‬ ‫ﻜ ﹾ‬ ‫ﹶ‬ ‫ﹶ‬ ‫ﹶﹶ ٰ‬ ‫ﹶ‬
‫ﹺ‬
‫ﻮﺣ ٰﻰ ۞‬ ‫ﻲ ﹸﻳ ﹶ‬ ‫ﹺ‬
‫ﻯ ۞ ﺇ ﹾﻥ ﻫﹸ ﹶﻮ ﺇ ﱠﻻ ﹶﻭ ﹾﺣ ﹲ‬
‫ﹺ‬ ‫ﻖ ﹶﻋ ﹺﻦ ﺍ ﹾﻟ ﹶﻬ ﹶﻮ ٰ‬ ‫ﹶﻭ ﹶﻣﺎ ﹶﻳ ﹾﻨﻄ ﹸ‬
‫ﹺ ﹴ‬ ‫ﹺ‬
‫ﻯ۞‬ ‫ﻯ ۞ ﺫ ﹸﻭ ﻣ ﱠﺮﺓ ﻓ ﹾﹶﺎﺳﺘ ﹶ ﹶﻮ ٰ‬ ‫ﹶﻋﻠ ﱠ ﹶﻤﻪﹸ ﹶﺷﺪﻳ ﹸﺪ ﺍ ﹾﻟﻘ ﹸ ﹶﻮ ٰ‬
‫ﻢ ﺩﹶﻧﹶﺎ ﻓﹶﺘ ﹶ ﹶﺪﻟ ﱠ ٰﻰ ۞‬ ‫ﹾ‬ ‫ﹺﹾ‬
‫ﹶﻭﻫﹸ ﹶﻮ ﺑﺎﻷﹸﻓ ﹺﹸﻖ ﺍﻷ ﹶ ﹾﻋﻠ ﹶ ٰﻰ ۞ ﺛ ﹸ ﱠ‬
‫ﹺ ﹺ‬ ‫ﺎﺏ ﹶﻗ ﹾﻮﺳ ﹾ ﹺ‬
‫ﺣ ٰﻰ ۞‬‫ﺣ ٰﻰ ﺇﹺﻟ ﹶ ٰﻰ ﹶﻋ ﹾﺒﺪﻩ ﹶﻣﺎ ﺃ ﹶ ﹾﻭ ﹶ‬ ‫ﲔ ﺃ ﹶ ﹾﻭ ﺃ ﹶ ﹾﺩﻧ ﹶ ٰﻰ ۞ ﻓﹶﺄ ﹶ ﹾﻭ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺎﻥ ﹶﻗ ﹶ ﹶ‬ ‫ﻜ ﹶ‬ ‫ﹶﻓ ﹶ‬
‫ﻯ۞‬ ‫ﺎﺭﻭﻧﹶﻪﹸ ﹶﻋﻠ ﹶ ٰﻰ ﹶﻣﺎ ﹶﻳ ﹶﺮ ٰ‬ ‫ﹶ‬
‫ﻯ ۞ ﺃﻓﹶﺘ ﹸ ﹶﻤ ﹸ‬ ‫ﺏ ﺍ ﹾﻟﻔ ﹸ ﹶﺆﺍﺩ ﹸ ﹶﻣﺎ ﹶﺭﺃ ﹶ ٰ‬ ‫ﹶﻣﺎ ﹶﻛ ﹶﺬ ﹶ‬
‫ﺍﳌ ﹸ ﹾﻨﺘ ﹶ ﹶﻬ ٰﻰ ۞‬ ‫ﻯ ۞ ﹺﻋ ﹾﻨ ﹶﺪ ﹺﺳ ﹾﺪﺭﺓﹺ ﹾ‬ ‫ﹶﻭﻟﹶﻘ ﹶ ﹾﺪ ﹶﺭﺁﻩ ﹸ ﻧ ﹶ ﹾﺰﻟﹶﺔﹰ ﺃ ﹸ ﹾﺧ ﹶﺮ ٰ‬
‫ﹶ‬
‫ﺍﻟﺴ ﹾﺪ ﹶﺭﺓﹶ ﹶﻣﺎ ﹶﻳﻐﹾ ﹶﺸ ٰﻰ ۞‬ ‫ﻰ‬ ‫ﺸ‬
‫ﹶ‬ ‫ﻐﹾ‬ ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﹾ‬
‫ﺫ‬ ‫ﹺ‬ ‫ﺇ‬ ‫ﻯ‬ ‫ﻭ‬ ‫ﺍﳌﺄ ﹾ‬
‫ﺟﻨﱠﺔ ﹸ ﹾ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﻫ‬ ‫ﺪ‬‫ﹶ‬ ‫ﻨ‬
‫ﹾ‬ ‫ﹺ‬
‫ﻋ‬
‫ﱢ‬ ‫ﹶ‬ ‫۞‬ ‫ٰ‬ ‫ﹶﹶ‬ ‫ﹶ‬ ‫ﹶ‬
‫ﹺ‬ ‫ﹺ‬ ‫ﹺ‬
‫ﻯ۞‬ ‫ﻯ ﻣ ﹾﻦ ﹶﺁﻳﺎﺕ ﹶﺭﺑﱢﻪ ﺍ ﹾﻟ ﹸ‬
‫ﻜ ﹾﺒ ﹶﺮ ٰ‬ ‫ﺼ ﹸﺮ ﹶﻭ ﹶﻣﺎ ﻃﹶ ﹶﻐ ٰﻰ ۞ ﻟﹶﻘ ﹶ ﹾﺪ ﹶﺭﺃ ﹶ ٰ‬ ‫ﹶﻣﺎ ﹶﺯﺍﻍﹶ ﺍ ﹾﻟﺒ ﹶ ﹶ‬
‫‪wa-n-najmi √idƒa haw‬‬
‫‪m ∂alla ß˛ibukum wa m gƒaw‬‬
‫‪wa m yañ†iqu fiani-l-haw‬‬
‫‪√in huwa √illa wa˛yuñy-yu˛‬‬
‫‪fiallamahu sƒadıdu-l-quw‬‬
‫‪dƒu mirratin fa-s-taw‬‬
‫‪wa huwa bi-l-√ufuqi-l-fial‬‬
‫‪tƒumma dan fa-tadall‬‬
‫‪fa-kana qaba qowsayni √aw √adån‬‬
‫‪fa-√aw˛ √il fiabåadihi m √w˛a‬‬

