The True Meaning And Excellence Of Bay'at

The meaning of Bay'at or pledging spiritual allegiance is to be
totally sold, which means to surrender yourself totally to a Spiritual
Master (Murshid) to guide you to Allah.

Bay'at should be done on the hands of that person who possesses the
following e attributes or else Bay'at will not be permissible. These
are:

 1. First and foremost, he must be a Sunni Muslim holding correct
Islamic beliefs.

 2. He should at least have that amount of knowledge which will enable
him, without the assistance of anyone, to extract questions relating
to Islamic Jurisprudence from Islamic books.

 3. His Silsila (Chain of Spiritual Order) must be directly linked to
the Holy Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam) without a break in the
sequence.

 4. He must not be a Fasiq-e-Mo'lin (One who openly commits
transgression and sin).

People, today, consider Bay'at to be some kind of fashion. They are
ignorant of the reality of Bay'at. An example is given here to give
you an idea of what Bay'at really is. Once a Murid (Disciple) of the
great Shaykh Sayyiduna Yahya Maneri (Radi Allahu' Ta'ala Anho) was
drowning. Sayyiduna Khidr (Alaihis Salam) appeared and said the Murid,
"Give me your hand and I will save you". The Murid replied, "This hand
has already been given in the hands of Sayyiduna Yahya Maneri Radi
ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho and since it belongs to him I cannot give it to
anyone else". Sayyiduna Khidr Alaihis Salam disappeared and,
instantly, Sayyiduna Yahya Maneri Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho appeared and
saved him./Baab ash-Shaykh, Hadratal Qadriya, Mazar of Sultan al-Awliya
Sayyiduna

Ghawth al Aa'zam Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani Radi Allahu Ta'alaAnhu, Baghdad Sharif - Iraq/

*TAJDID-E-BAY'AT (RENEWAL OF BAY'AT)*

Tajdid or renewal of Bay'at used to take place in the time of the Holy
Prophet SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam. Once the Holy Prophet SallAllaho
Alaihi wa Sallam personally took Bay'at thrice from Sayyiduna Salmah
bin Akwah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho who was preparing to leave for
Jihad. In the first instance, Rasoolullah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam
asked, "Did Salmah take Bay'at?" After a while the Holy Prophet
SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam asked, "Salmah, are you not going to take
Bay'at?" Sayyiduna Salmah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho said, "Ya
Rasoolullah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam! I had already taken Bay'at".
After all the Ashabs had taken Bay'at, the Prophet of Islam SallAllaho
Alaihi wa Sallam repeated for the third time, "Salmah are you not
going to take Bay'at?" Sayyiduna Salmah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho said,
"Ya Rasoolullah SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam! I have already taken
Bay'at twice". The Prophet of Islam SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam said,
"Repeat the Bay'at". So, Sayyiduna Salmah Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho, in
a single sitting took Bay'at (Tajdid) thrice.

The secret and wisdom of the emphasis of Bay'at made on him was that
he always made Jihad with the Kufar by foot. For him to now dash into
the army of the enemy and confront them alone meant nothing to him./Hadrat Sultan Shahabuddin Soharwardi Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho, Baghdad
- Iraq/

*BAY'AT AND ITS BENEFITS*

There are two types of Bay'at:

(A) BAY'AT-E-BARAKAH

This is to initiate one's self for the mere Barakah (Blessing) of
joining a Silsila and this is the general idea or reason of today's
Bay'ats. This should, at least, be done with a good intention. If
Bay'at is taken for mere worldly gain or any reason other than
spiritual upliftment, then such Bay'at is Batil (null and void). For
Bay'at-e-Barakah it is sufficient if the Shaykh you take Bay'at from
is Shaykh-e-Ittisal, which means that his Silsila is linked to the
King of the Prophets, Sayyiduna Muhammad SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam
without a break in sequence and that the Shaykh possesses the four
mentioned pre-requisites mentioned.

A'la Hazrat (Radi ALLAHu' Ta'ala Anho) states: "The above Bay'at is
not useless, but beneficial, in fact, very beneficial and profitable
in Deen and Dunya. At least, his name would be recorded in the books
of the Beloved of Allah (Mehbooban-e-Khuda). By just having a link
with a spiritual order (Silsila) is by itself a great fortune and
blessing of which three are mentioned below:

1. Emulation or imitation of the elite and Beloved ones of Allah
(Khasan-e-Khuda) in the field of Tariqah or Sufism. Rasoolullah
(SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said:

 "One who imitates a nation is among them".

