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| | {{Short description|Medinan pledge to the Prophet of Islam}} |
| {{See also|Diplomatic career of Muhammad}} | | {{See also|Diplomatic career of Muhammad}} |
| {{Muhammad}}
| | [[File:New York Public Library, Spencer Collection Turk. MS. 3 Siyar-i Nabî fol. 252v Quraysh leaders discuss the second pledge at al-Aqabah.jpg|thumb|[[Islamic miniature]] depicting [[Iblis]] (top-left) plotting against Muhammad watching over a meeting by the leaders of the Quraysh (Among them [[Umayya ibn Khalaf]], [[Abu Sufyan ibn Harb|Abu Sufyān]], [[Khalid ibn al-Walid|Khālid ibn al-Walīd]], [[Amr ibn al-As|Amr ibn al-‘Āṣ]]) discussing the second pledge at al-Aqabah, being spied on by the anti-Islamic zealot "the Monk" [[Demolition of Masjid al-Dirar|Abu ʿĀmir al-Rāhib]], who is part of Iblis' plan.]] |
| The '''second pledge at al-Aqabah''' was an important event in the mission of the Islamic prophet [[Muhammad]] where 75 residents of the city of [[Medina]] pledged their loyalty to Muhammad as their leader in an agreement known as a ''[[bay'ah]]''.<ref>Marsham, Andrew, “Bayʿa”, in: Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE, Edited by: Kate Fleet, Gudrun Krämer, Denis Matringe, John Nawas, Everett Rowson. Consulted online on 28 April 2022 | | The '''second pledge at al-ʿAqabah''' ({{langx|ar|بيعة العقبة الثانية|bayʾa al-ʿaqaba al-thaniya}}) was an important event in [[Islam]] where 75 residents of the city of [[Medina]] pledged their loyalty to [[Muhammad]] as their leader in an [[oath of allegiance]] known as a ''[[bay'ah]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tyan |first1=E. |title=Bayʿa |url=https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-islam-2/baya-COM_0107?s.num=1&s.au=%22Tyan%2C+E.%22 |website=Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition |publisher=Brill |access-date=28 April 2022 |language=en |date=24 April 2012}}</ref> It preceded the [[Hijrah]], or migration of Muhammad and his supporters from [[Mecca]], where they were persecuted, to [[Medina]], where Muhammad became ruler. The pledge occurred in 622 CE at a mountain pass (''al-ʿaqabah'') five kilometers from Mecca. |
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| First published online: 2014
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| First print edition: 9789004269637, 2014, 2014-4</ref> It preceded the ''[[Hijrah]]'', or migration of Muhammad and his supporters to Medina where Muhammad became ruler, from [[Mecca]] where they were persecuted. The pledge occurred in 622 CE at a mountain pass (al-Aqabah) five kilometers from Mecca.<ref>[http://en.wikishia.net/view/Pledge_of_al-Aqaba Pledge of al-Aqaba] WikiShia</ref>
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| ==Event== | | ==Event== |
| Converts to Islam came from both non-Jewish [[Tribes of Arabia|Arab tribes]] present in Medina, such that by June of the subsequent year there were seventy-five Muslims coming to Mecca for pilgrimage and to meet [[Muhammad]]. Meeting him secretly by night, the group made what was known as the "''Second Pledge of al-`Aqaba''", or "The Second Pledge of Mount Aqabah" where the pledge was made. The guarantee of protection led Orientalists and Muslim scholars to describe it as "''Pledge of War''".<ref>Shawqī Abū Khalīl, [https://books.google.com/books?id=mZmBkoDa9fcC&pg=PA85 Atlas Al-sīrah Al-Nabawīyah], p.85, Darussalam (2004), {{ISBN|9960897710}}. Quote: "The second Pledge of Al-'Aqabah (the pledge of war) was: "Blood is blood and blod not to be paid for is blood not to be paid for. I am of you and you are of me. I will war against them that war against you, and be at peace with those and peace with you""</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=March 2023}}<ref name = "watt83">Watt (1974) p. 83</ref> Conditions of the pledge, many of which similar to the first, included obedience to Muhammad, "enjoining good and forbidding evil" as well as responding to the call to arms when required.<ref>[[Ibn Hisham]], [[Sirah Rasul Allah|as-Seerat an-Nabawiyyah]], Vol. I p. 454</ref>
| | {{Muhammad}} |
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| The Islamic Studies scholar Shawqī Abū Khalīl says that the pledge states:<ref name="Atlas Al-sīrah Al-Nabawīyah">Shawqī Abū Khalīl, [https://books.google.com/books?id=mZmBkoDa9fcC&pg=PA85 Atlas Al-sīrah Al-Nabawīyah], p.85, Darussalam (2004), {{ISBN|9960897710}}. Quote: "The second Pledge of Al-'Aqabah (the pledge of war) was: "Blood is blood and blood not to be paid for is blood not to be paid for. I am of you and you are of me. I will war against them that war against you, and be at peace with those and peace with you""</ref>