‫‪- 10 -‬‬
 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

m kadƒaba-l-fu√adu ma ra√
√afatumrünahü fiala my yar?
wa laqadå ra√hu nazlatan √ukƒr
fiiñda sidårati-l-muñtah
fiiñdah jannatu-l-ma√w
√idƒ yagƒsƒa-s-sidårata m yagƒsƒ
m zagƒa-l-baßaru wa ma tagƒ
la qadå ra√ min √yti rabbihi-l-kubår
(I swear) by the star when it sets.
Your companion is neither astray nor deluded.
Nor does he speak on a whim.
(His speech) is nothing but Revelation revealed.
Taught to him by One of mighty power.
Possessed of strength — standing poised —
while he was on the highest horizon.
Then he drew near and hung — suspended —
till he was two bows length or nearer.
Then He revealed to His worshipper what He revealed.
His heart did not lie in what it saw.
Would you argue with him about what he saw?
And truly he saw him yet another time
By the Cedar Tree of the outermost boundary
— near the Garden of Refuge —
when there shrouded the Cedar Tree what shrouded it
his eye did not waver nor did it stray.
Indeed he saw the greatest among the signs of His Lord
(Sürah an-Najm 53: 1-18)

- 11 -
 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

This event took place on the night of the 27th of Rajab (the seventh
month of the Islamic calendar) during the twelfth year of the Pro-
clamation which is one year before the Migration or the ˘ijrah
(‫ )ﻫﺠﺮﺓ‬of the Prophet a from Makkah to Madinah.
In the interim a ray of light shone forth from the north.
Two hundred and fifty miles north of Makkah was a town which
was the birthplace of his a mother which was then known as
Yatƒrib, and later as Madinah al-Munawar, (‫ﻮﺭﺓ‬% ‫ﻨ‬% ‫ﻤ‬% ‫ﺔ ﺍﻟ‬% ‫ﻨ‬% ‫ﺪﻳ‬% ‫ﻤ‬% ‫ﺍﻟ‬‎), the City
of Light. Its population was divided into two groups — Jews and
polytheists. The polytheists were divided into two clans, Aws and
Khazraj, which were generally at loggerheads with each other.
Every year in the month of Rajab, the Arabs travelled to Makkah.
One day in Makkah the Prophet a, speaking with the traders and
pilgrims, came upon a group of six men who were of the Khazraj
tribe. These particular men knew of and were expecting a Prophet
as prophesied in the Jewish scriptures, which they were familiar due
to the large Jewish popuation in Yatƒrib. He a led them to a slope
of a hill just on the way to Mina just outside of Makkah and recited
to them some verses from Qur√n and invited them to √Islm. They
listened to him earnestly, learnt about Allh u and His revelations,
and, grasping the profundity and purity of the teachings of
Mu˛ammad a, immediately recognized him as the Prophet
mentioned in Jewish scriptures foretold by the Jews of Yatƒrib.
They told him that they had left Yatƒrib in an unsettled state that
they feared could erupt anytime into open warfare. Above all they
expressed the hope that Allh u would restore peace to their city
as the result of their fortutitous meeting with His Messenger a.
All six people from Yatƒrib agreed to accept √Islm. They pledged
an oath of allegiance (bayfiah) to the Prophet a and promised to
return the next year with more people. He sent them back to Yatƒrib
with his companion, Musab-bin-Umair g, to teach them.
Soon the stories of the new faith and its wonderful leader a began
to spread among the poeple of Yatƒrib. What follows is the text of
that first Pledge (bayfiah).
- 12 -
 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

The First Bayfiah of Aqaba:

These new Muslims assured the Prophet a that:
they would never associate partners with Allh u,
they would not worship anyone except Allh u,
they would never rob or steal;
they would never kill their girl infants;
they would never revile or backbite others;
they would never defame women;
they would always remain chaste and pure;
they would obey Allh u and His Messenger a;
and they would be faithful to him at all times.
As a result of the work of propogation (dafiwah ‫ﻮﺓ‬% % %‫ )ﺩﻋ‬of Musab-bin-
Umair g many families in Yatƒrib accepted √Islm.
The Second Pledge of Aqaba
In 622 ce, seventy-five citizens of Yatƒrib came to Makkah in the
season of the ˘ajj. The Prophet a met them in secret at night at the
same spot at Aqaba where he had met the first group the year be-
fore. These 75 men and women also accepted √Islm. They gave
him their pledge of loyalty, and invited him to Yatƒrib.
His a uncle, √Abbs ibn fiAbdul Mu††alib (not yet a Muslim), was
with him on this occasion. He is reported to have said to the repre-
sentatives from Yatƒrib: “Mu˛ammad is held in high esteem by his
own people. If you can stand by him through thick and thin, take
him with you to Yatƒrib; if not, then abandon the whole idea.”
One of the leaders of the people of Yatƒrib was Berfia ibn Ma√rür.
He said: “When we were children, our favorite toys were swords
and spears.” Another chief, Abul Haytƒum, interrupted him, and
said: “But, Oh Messenger of Allh! What will happen when √Islm
becomes great and strong? Will you then leave Yatƒrib and return to
Makkah?”

