In the path of Sufism, allegiance (Bay’ah) holds fundamental importance. Without it, achieving complete benefit is impossible, and this is also proven by the Holy Quran and the blessed Hadiths. As stated in the Quran,
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ إِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ
Quran 48:10
“Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, [O Muhammad], they are actually pledging allegiance to Allah…” (Quran 48:10).
Meaning of Bay’ah
The lexical meaning of Bay’ah includes to hand over, to entrust, or to sell. In Sufism, it refers to a disciple (Murid) handing over and selling his self (Nafs) to his perfect Sheikh. It means relinquishing all one’s desires, wills, and choices, surrendering oneself to the care of the perfect Sheikh, and not taking any step against his pleasure and will in the path of spiritual progress.
If some commands from the Sheikh do not seem right to the disciple, he should consider it a fault of his own intellect and regard those actions and statements akin to those of Hazrat Khidr (peace be upon him). It is as if one becomes like a dead person in the hands of the living in the hands of their Sheikh. This is called the Bay’ah of the seekers (Salikin), and this is the intended goal of the Sufi masters and mentors. This path facilitates easy access to Almighty Allah. This very Bay’ah was taken by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from his companions (Sahabah), may Allah be pleased with them all.
It is narrated from Hazrat Ubada bin Samit, may Allah be pleased with him, that we pledged allegiance to the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, to accept and fully obey his commands in all conditions of ease and hardship, happiness and displeasure, without dispute or hesitation. The command of a perfect Sheikh, in reality, is indeed the command of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, because a perfect Wali (saint) acts as the deputy of the Prophet, peace be upon him.
The true definition of a perfect Wali is one who is completely committed to following the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Therefore, any command from him cannot be against the Shariah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Thus, the command of a perfect Sheikh is the command of the noble Prophet, peace be upon him, and the command of the Prophet, peace be upon him, is the command of Allah, and there is no room for refusal in the command of Allah, the Almighty.
The Status and Importance of Bay’ah
The scholars of religion and sheikhs of the spiritual path differ on whether bay’ah (pledging allegiance) is obligatory, mandatory, a Sunnah, or recommended. Those who consider bay’ah to be obligatory refer to this verse of the Holy Quran as evidence:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱبْتَغُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ ٱلْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَـٰهِدُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَO believers! Be mindful of Allah and seek what brings you closer to Him and struggle in His Way, so you may be successful.
Quran – Surah Al-Maidah 5:35
Another verse states,
وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِیْلَ مَنْ اَنَابَ اِلَیَّ
Quran 31:15
and follow the way of those who turn to Me ˹in devotion˺
Since the command form is used in both verses, bay’ah is considered obligatory. Moreover, when bay’ah serves as the gateway to the knowledge of Ihsan (spiritual excellence), there’s no doubt about its obligatory status since it is the essence of worship.
Bay’ah as the Sunnah
It has been narrated in famous Hadith that the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) would pledge their allegiance (bay’ah) to the blessed hands of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). They would pledge their allegiance for steadfastness in the pillars of Islam, for steadfastness in battles, for migration (Hijra), and for jihad, such as the Pledge of Ridwan. The Quran mentions these pledges, as in Surah Al-Fath (The Victory) where it is stated:
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ إِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ يَدُ ٱللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ ۚ فَمَن نَّكَثَ فَإِنَّمَا يَنكُثُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَنْ أَوْفَىٰ بِمَا عَـٰهَدَ عَلَيْهُ ٱللَّهَ فَسَيُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًۭاSurely those who pledge allegiance to you ˹O Prophet˺ are actually pledging allegiance to Allah. Allah’s Hand is over theirs. Whoever breaks their pledge, it will only be to their own loss. And whoever fulfils their pledge to Allah, He will grant them a great reward.
Quran 48:10
Another verse states:
لَقَدْ رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ اِذْ یُبَایِعُوْنَكَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ فَعَلِمَ مَا فِیْ قُلُوْبِهِمْ فَاَنْزَلَ السَّكِیْنَةَ عَلَیْهِمْ وَاَثَابَهُمْ فَتْحًا قَرِیْبًاIndeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you ˹O Prophet˺ under the tree. He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down serenity upon them and rewarded them with a victory at hand,
Quran 48:18
All these verses and arguments clarify that the allegiance (Bay’ah) is a Sunnah (tradition of the Prophet) and not only for men but also for women, and after the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the Rightly Guided Caliphs, Imams, and great sheikhs have continued this tradition and blessed women with veiled allegiance. This proves that Bay’ah is a Sunnah and is also emphasized.
The Benefit of Bay’ah
The author of “Awārif al-Ma’ārif” writes that being under the command of the Sheikh is being under the command of Allah and His Messenger. This tradition is revived by the one who has surrendered his body and soul to the Sheikh, exited from his own will, abandoned his choice, and become annihilated in the Sheikh. The essence of Bay’ah is for spiritual success, aiming to purify oneself from corrupt and foul elements, illuminate the inner self, and remove the hidden polytheism from the heart. When a disciple pledges allegiance to his perfect Sheikh with sincere intention and adherence, and by staying in his company and observing all etiquettes, the spiritual blessings and lights from the Sheikh’s inner gaze permeate into the disciple’s heart and inner self, illuminating it.
The acquisition of these spiritual illuminations and manifestations depends solely on the love and company of the perfect Sheikh. This is only possible when the disciple, during the presence and service to the perfect Sheikh, keeps his heart and soul fully focused towards the Sheikh so that the disciple’s inner connection and discipline continue to grow in accordance with the pure nature and inner practices of the Sheikh, allowing the disciple to achieve closeness to God. However, the disciple must always remember that all these spiritual stations depend solely on the allegiance and company of the perfect Sheikh.