3RD TERM (LESSON: 4)

First and Second Pledge of Al-Aqabah

LEARNING OUTCOMES/ OBJECTIVES:

➢ Students will be able to know and describe the nature and events of these
pledges.
➢ They will be able to narrate the importance of these pledges in the history of
Islam.
➢ They will also be able to describe the lessons we learn from these pledges.

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Context and Background of Pledges of Al-Aqaba

Growing Muslim community in Madinah

Many people were visiting Makkah on business or as pilgrims to the Ka'ba.
Although their worship was not anything like the Hajj that Islam has taught us,
they regarded the Holy Ka'ba as an important building. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
took advantage of this time of the year by meeting the visitors and introducing the
teachings of Islam to them. It was the Prophet’s practice to meet the delegates of
the Arabian tribes by night so that the hostile Makkans would not debar him from
achieving his objectives.

With years of persecution for him and his followers, it was also a great opportunity
for the Prophet (pbuh) to look for a new home for himself and his followers. After
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several unsuccessful negotiations, he found hope with some men from Yathrib
(later called Madinah).

The Arab population of Yathrib were familiar with monotheism (belief in one
God) because a Jewish community existed there. They knew from the Jews that
one day there would be a Prophet who would come from Arabia as revealed to the
Jews in the Torah (their holy book) by Prophet Musa (AS).

First Aqabah Bay'at (Pledge)

Warring tribes
The two main Arab tribes in Madinah were the Banu Khazraj and the Banu Aws.
They were great enemies of each other and fought numerous battles. The recurring
slaughters and disagreements over the resulting claims, especially after the Battle
of Bu'ath (around 617) in which all clans (including Jewish) were involved, made
it obvious to them that the tribal conceptions of blood-feud and an eye for an eye
were no longer workable unless there was one man with authority to adjudicate in
disputed cases.

12 men from Madinah pledge loyalty

During the pilgrimage season in the eleventh year of Prophethood (approximately
620) the Prophet (pbuh) along with his two Companions 'Ali and Abu Bakr met
with six men from Yathrib as they were passing by 'Aqabat Mina.

The following year (around 621), on the occasion of the pilgrimage, a group of
twelve disciples came to Makkah ready to acknowledge Muhammad as their
Prophet. This group was made up of five of the original six who had met the
Prophet (pbuh) the previous year, only Jabir bin 'Abdullah bin Ri'ab was missing,
and seven new members.

The meeting took place at Aqabat Mina (Mount Aqabah), Makkah and resulted in
the first Islamic agreement. After embracing Islam by reading the Shahadah, the
delegation pledged themselves and their fellow-citizens to accept Prophet

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Muhammad (pbuh) into their community and physically protect him as one of
themselves. This pledge became known as the "First Bay'at (Pledge) of Aqabah".

The 12 men vowed their faith in Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as a Prophet and
swore:
• Not to worship anyone but Allah alone.
• Not to steal.
• Not to commit adultery, nor bury their daughters alive.
• Not to utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood.
• Not to disobey the Prophet in any just matter and to perform good deeds.
Notice all of the vows are spiritual and religious - nothing economical or political.

Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair Al-‘Abdari (RA) - the first Muslim ambassador

After the oath of allegiance (the Bay'at) was taken the Prophet (pbuh) sent Mus‘ab
bin ‘Umair (RA) to Yathrib to teach people the doctrines of Islam, give them
practical guidance and make attempts at propagating Islam among those who still
professed polytheism. Thus Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair (RA) became the first Muslim
'ambassador.'

Mus'ab was a learned scholar - who had memorised all of the Qur'an that was
revealed at the time. He was young, in his 20s, and the vast majority of Yathrib
were of similar age since most of the elders were killed in the bloody battle of
Bu'ath few years ago. Mus'ab also came from similar economic standing and
family background (upper class and cultured) as many in Yathrib, therefore he
could relate to the educated Yathribs.

As‘ad bin Zurarah hosted Mus'ab in Madinah. All the members propagated Islam
with such zest that it spread rapidly from house to house and from tribe to tribe so
much so that the first Jumu'ah (Friday congregational prayer) was established here
(and not in Makkah by the Prophet) in As'ad's house.