- 13 -
 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

Mu˛ammad a smiled and said: “No. Your blood is my blood and

my blood is your blood. From this day you are mine and I am yours,
and I shall never part company with you.”
The terms of the Second Bayfiah of Aqaba were:
“To listen and obey in all sets of circumstances.
“To spend in plenty as well as in scarcity.
“To enjoin good and forbid evil.
“To fear the censure of no one in the service of Allh u.
“To defend me (the Prophet a) in case I seek your help, and keep
me from anything you keep yourself, your spouses and children
from. If you observe these precepts, Paradise is in store for you.”
The Muslims of Yatƒrib were satisfied by the assurance given to
them by the Messenger a. and when it appeared that the new faith
had found a haven in that city, the Messenger a, who had come to
the conclusion that the persecution in Makkah might end in a gener-
al massacre, suggested to his followers to seek immediate safety in
Yatƒrib since the persecution of the Muslims in Makkah had
reached its zenith and all known forms of torture and humiliation
were routinely visited on the Muslims.
Yatƒrib thus was the shore on which the ship of √Islm at last came
to rest after being buffeted for thirteen years in the turbulent seas of
paganism in Makkah and throughout al-Jazıratu-l-Arabiyyah.
When we look at all these events that led up to the Hijra (‫ﺮَﺓ‬%ْ‫ﺠ‬%ِ‫ﻟﻬ‬% ‫)ﺍ‬, be-
ginning with the economic sanctions and blockade in which the
Muslims were driven up the narrow valley which became known as
Sƒi√b Abu ‡lib, followed by the Year of Sadness and the death of
Lady Kƒadija j and √Imrn √Abu ‡lib, which at its end led to the
ill-fated journey to ‡√if, followed by the revelation of Süratu-l-
Køwtƒar and then the miracle of the √Isr√ wa Mifirj, and crucially
the meetings with the people of Yatƒrib, we see that the turning
point and hinge was the arrival of these people of Yatƒrib, and their
willingness to enter into the bayfiah and to stand surety for the
Prophet a and his family f and his companions l.
- 14 -
 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

Given the impotance of bayfiah it is necessary that we understand

more deeply the meaning of the bay√ah both then and now.

Reality of Bayfiah in Sƒarifiah

The proof of giving and taking the bayfiah is found in the two ex-
amples we have given concerning the bayfiah of Aqaba as well as
various √yt in the Qur√n and, additonally, in many actions
(sunan) (‫ )ﺳﻨﻦ‬and sayings (√a˛adıtƒ) of the Prophet a.
Three √yt of the Qur√n are presented here as proofs for legitmacy
and authenticty of the bayfiah as practiced by the Prophet a:
‫ﻕ ﺃﹶﻳ ﹺﺪﻳﻬﹺ‬ ‫ﻚ ﺇﹺﳕﱠ ﺎ ﻳﺒﺎ ﹺﻳﻌﻮﻥ ﺍﷲ ﻳﺪ ﺍﷲ ﹺ‬ ‫ﹺ‬
ۚ‫ﻢ‬
‫ﹾ‬ ‫ﹾ ﹾ‬‫ﹶ‬ ‫ﹶﻮ‬‫ﻓ‬ ‫ﻳﻦ ﹸﻳﺒﹶﺎ ﹺﻳ ﹸﻌﻮﻧ ﹶ ﹶ ﹶ ﹸ ﹶ ﹸ ﹶ ﹶ ﹶ ﹸ‬ ‫ﻥ ﺍﻟﱠﺬ ﹶ‬ ‫ﺇﹺ ﱠ‬
ۖ ‫ﺚ ﹶﻋﻠ ﹶ ٰﻰ ﻧ ﹶ ﹾﻔ ﹺﺴﻪﹺ‬ ‫ﺚ ﹶﻓﺈﹺﳕﱠ ﺎ ﹶﻳ ﹾﻨ ﹸ‬
‫ﻜ ﹸ‬ ‫ﹶ‬
‫ﻓ ﹶﹶﻤ ﹾﻦ ﻧﹶﻜ ﹶ ﹶ‬
‫ﹺ‬ ‫ﹺ ﹺ ﹶ‬
‫ﺎﻫ ﹶﺪ ﹶﻋﻠ ﹶ ﹾﻴﻪﹸ ﺍﷲ ﹶ ﻓ ﹶﹶﺴﻴ ﹸ ﹾﺆﺗﻴﻪ ﺃ ﹾﺟ ﹰﺮﺍ ﹶﻋﻈ ﹰ‬
‫ﻴﻤﺎ‬ ‫ﹶﻭ ﹶﻣ ﹾﻦ ﺃ ﹶ ﹾﻭﻓ ٰﹶﻰ ﹺﲟﹶﺎ ﹶﻋ ﹶ‬
inna-l-ladƒına yubyifiünaka
√innam yubyifiüna-llh ;
yadu-llhi fowqa √aydihim :
fa-man-nakatƒa
fa √innama yañkutƒu fiala nafsih ‘
wa man √owf bi-m ˛hada fialayhu-llha
fa-sayu√tihıı √ajåran fia∂ƒım
Truly those who swear allegiance to you swear allegiance to Allh;
the Hand of Allh is above their hands.
The one who breaks [the oath] only breaks it to the loss of his self.
Whoever keeps his oath with Allh,
upon him shall be [bestowed] an immense reward.
(Süratu-l-Fat˛ 48:10)
The second √yat is from the same sürah:
‫ﺍﻟﺸﺠﺮﺓﹺ‬ ‫ﻴﻦ ﺇﹺ ﹾﺫ ﹸﻳﺒﹶﺎ ﹺﻳ ﹸﻌﻮﻧ ﹶ ﹶ‬ ‫ﹾ ﹺﹺ‬ ‫ﹺ‬
‫ﺖ ﱠ ﹶ ﹶ‬ ‫ﻚ ﺗ ﹶ ﹾﺤ ﹶ‬ ‫ﻟﹶﻘ ﹶ ﹾﺪ ﹶﺭﺿ ﹶﻲ ﺍﷲ ﹸ ﹶﻋ ﹺﻦ ﺍﻟﻤﹸ ﹾﺆﻣﻨ ﹶ‬
‫ﹺ‬ ‫ﹺ‬ ‫ﻓ ﹶﹶﻌﻠﹺﻢ ﻣﺎ ﻓﹺﻲ ﻗﹸﻠﹸﻮﺑﹺﻬﹺ ﹾ ﹶ‬
‫ﻢ ﹶﻭﺃﹶﺛﹶﺎﺑﹶﻬﹸ ﹾ‬
‫ﻢ ﹶﻓ ﹾﺘ ﹰﺤﺎ ﹶﻗ ﹺﺮﻳﺒﹰﺎ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺴﻜﻴﻨﹶﺔﹶ ﹶﻋﻠ ﹶ ﹾﻴﻬ ﹾ‬ ‫ﻢ ﻓﹶﺄ ﹾﻧ ﹶﺰ ﹶﻝ ﱠ‬ ‫ﹶ ﹶ‬
- 15 -
 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