Sayyiduna Shaykh-ush-Shuyuk Shahabud Din Suhrwardi (Radi ALLAHu'
Ta'ala Anho) states in his book, "Awariful Ma'ahrif":

 "Be it known that there are two types of Bay'at - Bay'at-e-Tabaruk
(Barakah) and Bay'at-e-Iradah (Devotion). The actual intention of the
Murids of a Masha'ikh is Bay'at-e-Iradah and Bay'at-e-Tabaruk has
similarity with it. So for the real and true Murid there is
Bay'at-e-Iradah and, for those who desire imitation there is
Bay'at-e-Tabaruk because those who imitate a nation is amongst them".

2. A divine link is connected with the Awliya and Sualihin.
Rasoolullah (SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam) says that His Rabb, the All
Powerful and Almighty Allah says.

 "There are those people who, by merely sitting with them, one will
never become a Kafir". (This refers to the Awliya)

3. The Beloved of Allah are Ayat Rahmah (Signs of Mercy). They take
into their fold of mercy all those who remember and honour them and
also focus their beams of mercy on them. Someone asked the King of the
Awliya, Sayyiduna Ghousul Azam (Radi ALLAHu' Ta'ala Anho):

 "If any person takes your name in respect and honour though he may
not be your Murid or not initiated by you personally, would he be
counted as your Murid?"

The great Ghawth replied:

 "Allah will accept those who have any form of relation or connection
with me and notes his name in my spiritual office. If such a person
adopts any desired path, Allah will bless him with guidance and
repentance. He will be under my spiritual banner. Verily, my Rabb, the
All Powerful and Almighty, has promised me that all my Murids, all
those who love me and all those who follow the path I am on, will
enter Jannah (Paradise)"./Hadrat Sultan Bahauddin Naqshbandi Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho, Bukhara -
Uzbekistan/

(B) BAY'AT-E-IRADAH

This means to totally abolish ones desires and intentions and
surrender on's self at the hands of a true Guide or Spiritual Master
who has entered the Kingdom of the Heavens. You have totally empower
him as your commander and ruler. You have to sincerely obey and
execute all his orders and methods entrusted on you by him concerning
the path to the spiritual domain. Never take a step without his
consent even though some laws and orders may not suit you or make
sense to you. Remember the example of Khidr (Alaihis Salam) when
Sayyiduna Moosa (alaihis salam) met him and they both travelled
together. The Murshid's commands may cause great discomfort to you and
at such moments the Murid must regard this as the interference of the
Cursed Shaitan. Your every hardship and difficulty must be presented
to him. In conclusion, the Murid must totally hand himself over to the
Shaykh like a corpse in the hands of a person performing Ghusal. This
is known as Bay'at-e-Salikin. Such Bay'at is regarded as being the aim
and object of the grand Spiritual Masters. Such Bay'at leads one to
Allah the Almighty. It was Bay'at-e-Salikin that was taken by the
Ashabs at the hands of the Holy Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam).

Sayyiduna Obadah bin Samat (Radi ALLAHu' Ta'ala Anho) states:

 "We had taken Bay'at (at the hands of Rasoolullah SallAllahu Alaihi
wa Sallam) on the following principles:

 We will await his command and execute it in times of every ease and
difficulty, every form of ecstasy or displeasure. And when the Master
commands us we will never disobey or cross question him".

The command of the Murshid is the command of Rasoolullah (SallAllahu
Alaihi wa Sallam) and his command is the Command of Allah, the All
Powerful, Who nobody dares disobey. Allah states in the Holy Quran:

 "And it is not appropriate for faithful men and women; when and His
Messenger have judged a matter, to consider it a matter of choice for
themselves; and one who does not accept the judgement of and His
Messenger has indeed clearly entered darkness." [Sura Ahzab: 36]

In "Awariful Ma'arif" Shaykh Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi Radi ALLAHu
Ta'ala Anho sates:

 "To be under the command of the Shaykh is to be under the Command of
Allah and His Rasool SallAllaho Alaihi wa Sallam and is the revival of
a Sunnah - Bay'at. This is only applicable on those persons who
imprison themselves in the hands of the Shaykh, discard all desires
and dissolve themselves in the Shaykh (Fana-fish-Shaykh)".