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| {{Quote|Blood is blood and blood not to be paid for is blood not to be paid for. I am of you and you are of me. I will war against them that war against you, and be at peace with those at peace with you.<ref name="Atlas Al-sīrah Al-Nabawīyah"/>}}
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| ===List===
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| A list of those included:
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| #[[Nusaybah bint Ka'ab]], from the [[Banu Najjar]]<ref name="great">{{Citation | last = Ghadanfar | first = Mahmood Ahmad | title = Great Women of Islam | place = Riyadh | year = 2001 | pages = 207–15}}.</ref>
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| From [[Banu Khazraj]]:
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| #[[`Abd Allah ibn Rawahah]]<ref name=sunnipath2>{{Citation | title = [[The Sealed Nectar]] | contribution-url = http://www.sunnipath.com/Resources/PrintMedia/Books/B0033P0017.aspx | contribution = The Second ‘Aqabah Pledge | publisher = Sunni path}}.</ref><ref name="representatives">{{Citation | title = Abd Allah ibn Rawaahah | url = http://www.islamic-council.org/lib/men/ABD-ALLAH-IBN-RAWAAHAH.html | publisher = Islamic council | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20060630073952/http://www.islamic-council.org/lib/men/ABD-ALLAH-IBN-RAWAAHAH.html | archivedate = 2006-06-30 }}.</ref>
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| #[[Sa'd ibn Ubadah]]<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| #[[As‘ad bin Zurarah bin ‘Ads]] (Abu Umamah)<ref name=sunnipath2 /><ref name="Tahdhib">[[Al-Kamal fi ma`rifat al-rijal|Tahdhib al-Tahdhib]] by [[Ibn Hajar Asqalani]] {{Citation | url = http://dictionary.al-islam.com/arb/Dicts/SelDict.asp?RDF=1&TL=1&Theme=26&DI=26 | title = Dictionary | publisher = Al Islam}}.</ref>
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| #[[Sa‘d bin Ar-Rabi‘ bin ‘Amr]]<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| #[[Rafi‘ bin Malik bin Al-‘Ajlan]]<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| #[[Al-Bara’ bin Ma‘rur bin Sakhr]]<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| #[[‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haram]]<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| #[[Ubayda ibn as-Samit|‘Ubadah bin As-Samit bin Qais]]<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| #[[Al-Mundhir bin ‘Amr bin Khunais]]<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| From [[Banu Aws]]:
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| #[[Usaid bin Hudair bin Sammak...]]<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| #[[Sa‘d bin Khaithamah bin Al-Harith]]<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| #[[Rifa‘a bin ‘Abdul Mundhir bin Zubair]]<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| ===Arranging the meeting===
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| The following year on the {{tlx|AHM|12}} of [[1 BH]] (June 622 [[Common Era|CE]]), during the season of the pilgrimage ({{lang-ar |[[Hajj]]|script=Latn}}),<ref name=sunnipath2/> 73 new Muslims converts from Medina<ref name="representatives" /> were among that year's polytheist pilgrims to Mecca. The oft-repeated question amongst them was ''"Isn’t it high time we protect Muhammad instead of leaving him forsaken, deserted and stumbling in the hillocks of Makkah?"''<ref name = sunnipath2 />
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| Shortly after arriving to Mecca, they secretly contacted Muhammad and decided to have a meeting at night in mid [[Tashreeq Days]]{{Efn | the 11th, 12th and 13th days of [[Dhu al-Hijjah]].}} on last year's meeting place.<ref name = sunnipath2/>
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| ===Pledge===
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| {{QuoteHadith |Ka'b ibn Malik|matn=We set out for pilgrimage and struck a rendezvous in mid Tashreeq Days. We were accompanied by a celebrity and a notable of ours called [[‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haram]], who was still a polytheist. We disclosed to him our intention of meeting Muhammad and exhorted him to join our ranks and give up polytheism lest he should serve as wood for [[Hell]] in the Hereafter. He promptly embraced Islam and witnessed the serious meeting at Al-‘Aqabah'.