laqadå ra∂iya-llhu fiani-l-mu√minınaa

√idƒ yubyifiunaka ta˛ta-sƒ-sƒajarati
fa-fialima m fı qulubihim
fa-√añzala-s-sakınata fialayhim
wa atƒbahum fat˛an qaribå
Allah was well pleased with the believers
when they swore allegiance to you under the tree,
and He knew what was in their hearts,
so He sent down tranquility on them
and rewarded them with a near victory.
(Süratu al-Fat˛ 48:18)
The third of the √yt shows that not only did the Prophet a take
the bayfiah from men but he also did so from the women members
of his a community:
‫ﻚ ﻋﻠﹶﻰ ﺃﹶﻥ ﱠﻻ ﻳ ﹾﺸ ﹺﺮ ﹾﻛﻦ ﺑﹺﺎﷲ ﹺ‬ ‫ﺎﺕ ﻳﺒﺎ ﹺ‬ ‫ﺍﳌ ﹾﺆﻣﹺ‬‫ﺟ ﹶﺎﺀ ﹶ ﹾ‬ ‫ﹺ‬ ‫ﹶ‬
‫ﹶ‬ ‫ﹸ‬ ‫ﹾ‬ ٰ ‫ﹶ‬ ‫ﹶ‬ ‫ﹶ‬ ‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻌ‬
‫ﹾ‬ ‫ﻳ‬ ‫ﹶ‬ ‫ﹸ‬ ‫ﹸ‬ ‫ﹶ‬ ‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻙ ﹸ‬ ‫ﻲ ﺇﹺﺫﹶﺍ ﹶ‬ ‫ﹶﻳﺎ ﺃﻳﱡ ﹶﻬﺎ ﺍﻟﻨﱠﺒ ﱡ‬
‫ﲔ ﺑﹺﺒ ﹾﻬﺘ ﹶ ﹴ‬ ‫ﹾﹺ‬ ‫ﹾ‬ ‫ﹺ‬
‫ﺎﻥ‬ ‫ﻦ ﹶﻭ ﹶﻻ ﹶﻳﺄﺗ ﹶ ﹸ‬ ‫ﻦ ﺃ ﹶ ﹾﻭ ﹶﻻﺩﹶﻫﹸ ﱠ‬ ‫ﲔ ﹶﻭ ﹶﻻ ﹶﻳ ﹾﻘﺘﹸﻠ ﹶ‬ ‫ﻦ ﹶﻭ ﹶﻻ ﹶﻳ ﹾﺰﻧ ﹶ‬ ‫ﹶﺷ ﹾﻴﺌﹰﺎ ﹶﻭ ﹶﻻ ﹶﻳ ﹾﺴ ﹺﺮ ﹾﻗ ﹶ‬
‫ﻚ ﻓﹺﻲ ﻣﻌﺮ ﹴ‬ ‫ﻦ ﹶﻭ ﹶﻻ ﹶﻳ ﹾﻌ ﹺﺼﻴﻨﹶ ﹶ‬ ‫ﲔ ﺃﹶﻳ ﹺﺪﻳﻬﹺﻦ ﻭﺃﹶﺭ ﹺ ﹺ‬
ۙ ‫ﻭﻑ‬ ‫ﹶﹾ ﹸ‬ ‫ﺟﻠﻬ ﱠ‬‫ﱠ ﹶ ﹾ ﹸ‬ ‫ﹶﻳ ﹾﻔﺘ ﹶ ﹺﺮﻳﻨﹶﻪﹸ ﺑﹶ ﹾ ﹶ ﹾ‬
‫ﻴﻢ‬ ‫ﺣ‬ ‫ﻓﹶﺒﺎ ﹺﻳﻌﻬﻦ ﻭﺍﺳﺘﻐﹾ ﻔﹺﺮ ﻟﹶﻬﻦ ﺍﷲ ۖ ﺇﹺﻥ ﺍﷲ ﹶﻏﻔﹸﻮﺭ ﺭ ﹺ‬
‫ﹲ‬ ‫ﹲ ﹶ‬ ‫ﱠ ﹶ‬ ‫ﹶ ﹾ ﹸ ﱠ ﹶ ﹾ ﹶ ﹾ ﹸ ﱠ ﹶ‬
y-√ayyuha-n-naiyyu
√idƒ j√aka-l-mu√minatu yubyfiinaka
fial √al-l yusƒrikna bi-llhhi sƒay√an
wa l yasƒriqåna wa la yaznına
wa l yaqåtaluna √awladahunna
wa l ya√tına bi-buhutniñy-yaftarünaü
bayna √aydıhinna wa √arjulihinna
wa la yafißınaka fı mafirüfın
fa-byifihunna wa-s-tagƒfir lahunna-llh;
√inna-llha gƒafüru-r-ra˛ım
Oh Prophet!
If the securely believing women come to you
swearing an oath of fealty
that they will not associate anything with Allh,
- 16 -
 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

and they will not steal, and they will not fornicate,
and they will not slay their children,
and neither indulge in slander
made from between their own hands and feet
nor disobey you in what is correct — then accept their oath of fealty
and pray to Allh to forgive them.
Truly Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Singularly Compassionate.
(Süratu-l-Mumta˛anah 60:12)
This should make abundantly clear the Qur√nic basis and truth of
the bayfiah and the following sa˛ı˛ ˛adıtƒ (one from among many)
should make clear the weight of the bayfiah in the life of the Muslim
then and now:
“Whoever dies without the bayfiah on his neck
dies the death of the Jahilyyah!”
(Reported by Muslim in his Sa˛ıh)