Shaykh Suhrawardi Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho also states:

 "Abstain from criticizing the Shaykh for it is a deadly poison for
the Murid. It is extremely rare for a Murid who criticise his Shaykh
to find serenity and success. In any action of the Shaykh which does
not seem correct to the Murid, he should remember the events of
Sayyiduna Khidar. This is because the actions performed by Sayyiduna
Khidar Alaihis Salam were apparently questionable (e.g. making a hole
in the boat of the poor and killing an innocent child), but when the
reasons for these actions were explained then it became obvious that
the Shaykh should not be questioned".

Sayyiduna Imam Abul-Qasim Qushayri Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho states in
his Kitab, "Risalah", that Sayyiduna Abu Sahal Sahlooki Radi ALLAHu
Ta'ala Anho states,

 "Any person who says 'why' to any word of his Shaykh will never
achieve success."

May Allah Azza wa Jal grant us peace and success. Aameen!!/
Shahanshah-e-Hind Hadrat Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz
Sultan Moenuddin Chishti Ajmeri Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho, Ajmer Sharif- India/

RECTIFICATION TO A MISCONCEPTION:

It has become a misconception today, that only Sayyids (descendants of
the Beloved Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam) are allowed to be
Peers. They are the only ones who have the right of making mureeds.
Sadly, amongst those who spread such propaganda, are mostly those who
themselves are not Sayyid and only claim to be Sayyid, so that they
may broaden their horizons. True Love and respect for the Sayyid is
the recognition of the people of Imaan. Very deprived and unfortunate
are those who have no love for the family of the Prophet (SallAllahu
Alaihi wa Sallam). But it must be noted, that it is not necessary to
be Sayyid to be a Peer. The Holy Quran says,

"The exalted and respected in the Court of Allah are those amongst you
that are pious and Allah Fearing."

It must be noted, that, Hadrat Ghawth al-Azam Shaykh Abd al-Qadir
al-Jilani (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) is no doubt Hasani Husaini Sayyid,
but his Peer, Hadrat Abu Saeed Makhzoomi, and his Shaykh Hadrat Abul
Hassan Hakaari and His Shaykh Hadrat Abul Farah Tartoosi and various
other Shuyookh of the Silsila, namely Shaykh Abdul Waahid Tameemi,
Shaykh Abu Bakr Shibli, Hadrat Junaid Baghdadi, Hadrat Siiri Saqti and
Hadrat Ma'roof Karkhi Radi Allahu Anhum al-Ajma'een are all not
Sayyids. The Peer of Sultaan al-Hind Hadrat Khwaja Mueen al-Deen
Chishti Alaihir Rahma wa ar-Ridwaan, Hadrat Khwaja Usman Harooni
Alaihir Rahma wa ar-Ridwaan is also not a Sayyid.


AlaHadrat (Radi Allahu Anhu) states:

To say that it is a condition for a Peer to be Sayyid, is to claim
that all the silsilas (Spiritual Chains) are baatil (broken). In the
Silsila Aaliyah Qadiriyah, all the Shaykhs between Sayyiduna Ali Rida
and Hadrat Ghawth al-Azam (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhum al-Ajma'een) are
all non Sayyids. And in the Silsila Aaliyah Chishtiya, immediately
after Sayyiduna Ali (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu) is Hadrat Imam Hassan
al-Basri (Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu), who neither Sayyid, Quraishi nor
an Arab, and in Silsila Aaliyah Naqshabandiya, the actual inception is
from Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddique (Radi Allahu Anhu). [Fatawa Radawiyyah,
Vol. 9, Page 114]* THE EXCELLENCE OF RECITING ONE'S SAJRAH*

There are many virtues in reciting one's Sajrah of which a few are
mentioned below:

1. Memorising the chain of Awliya up to Rasoolullah SallAllahu Alaihi
wa Sallam.

2. The Zikr and Remembrance of Swalihin (Awliya) is the means of
receiving Allah's Rahmah (Mercy)

3. Performing the Esal-e-Sawab for all the Spiritual Masters which is
a cause of receiving their spiritual guidance.

4. When the Murid remembers them in times of ease the Awliya of the
Silsila will remember him in times of hardship and will also be of
assistance to him.

— — —

Extracted from

Irshadaat-e-AlaHadrat Alaihir raHma

Translated by: Shaykh Abd al-Hadi al-Qadiri