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| That very night we slept with our people in our camps. After a third of the night had elapsed, we began to leave stealthily and met in a hillock nearby. We were seventy three men and two women [[Nusaibah bint Ka‘b]] from the [[Najjar]]s and [[Asma’ bint ‘Amr]] from [[Banu Salamah|Bani Salamah]]. We waited for the Messenger of Allâh Muhammad until he came in the company of his uncle [[`Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib]] who (though himself not a Muslim yet) adjured us not to draw his nephew away from the protection of his own kindred unless we were fully prepared to defend him even at the risk of our lives. He was the first to speak:
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| "O you people of the Khazraj — the Arabs used to call the [[Ansar (Islam)|Ansār]] (Helpers) Khazraj, whether from [[Banu Khazraj|Khazraj]] or [[Banu Aws|Aws]] — you all know the position that Muhammad holds among us. We have protected him from our people as much as we could. He is honoured and respected among his people. He refuses to join any party except you. So if you think you can carry out what you promise while inviting him to your town, and if you can defend him against the enemies, then assume the burden that you have taken. But if you are going to surrender him and betray him after having taken him away with you, you had better leave him now because he is respected and well defended in his own place."
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| Ka‘b replied: "We have heard your words, and now O Messenger of Allâh, it is for you to speak and take from us any pledge that you want regarding your Lord and yourself."<ref name=sunnipath2/>}}
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| {{QuoteHadith|Jabir ibn Abd-Allah|matn=The Ansâr (Helpers) asked the Messenger of Allâh Muhammad about the principles over which they would take a pledge. The Prophet answered:
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| #To listen and obey in all sets of circumstances.
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| #To spend in plenty as well as in scarcity.
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| #To [[Enjoin what is good and forbid what is wrong|enjoin good and forbid evil]].
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| #In Allâh’s service, you will fear the censure of none.
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| #To defend me in case I seek your help, and debar me from anything you debar yourself, your spouses and children from. And if you observe those precepts, Paradise is in store for you.|ref=<ref>[https://archive.org/details/FP156668/02_156671/page/n622/mode/1up Mustadarak Ala Sahihayn]</ref>}}
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| In another version:
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| {{QuoteHadith|Ka'b ibn Malik|matn=The Prophet began to speak, recited some [[Qur’ânic verses]], called people unto Allâh, exhorted them to enter the fold of Islam and concluded saying: "I give you my pledge that you debar me from whatever you debar your women and children from." Here Al-Bara’ bin Ma‘rur, caught him by hand, and said: "Oh yes, we swear by Allâh, Who sent you as a Prophet in Truth, that we will debar you from whatever we debar our women from. Have confidence in us, O Messenger of Allâh. By Allâh, we are genuine fighters and quite reliable in war, it is a trait passed down to us from our ancestors."