Understanding Bayfiah
Mufti Mu˛ammad Sƒafı i writes: “The word bayfiah in fact means
to take a promise for performing some special deed. Its customary
method, according to the sunnah of Rasulullh a is to place the
hands of both persons one on top of the other, although placing the
hands above one another is not compulsory. If you make a promise
to do something, then it becomes religiously incumbent on you to
keep it, and breaking your promise is unlawful.
Kinds of Bayfiah:
Rasulullh a took the bayfiah at different times on different occa-
sions. He took such covenants at the time of accepting √Islm, or for
performing actions according to all the Commandments of √Islm.
Some times, Rasulullh a took the bayfiah for abstaining or avoid-
ing certain sins, or for doing particular deeds.
Thus we should understand there were many different kinds of
bayfiah that the Prophet a took from the people. These include:

- 17 -
 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

Bayfiah for √Islm: This bayfiah is when a non-Muslim discards his

or her previous religious convictions, seeks repentance and makes a
covenant to accept √Islm. It is called Bayfiah in √Islm.
Bayfiah for Jihad: This bayfiah also goes by the name of Bayfiah ar-
Ridwan, which was a covenant of fealty taken at the time of al-
Hudaibiyah. The first men to take this bayfiah were Abu Sinan al-
Asadi and Salamah bin al-Akwa√, who gave a solemn promise to
die in the cause of Truth three times, at the front of the army, in the
middle and in the rear. This bayfiah was sworn under a tree, with
fiUmar holding the hand of the Prophet a and Ma‘qil bin Yasar
holding a branch of the tree. This is the bayfiah referred to in √yah
eighteen of Süratu-l-Fat˛ which is mentioned above.
Bayfiah for Kƒilfah: This is the bayfiah accepting a person as the
Kƒalifah of the Muslims, who would rule over them. An example of
this occurred after the death of the Prophet a when many ßa˛bah
l took √Abu Bakr g as their Kƒalifah and gave him their bayfiah.
Bayfiah against committing major sins: This we have mentioned in
reference to Süratu-l-Mumta˛anah 60:12.
Giving Bayfiah for performing Islamic deeds: Auf bin Malik asƒ-
Jaee g relates that there were eight or nine people sitting in the
company of the Prophet a and he asked for their bayfiah. “We ex-
tended our hands, and asked him what was the issue on which we
were to take the bayfiah.”
The Prophet a replied: “On these issues: That you will worship
only Allh u and not join partners with Him. That you will per-
form five daily prayers and hear and obey all the orders.” He also
added in a low voice, “Do not beg anything from anyone.” The nar-
rator says that he had observed the ßa˛abah l of the Messenger a
to the extent, that if the whip of a horse had dropped from their
hands, they would not ask anyone to pick it up for them, but would
dismount and would pick up the whip themselves. (at-Tabrani, Abu
Nu’aim, al-˘akim, al-Bayhaqi and √lbn √Askr etc. reported it)

- 18 -
 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

From these examples we can see there are many clear proofs that
the Prophet a took bayfiah from people on many different occa-
sions and for a variety of reasons.
This sunnah has continued from that time to this time and is most
commonly observed in our time by the various turüq ßufiyyah as
well as among the mujahidın and fad√yün (‫ﻮﻥ‬% % ‫ﻴ‬% % ‫ﺪﺍﺋ‬% % ‫)ﻓ‬. Here are some
examples of the bayfiah as it manifests in our time:
The Bayfiah of Allegiance: Regarding this Shah Waliullh i writes
in the book al-Qøwlu-l-Jamıl that this bayfiah which is inherited
from the √awliy karam can be taken for many purposes.
1.The Bayfiah to avoid committing sins and to make sincere
repentance.
2. The Bayfiah for blessing or benediction, which means to enter the
fold of the righteous people to attain auspiciousness, which is
proved by a chain of authoritative sayings of the Messenger a.
3. The Bayfiah for leaving overt or covert forbidden things, and
making a firm intention to act sincerely on Divine Commands, and
attaching your heart to Allh the Exalted and Sublime.
This third kind is most fundamental. In the first two kinds, the aim
is to leave all major sins without insisting on minor ones, and to
practice all the ways of ordained obedience, such as the emphasized
sunnah (sunnah mu√akkadah) which are those acts of worship that
the Prophet a always used to do.
The breaking of this Bayfiah will involve persisting in committing
major or minor infractions against ordained commandments of obe-
dience. In the third kind, fulfilling the bayfiah means continuous
steadfastness for migration (˛ijrah), or striving (jihad) in the path of
Allh u, or performing spiritual exercises, until one attains the
light and joy of satisfaction (ri∂), and it becomes one’s instinctive
voluntary habit. In such a condition, one is allowed to enjoy those
things which are permitted in the sƒarifiah or to keep oneself busy in
certain activities, the completion of which requires a long time, such
as courses of religious and judicial sciences or spiritual practices.

