When anyone accepts Islam as a faith, that person makes a pledge to God to lead a life compatible with Islamic teachings and moral values. We mentioned last week the pledge, or bay‘ah, that was required of all Muslims, men and women, at the beginning of the Islamic message. They pledged “never to associate any partner with God, and never to steal, commit adultery, kill their children, fabricate any falsehood with regard to the identity of their children’s parents, nor disobey God’s Messenger in anything reasonable.” This remains the pledge required to be given by Muslim women. However, Muslim men are required to defend Islam against any outside aggression. This was clearly outlined by the Prophet (peace be upon him) when he met a large delegation of the new Muslims in Madinah who asked him to move over to their city where he could continue to deliver his message and explain it to people in peace and security.
We need to go back a little to explain how Islam began to take root in Madinah. The Prophet first preached his message in Makkah, his hometown. But he did not confine his address to its people. Makkah was the place to which all Arabs traveled in order to honor the Kaaba and to offer the pilgrimage, which had continued ever since Abraham built the Kaaba in fulfillment of God’s command. Year after year, the Prophet spoke to pilgrims from all tribes, explaining his message and calling on them to support him so that he could deliver the message of Islam to all people. His efforts were generally met with strong opposition from most tribes. After ten years of continuous efforts a breakthrough took place when the Prophet met six people from Madinah, which was then called Yathrib. When he explained his message to them they accepted it and declared themselves Muslims. The following year they came back with six others who all accepted Islam and pledged their commitment to him in the terms already outlined.
The Prophet sent to Madinah his companion Musaab ibn Umayr to advocate Islam and assess the Madinah situation. Musaab and his fellow Muslims in Madinah were very successful in winning new recruits to Islam. When Musaab reported to the Prophet on his mission in Madinah, a decision was taken to the effect that Madinah offered a suitable place for the establishment of the new base of Islam. The first step was to meet the new followers. A meeting was fixed for the last night of pilgrimage at Aqabah. This was probably the most important meeting in the 13 years of Islam in Makkah. Seventy-three men and two women from Madinah attended in the middle of the night. When everyone was fast asleep, those believers came out of their tents quietly in ones and twos to keep their appointment. The Prophet was the only Muslim from Makkah to attend. He apparently had to confide his plans to someone very close to him. This was his uncle, Al-Abbas, who was not yet a Muslim. Al-Abbas was the only non-Muslim to attend the meeting. He wanted to be sure that his nephew was on a safe course.
Al-Abbas’ presence and his speech, which opened the proceedings of the meeting, must be seen in the light of the future development of relations between the state yet to be born and the Quraysh, the tribe that ruled in Makkah and was highly respected by all Arabs. What was about to take place was a radical realignment of loyalties. In the tribal society of Arabia, that was very serious indeed. Al-Abbas began by stressing that the Prophet’s clan had so far fulfilled its obligations according to the prevailing social values: “You know how highly we rate Muhammad. We have protected him against our own people, with whom we share the same opinion of his call. He is indeed well protected within his own people and in his own city. Nevertheless, he is determined to join you. If you feel that you will indeed fulfill your pledges to him and will indeed protect him from his enemies, you are welcome to do as you please. Should you, however, feel that you may let him down, after having taken him away to your city, it would be better for everyone if you decide here and now to leave him alone, for he is well looked after in his hometown.”
They answered him: “We have truly understood what you have said.” They then turned to the Prophet and invited him to lay down his conditions.
The Prophet began his short speech by reading a passage from the Qur’an. He then explained the message of Islam and its profound influence on the lives of its followers. He concluded with this very brief statement of the conditions of the pledge he wanted from them: “You pledge to me that you will protect me as you protect your own womenfolk and your own children.”
Al-Bara’ ibn Maaroor, a leading figure among those present, said: “By Him who has given you the message of the truth, we will defend you as we defend our women. Take up our pledges, for we are the children of war and the best people with arms.”
The distinguished figure of Abu Al-Haitham ibn Al-Tayyihan intervened here: “We have relations with the Jews which are now bound to be severed. If we live up to our pledges and God grants you victory, would you, Messenger of God, leave us then to return to your people?”
Smiling, the Prophet assured him that he would not do that. He said: “I belong to you as you belong to me. I fight your enemy and make peace with your friend.” Ibn Al-Tayyihan then addressed his people telling them to be sure of their commitment as they gave the Prophet their pledges. They told him that they have already done so and asked him to move over so that they could make their pledges, but he insisted to be the first to do so.
As they queued to make their personal pledges, a man called Al-Abbas ibn Ubadah stopped them, saying: “Do you know what you are pledging to this man? You are committing yourselves to go to war against the whole world. If there is any doubt in your minds or if you feel that if your wealth is looted and your honored leaders are killed you will give him up, it is more honorable for you to leave him alone now. Giving him up in such an eventuality will dishonor you in both this life and the life to come. If, on the other hand, you feel you will honor your commitments come what may, then go ahead, because this will increase your honor in both this world and the next.”
They all said, without hesitation: “We are committed, come what may.” The question they were naturally keen to put to the Prophet was: “What will our reward be if we honor our commitments?” The Prophet’s answer came in a single word: “Paradise.”
Then they all shook hands with the Prophet in a gesture concluding the deal. They asserted that they would never seek release from their commitments, nor would they accept any cancellation.