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| Then ‘Abul Haitham At-Taihan interrupted and said: "O Prophet of Allâh! Between us and the Jews, there are agreements which we would then sever. If Allâh grants you power and victory, should we expect that you would not leave us, and join the ranks of your people (meaning Quraish)?" The Prophet smiled and replied:
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| "Nay, it would never be; your blood will be my blood. In life and death I will be with you and you with me. I will fight whom you fight and I will make peace with those with whom you make peace."
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| After the negotiations concerning the conditions of allegiance had ended, and all of the audience were unanimously agreed to ratify it, two men of the early generation of converts who had embraced Islam in the eleventh and twelfth years rose to their feet to apprise the others of the serious step they were about to take so that they could give their pledge fully aware of the whole affair and consequently be ready for the sacrifice they were expected to make. Al ‘Abbas bin Ubada bin Nadlah, in this context, remarked: "O you people of Khazraj! Do you know the significance of the pact that you are entering into with this man? You are in fact avowing that you will fight against all and sundry. If you fear that your property will be at stake or the lives of your nobles will be endangered, then leave him now, because if you do this after the pledge, it will be degrading for you both in this world and the world to come. But if you think that you can carry out what you are called upon to do in spite of the loss of precious lives and property, then undertake this heavy responsibility, and I swear by Allâh, that herein lies the good of this world and that of the next."
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| They replied, "We have already considered the loss of property and the murder of our notables, yet we pay him allegiance. But what is our reward if we observe all the items of this pact?" The Prophet replied: "Paradise is in store for you." Then they asked him to stretch out his hand, and they all stretched out their hands and took the pledge. Only at that time did As‘ad bin Zurarah come to realize the people’s readiness for sacrifice in the cause of Allâh.<ref name =sunnipath2 />}}
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| {{QuoteHadith|Jabir ibn Abd-Allah|matn=When we started to pay allegiance to the Prophet, As‘ad bin Zurarah stood up and gave the following short address: "Take it easy people of Yathrib! We have not covered that long distance except because we have had deep belief that he is the Messenger of Allâh. We are already convinced that following him entails departure from the pagan Arabs even if it were at the risk of our life. Should you preserve in this course, holdfast to it, and your great reward is placed in the Hand of Allâh, but if you are caught in fear, I admonish you to give it up just now, and then you would be more excusable by Allâh.<ref name=sunnipath2/>}}
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| Muhammad took the pledge of the two women – [[Nusaybah bint Ka'ab]] and Umm Munee Asma bint Amr bin 'Ad – orally, rather than clasping hands with them, considering that they were not [[Mahram]] with him.<ref name = sunnipath2 />
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| ===Deputies===
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| Muhammad asked those involved to appoint twelve deputies to preach Islam in Medina and taking responsibility in matters relating to the propagation of Islam regarding the people of their own tribe. Those elected were:
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| From [[Banu Khazraj]]:
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| #[[`Abd Allah ibn Rawahah]]<ref name=sunnipath2/>
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| #[[Sa'd ibn Ubadah]]<ref name=sunnipath2/>
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| #[[As‘ad bin Zurarah bin ‘Ads]]<ref name=sunnipath2/>
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| #[[Sa‘d bin Ar-Rabi‘ bin ‘Amr]]<ref name=sunnipath2/>
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| #[[Rafi‘ bin Malik bin Al-‘Ajlan]]<ref name=sunnipath2/>
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| #[[Al-Bara’ bin Ma‘rur bin Sakhr]]<ref name=sunnipath2/>
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| #[[‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haram]]<ref name=sunnipath2/>
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| #[[‘Ubadah bin As-Samit bin Qais]]<ref name=sunnipath2/>
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| #[[Al-Mundhir bin ‘Amr bin Khunais]]<ref name=sunnipath2/>