- 19 -
 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

The breaking of the bayfiah refers to the condition of making it de-

fective before achieving enlightenment of the heart.
This type of Bayfiah can be continuously traced since the days of the
Prophet a. In Qur√nic terminology it is called tazkıyyah (‫ﺔ‬%‫ﻛﻴ‬% ‫ﺰ‬%‫)ﺗ‬, and
in the tradition of the Prophet a it is called √i˛sn (‫ﺎﻥ‬% % ‫ﺴ‬% % ‫ )ﺍﺣ‬which is
mentioned in the “˘adıtƒ of Jibrıl e”. Later, it was called taßawwüf
(‫ﻮّﻑ‬% % % % %‫ﺼ‬% % % % %‫ )ﺗ‬. The order of spiritual leaders (var. sƒaykƒ, pır, mursƒid)
(‫ﺪ‬%‫ﺮﺷ‬%‫ ﻣ‬،‫ﺮ‬%‫ﭘﯿ‬% ، ، ‫ﺦ‬%‫ﺷﻴ‬ % ) and their disciples (murıd, muridün ‫ﺪ‬%‫ﺮﻳ‬%‫ ﻣ‬، ‫ﺪﻭﻥ‬%‫ﺮﻳ‬%‫ )ﻣ‬is an
offshoot of this system.
One of the four major tasks for which the Prophet a was responsi-
ble is tazkiya or the purification of self, as Allh u says:

‫ﻢ‬ ‫ﺚ ﻓﹺﻲ ﹾﺍﻷﹸﻣﻴﲔ ﺭﺳ ﹰ ﹺ‬ ‫ﻫﹸ ﹶﻮ ﺍﻟ ﱠ ﹺﺬﻱ ﺑﹶ ﹶﻌ ﹶ‬

‫ﻮﻻ ﻣ ﹾﻨﻬﹸ ﹾ‬ ‫ﱢﱢ ﹶ ﹶ ﹸ‬
‫ﺍﳊﹺ ﹾﻜ ﹶﻤ ﹶﺔ‬
‫ﻜﺘﺎﺏ ﻭ ﹾ‬
‫ﻢ ﺍﻟ ﹶ ﹶ ﹶ‬
‫ﻛﻴﻬﹺﻢ ﻭﻳﻌﻠﱢﻤﻬ ﹾ ﹺ‬
‫ﹾ ﹶﹸ ﹶ ﹸﹸ ﹸ‬
‫ﻢ ﹶﺁﻳﺎﺗﹺﻪﹺ ﹶﻭ ﹸﻳ ﹶﺰ ﱢ‬ ‫ﹺ‬
‫ﹶﻳ ﹾﺘﻠﹸﻮ ﹶﻋﻠ ﹶ ﹾﻴﻬ ﹾ‬
‫ﻝ ﻣ ﹺﺒ ﹴ‬ ‫ﹴ‬ ‫ﹺ‬ ‫ﹺ‬ ‫ﹺ‬
‫ﲔ‬ ‫ﹶﻭﺇ ﹾﻥ ﹶﻛﺎﻧﹸﻮﺍ ﻣ ﹾﻦ ﹶﻗ ﹾﺒ ﹸﻞ ﻟﹶﻔﻲ ﹶﺿ ﹶﻼ ﹸ‬
huwa-l-ladƒi bafiatƒa fi-l-√ummiyına rasulam-minhu
yatlu fialayhim √ytihi wa yuzakkihim
minhum yatlu fialayhim √ttihı wa yuzakkihim
wa yufiallimuhum-l-kitba wa-l-˛ikmah
wa √iñ janü miñ qabålu lafı ∂allim-mubın
He it is Who raised up among the unlettered ones a Messenger
from amongst them to recite to them His Signs, and to purify them,
and to teach them the Book and the Wisdom
— though before they were clearly astray —
(Süratu-l-Jumufiah 62:2)

The Messenger a trained and purified his companions l. If he de-

tected any spiritual disease, he would pay special attention to its re-
formation, and adopt different methods for its elimination. After the
death of the Prophet a the companions l in turn took the bayfiah
and this system was continued by their followers, and the followers
of the followers, and is followed by their followers in our time.
- 20 -
 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

And it is for this reason we have brought this subject to the attention
of those gathered to observe the mawlid, as it is a key in the present
as it was in the past, to real and fundamental change.
Tazkiyah is one of the principal focal points of all Qur√nic teach-
ings. Allh u mentions it in the Qur√n (62:2) even before knowl-
edge, saying that the Prophet a first purifies the believers and then
teaches them the Book and the Wisdom, so that they can realise and
comprehend that world which the teachings in the Qur√n urge them
to strive for. It is natural that human effort is directly proportional to
realisation as a requirement for purification. A negligent (‫ﺔ‬% % ‫ﻠ‬% % ‫ﻔ‬% % ‫ )ﻏ‬per-
son who doesn’t realise their situation is difficult to convince of the
Truth because such a person cannot comprehend their real needs.
Allh u in the Qur√n first makes clear the importance of a re-
quirement and then enumerates the ways in which that may be real-
ized. As such tazkiyah, or the purification of the self, is the realisa-
tion that purification is necessary in order to achieve felicity in the
Final World (‫ﺮﺓ‬% % % % % % % ‫ )ﺍﻵﺧ‬and is a building block of Qur√nic teachings.
Without this realisation, the effect of Qur√nic teachings is no more
than a lecture to a negligent, heedless or ignorant (jhl, ‫ﻞ‬%‫ﺎﻫ‬%‫ )ﺟ‬person,
which is unlikely to bring about any change in that person.
The Nature of Bayfiah.
The meaning of bay’ (‫ﻊ‬% % % ‫ﻴ‬% % % ‫ ﺑ‬: to make a transaction) is inherent in the
term bayfiah (‫ﺔ‬% % % % % % ‫ﻌ‬% % % % % % ‫ﻴ‬% % % % % % ‫)ﺑ‬. Bay’ah thus implies that the murıd “sells”
himself to the Sƒaykƒ as did the people of Yatƒrib sell themselves
to the Rasül a. You must make a transaction with the Sƒaykƒ you
will adhere to the Laws (‫ﺎﻡ‬% % % % ‫ﻜ‬% % % % ‫ )ﺃﺣ‬of Allh u, both on the outer and
inner (√˛kamu-l-∂ƒhirah and the √˛kamu-l-ba†iniyyah) planes.
The nature of this “transaction” envisages that the searcher after the
truth (†lib) should repose implicit trust and faith in his sƒaykƒ. He
should understand and accept that the various advices, prescriptions,
admonitions and prohibitions of the sƒaykƒ are all designed and
motivated for the murıd’s spiritual well-being. It is of the utmost
importance that the murıd should not attempt to interfere with or
impede the diagnosis and prescriptions of the sƒaykƒ.
- 21 -
 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