Mus‘ab stayed in Madinah carrying out his mission diligently and successfully
until almost all the houses of Al-Ansar (the future Helpers) had Muslims elements,
men and women.

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Mus'ab returned to Makkah before the following year's pilgrimage (i.e. around
623) and informed the Prophet (pbuh) of the new hospitable community and fertile
soil of Islam in Madinah. The city provided power and immunity to spread the
cause of Islam, and its people, the 'Ansars' (Helpers), eagerly awaited the Hajj
season so that they could meet the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and personally declare
their readiness to help Islam.

Second Pledge of Aqabah

73 Muslims, including two women, pledge alliance
The following Hajj season in June 622 C. E. 500 people of Madinah, mainly from
the tribe of Khazraj, came to Makkah. It included 73 Muslims, two of whom were
women. The rest of the people were those who wanted to find out more about the
religion before becoming Muslims. They met the Prophet (pbuh), accompanied by
his uncle Al-Abbas bin Abdul-Muttalib, secretly by night on the 13th of Dhul-
Hijjah (Islamic month) at 'Aqabah where the Prophet (pbuh) addressed them and
recited verses of the Noble Qur'an. Moved by its splendour and truthfulness the
people accepted Islam and pledged their oath of allegiance (similar to the original
twelve, two years ago). This pledge became known as the 'Second Pledge of
Aqabah'.

The articles of the Second Aqabah Pledge:

• To listen and obey in every difficulty and ease.
• To spend in plenty as well as in scarcity.
• To enjoin good and forbid evil.
• In Allah's service, they will fear the censure of none.
• To aid Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) when he comes to them, and protect him
from anything that they protect themselves, their spouses and children from.
After approving of the articles of the pledge, clarification and emphasis, the
process of actual pledging began by touching hands stretched out. The two
women's pledge was taken orally for the Prophet (pbuh) never shook hands with an
unrelated woman.

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 • These new Muslims invited the Prophet to Madinah and they promised that
they would help the Muslims and the prophet like their own families and
they would also remain committed to tawheed and good deeds

Importance of 2nd pledge of Al-Aqaba

1-Pledges precede migration to Madinah
2-Prophet’s attempt to gain support from other places (e.g. in Al Taif) failed
earlier, so this was a new hope for Muslims.
3-Tribal system within this time and difficulties he faced without protection
within the Quraish.
4-The pledges of Al Aqabah gave hope to the Muslims and the prophet as they
found support and protection from a different but willing source.
5-New life for Islam and Muslims and boosted the Morales of Muslims.
6-Muslim community can be established that can have its own laws.

• The result or consequences of these pledges.

• As far as the growth of and expansion of Islam is concerned, Prophet had

achieved very little success in Makkah since the Pagans highly disregarded
and condemned his mission. He even visited Taif in an attempt to gain
support from other places but was maltreated. The tribal system and priest
class in Makkah also caused difficulty for the Prophet particularly after the
death of Abu Talib. And so the Pledges of Al-aqabah gave hope to the
prophet as he found support and protection from a different but willing
source. These pledges led to the migration to Yathrib which meant an end to
all such persecutions and torture at the hands of the Quraish. Hence Prophet
could now see his mission fulfilling and foresaw the possible success and
growth of Islam as now they found a small place, a home where the people
pledged to support him and which had no priest class. His name became a
household name in yathrib and his arrival was anxiously awaited after the

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 pledges, which encouraged him to accept their invitation. Prophet was
shown Madinah as his next destination on Miraj which could be seen turning
into reality after these pledges. Hence it lifted up the status of the Prophet as
yathribites wanted him as the leader and so these were very important to the
Prophet.
Lessons we learn form these pledges
1- We should never associate anything with Allah and His attributes.
2- We must not commit any sin that is detrimental to our souls.
3- We must commit any sin that aggrieve others.
4- We must not backbite or slander.
5- We must not disobey the prophet in any circumstances.
6- We must be mannered and disciplined
7- We must remain united.
8- We must speak truth always.
9- We must listen to Allah and His prophet in all the matters of our life.

10-We must give allegiance ( in our heart) to the Prophet of Allah that
we will never disobey him.

*The End*

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