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| From [[Banu Aws]]:
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| #[[Usaid bin Hudair bin Sammak]]<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| #[[Sa‘d bin Khaithamah bin Al-Harith]]<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| #[[Rifa‘a bin ‘Abdul Mundhir bin Zubair]]<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| Once again, those twelve men were sworn to act as surety over the affairs of their people, and Muhammad would act as surety over his people, meaning all the Muslims.<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| At this point, the secret meeting was discovered by an inhabitant in Al-‘Aqabah. [[Al-‘Abbas bin Nadlah]] said "By Allâh, Who has sent you in Truth, we are powerful enough to put the people of Mina (the Quraishites) to our swords tomorrow, if you desire." Muhammad said "We have not been commanded to follow that course. Now, back to your camps." They went back to sleep until morning.<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| ===Meccan protests===
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| The following day, a large delegation that included the Meccan leaders set out for the camp of the Medinan to protest severely against the treaty: "O people of Khazraj, it transpired to us that you have come here to conclude a treaty with this man and evacuate him out of Makkah. By Allâh, we do really hold in abhorrence any sort of fight between you and us."<ref name=sunnipath2 />
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| The Medinan polytheists were not aware of the secret meeting and swore [[By Allah|by God]] that no truth in the report. [[‘Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul]], a Medinan polytheist, refuted their allegations denouncing them as null and void, claiming that his people would never initiate anything unless he gave them clear orders.
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| The Medinan Muslims did not speak and the Meccans became convinced by the arguments of the Medinan polytheist. However, they were not fully satisfied and kept investigating the matter. It was not after that the Medinan pilgrims had left the city that they realized the truth of the matter. In a fit of rage, they pursued the pilgrims.<ref name = sunnipath2 />
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| After much effort, they arrested [[al-Mundhir bin Amru]] but he broke away from them. [[Sa'd ibn Ubadah]] was also captured. They tied his hands to his neck and dragged him by his hair. [[Persecution of Muslims by the Meccans|Heavily beating him]], they brought him to Mecca. But, luckily, [[Al-Mut‘im bin ‘Adi]] and [[Harith ibn Harb]] saved him, due to business relation they had with him.<ref name=sunnipath2/><ref>{{Citation | title = A Personality: The Apostle | publisher = Swipnet | place = [[Sweden|SE]] | contribution-url = http://home.swipnet.se/islam/A_Personality/The_Apostle/7hope.htm | chapter = 7. Glimpses of hope – Light of Islam}}.</ref>
| | Converts to Islam came from both non-Jewish [[tribes of Arabia]] present in Medina, such that by June of the subsequent year seventy-five Muslims came to Mecca for pilgrimage and to meet Muhammad. Meeting him secretly by night, the group made what was known as the Second Pledge of al-ʿAqaba, where the pledge was made. The guarantee of protection led (orientalist)people who studied the language,culture,history or custom of countries in eastern asia and [[ulema]] to describe it as the "Pledge of War".<ref>{{cite book |author1=Shawkiy Abu Khalil |author1-link=Shawkiy Abu Khalil |title=Atlas of the Prophet's Biography: Places, Nations, Landmarks |date=2004 |publisher=Darussalam |isbn=978-9960-897-71-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mZmBkoDa9fcC&pg=PA85 |language=en |quote=The second Pledge of Al-'Aqabah (the pledge of war) was: "Blood is blood and blood not to be paid for is blood not to be paid for. I am of you and you are of me. I will war against them that war against you, and be at peace with those and peace with you.}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=March 2023}}<ref name="watt83">Watt (1974) p. 83</ref> Conditions of the pledge, many of which similar to the first, included obedience to Muhammad, [[enjoining good and forbidding wrong]], as well as responding to the call to arms when required.<ref>[[Ibn Hisham]], [[Sirah Rasul Allah]], Vol. I p. 454</ref> |
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| ==See also== | | ==See also== |
| *[[List of notable Muslim records and milestones during Muhammad's era]] | | *[[Timeline of early Islamic history]] |
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| ==Notes== | | ==Notes== |