The murıd should have implicit faith to such an extent that he

should believe that in all the world there is none in his knowledge
who can benefit him more than his sƒaykƒ. In the terminology of
†asawwüf this conception of implicit faith in the sƒaykƒ is known as
wahdat-e-ma†lab or holding firm to one’s sƒaykƒ. Without holding
firm to one’s sƒaykƒ the act of bayfiah is meaningless and of no
benefit because compatibility (munsabt) (‫ﺎﺕ‬%‫ﺳﺒ‬ % ‫ﺎ‬%‫ﻣﻨ‬% ) with the sƒaykƒ
is an essential condition for reformation (√ißl˛) (‫ )ﺇﺻﻼﺡ‬of the nafs.
The sign of the existence of compatibility (munsabt) between the
murıd and his sƒaykƒ is that the heart of the murıd does not object
to the statements and acts of the sƒaykƒ nor does he speculate about
the sƒaykƒ’s judgements. Should any objection arise in the heart
regarding the sƒaykƒ, the murıd should grieve and feel remorse.
As Sayyidn Kƒidr e said to the Prophet Müsa e
‫ﻚ ﻣﹺ ﹾﻨﻪ ﹸ ﹺﺫ ﹾﻛ ﹰﺮﺍ‬ ‫ﹴ‬ ‫ﹺ‬ ‫ﹺ‬
‫ﺣﺘ ﱠ ٰﻰ ﺃ ﹸ ﹾﺣ ﹺﺪ ﹶ‬
‫ﺙ ﻟﹶ ﹶ‬ ‫ﹺ‬
‫ﹶﻓﺈﹺﻥ ﺍﺗﱠﺒ ﹶ ﹾﻌﺘﹶﻨﻲ ﻓ ﹶﹶﻼ ﺗ ﹶ ﹾﺴﺄ ﹾﹶﻟﻨﻲ ﹶﻋ ﹾﻦ ﹶﺷ ﹾﻲﺀ ﹶ‬
fa-√inni-t-tabafitanı fa-l tas√alnı fian sƒay√in
˛att √u˛ditƒa laka minhi dƒikra
“If you would follow me, then ask no questions about anything
until I myself mention it to you.
(Süratul-Kahf 18:70)
By virtue of bayfiah a bond of sincerity (kƒulüß) is generated
between the murıd and the sƒaykƒ. In their mutuality the sƒaykƒ
considers the murıd to belong to him and the murıd considers the
sƒaykƒ to belong to him and there is no friction or discord between
them. The external form of bayfiah is beneficial to the generality of
students (al-amm) since it induces reverence and respect in them for
the sƒaykƒ. As a result, they come to readily, smoothly and easily
accept the statements of the sƒaykƒ and are constrained to act
accordingly. However, for the elite (al-kƒaßß) the bayfiah proves
more deeply beneficial after a period has been spent in itimate
association with the sƒaykƒ. This time is often referred to as
“breaking the legs”.which demands that the murıd spend as much
time as possible with the sƒaykƒ carefully observing him in all his
states.
- 22 -
 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

The murıd must actively commit himself to the sƒaykƒ and his
teachings with a clean heart, clear mind, focus and total com-
mitment. Obviously a murıd who gives the bayfiah but does not
follow up on that bayfiah in terms of investment of time and service
will not, in most cases, benefit to the same degree as the murıd who
fully gives of himself to the sƒaykƒ and his teachings. At the very
least the murıd should arrange to spend some time with the sƒaykƒ
every week if only during the weekly gathering (majlis), but ideally
seek further contact with the sƒaykƒ for training (tarbiyyah) which
usually consists in carrying out ‘jobs’ one is given by the sƒaykƒ, no
matter how menial or outwardly strange these tasks might appear.
It is this process of tarbiyyah which, along with adherence on the
part of the murıd to all the Laws of Allh, both outer and inner
(√˛kamu-l-∂ƒhirah wa √˛kamu-l-ba†iniyyah), that works to bring
about the tazkiyyah or the purification of the self.
The word tarbiyyah is derived from the root rabb which means to
foster, nourish and care for. A person who does this is called al-
murabbı in Arabic. English unfortunately does not contain one all
embracing word by which we can translate this term. In Arabic, in
the context of the sƒaykƒ or teacher, the reflection in this world of
the Greatest Teacher, the Prophet u, is the one who nourishes,
fosters, supports, advances, aids, encourages or trains the murıd by
goodness and grace, in the Way of Allh u. It comes from the
same root as ‘ar-rabb’ which means, when referring to Allh u,
the Nourisher, the Sustainer, the One who gives life and sustenance
to all. The word ar-Rabb, with the definite article ‘al-‘, cannot be
applied to anyone except Allh u but it may be used in
conjunction with something else, in the genitive, e.g., rabb al-ml
(the owner of the wealth), rabb al-bayt (the owner of the house) and
so on. In its verbal form it is used when referring to the care the
farmer takes to nurture his crops or when referring to women it
means specifically the function of the mother in nourishing her
child by feeding the child with the milk from her breasts. We may
also think of it as meaning, ‘The Trainer of Souls’ but we hope that
it is understood that these are all facets of the term al-murrabı.
- 23 -
 al-Bayfiah • (‫)ﺍﻟﺒَﻴْﻌَﺔ‬

Again we hope it is understood that the first and greatest murrabı is

the Prophet a but the true sƒuyukƒ are educators, trainers,
fosterers — the murabbı of their muridın. Were this not so they
could not have connected their students to the knowledge of Allh
u and the Way of √Islam. Tarbiyyah is not a process of learning
“about” √Islm but it is the process of learning to “be” a Muslim.
And it is in this way that the murrabi are the inheritors (waritƒ) of
the Prophet a and those who must be sought out in each time and
in every place. It is this point, above all, we want to stress in
relation to this talk celebrating the mawlid of the Prophet a.
As the people came from Yatƒrib seeking a way beyond strife and
dissension, fitnah and warfare we, like they, must find a way be-
yond the strife and dissension, fitnah and warfare that surrounds us
and make our way to the Prophet a to give him our bayfiah and take
the teaching from whom he provides as the people of Yatƒrib did
from Musab-bin-Umair g whom he a sent to teach them.
This can be understood by means of an example. A light bulb is
connected by a network of wires linked by poles. The electricity
that originates from the generator in the powerhouse is transmitted
to the bulbs through the wires stretched between the various poles.
By entering into the transaction of the bayfiah a person links him or
herself through the wires connecting one sƒaykh to another sƒaykƒ
(the poles) all the way back to the Prophet a from whom all these
teachings and blessings originate. The generator in the powerhouse.
In this way the teachings of √Islm are kept forever green and alive
in the most personal of ways — from human to human — across
time. This is not ‘book learning’, though some things can be learned
from books, but rather it is the teaching that reaches from heart to
heart. May Allh u make us all to be receptors of this teaching.
Allh u knows best and peace and blessing be upon the Prophet
a, his family f his companions and his blessed friends l. √Amın

- 24 -
 ‫ﲔ‬ِ ‫ﻜﻲ وﻣﺤﻴﺎي و َﳑﺎﺗِﻲ ِﷲ ِ رب ا ْﻟﻌﺎ َﳌ‬ ِ ‫إِن ﺻ َﻼﺗِﻲ وﻧﺴ‬
َ َ ‫َ ﱢ‬ َ َ َ َ ْ ََ ُ َُ َ ‫ﱠ‬
ِ ِ ْ ‫ﻚ أُﻣِﺮت وأَﻧﺎ أَو ُل‬ ِ‫ِ ا‬
‫ﲔ‬
َ ‫اﳌ ُ ْﺴﻠﻤ‬ ‫ﻚ ﻟَﻪُ ۖ َوﺑ َٰﺬ ﻟ َ ْ ُ َ َ ﱠ‬َ ‫َﻻ َﺷ ِﺮﻳ‬
√innna ßaltı wa nusukı wa ma˛ytı wa mamtı
li-llhi rabbi-l-filamın
l sƒarıka lah:
wa bi-dƒlika √umirtu wa √an √awwalu-l-muslimın
“Truly My worship and my sacrifice and my living and my dying
are for Allh, The Nurturer of All the Worlds –
in Whose Divinity none has a share
This I am commanded and I am the first [among you]
who surrender [to Allh].
(Sürah al-√Anfiam 6:162-63)

ْ ‫اﳌ ْﺆﻣِﻨِﲔ أ َْﻧﻔُﺴﻬﻢ وأَﻣﻮاﻟَﻬﻢ ﺑِﺄَن ﻟَﻬﻢ‬ ْ ِ‫ى ﻣ‬

ۚ َ‫اﳉَﻨﱠﺔ‬ ُ ُ ‫ﻦ ُ َ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ُ ْ ﱠ‬ ْ َ ‫ن اﷲ‬
َ ٰ ‫اﺷﺘ َ َﺮ‬ ‫إِ ﱠ‬
‫ﺣ _ﻘﺎ ﻓِﻲ‬ ِ‫اﷲ ِ ﻓَﻴ ْﻘﺘﻠُﻮن وﻳ ْﻘﺘﻠُﻮن ۖ وﻋ ًﺪا ﻋﻠَﻴﻪ‬ ِ ‫ﻮن ﻓِﻲ ﺳ ِﺒ‬ ِ
َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ َ َ ُ َ َ ‫ﻴﻞ‬ َ َ ُ ‫ُﻳﻘَﺎﺗﻠ‬
‫ﻦ اﷲ ِ ۚ ﻓ َْﺎﺳﺘ َ ْﺒ ِﺸ ُﺮوا‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ َ ِ ْ ِ ِ ْ ِ ْ ‫اﻟﺘﱠﻮراةِ و‬
َ ‫اﻹﳒﻴﻞ َواﻟﻘ ُ ْﺮآن ۚ َو َﻣ ْﻦ أ ْوﻓ َٰﻰ ﺑ َﻌ ْﻬﺪه ﻣ‬ َ َ ْ
ِ ْ ْ َ ِ ‫ﻢ ﺑِﻪِ ۚ َوذ َٰاﻟ‬ ِ ُ ِ ِ
‫ﻴﻢ‬
ُ ‫ﻚ ﻫُ َﻮ اﻟﻔ َ ْﻮ ُز اﻟ َﻌﻈ‬ ْ ُ ‫ﻢ اﻟﱠﺬي ﺑَ َﺎﻳ ْﻌﺘ‬
ُ ‫ﺑﺒَ ْﻴﻌﻜ‬
√inna-llha-sƒ-tar-mina-l-mu√inına
√añfusahum wa √amwlahum
bi-√anna lahumu-l-jannah;
yuqtiluna fı sabıli-llhi
fa-yaqåtulunna wa yuqåtalün:
wa fida fialayhi ˛aqqan
fı-t-tawrti wa-l-√iñjıli wa-l-qur√n:
wa man √awf bi-fiahdihi mina-llh:
fa-s-tabåsƒirü bi-bayfiikumu-l-ladƒı bayafitum-bih;
wa dƒlika huwa-l-fowzul-l-fia∂ƒım
Surely Allh has bought from their believers their souls and their wealth
[in exchange] for the Garden.
They fight in the Way of Allh and they kill and they are killed.
This is a promise binding on Him in the Torah, the √Injıl and the Qur√n
[and] Who fulifills the covenant better than Allh?
Rejoice in the bargain you have made, for that is the supreme attainment.
(Sürah at-‡awbah 9:111)
 ‫ﻥ‬

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