The First Pledge of Al-‘Aqabah

The First Pledge of Al-‘Aqabah (البیعة العقبة) is an important event of

Muhammad’s Makkan life which opened a way for his migration to Yathrib, and gradually led to the establishment of First Islamic State. The First Pledge of Al-‘Aqabah took place in the 12th year of declaration of prophethood i.e., 621 C.E. at Al-‘Aqabah, ¹ a mountain pass situated in between Mina and Makkah, around 2 miles from Makkah. ² On this occasion, 12 people from Yathrib, motivated by a previous group of six converts, met Prophet Muhammad to acknowledge him as the Prophet of and assure him of their support. They vowed to adhere to the absolute unity of God and took an oath to avoid certain evils and support Prophet Muhammad in his mission. ³ The first covenant of Al-‘Aqabah was also called Bai’t Al-Nisa. ⁴

Beginning of Islam among the People of Yathrib

Every year, during the season of hajj, tribes from all around Arabia would come to Makkah to perform Hajj. Prophet Muhammad used to visit their camps during the pilgrimage season. He would call them towards

, recite the in front of them and invite them to support and protect him so that he could promote the message of Allah. ⁵ Prophet Muhammad openly preached Islam in the fourth year of his prophethood, and despite preaching for 10 years, none of the Arabian tribes responded positively to his invitation. Some of the tribes rejected his offer politely while others, rudely. Most of the time, his Uncle, Abu Lahb would follow him and tell the people not to follow his nephew, who had left their forefather’s faith. ⁶ Hence, people rejected and maltreated Prophet Muhammad , but he continued his mission. This continued for 7 years, then, Allah decided to make Islam dominant and assisted Prophet Muhammad through the people of Yathrib.

Group of Six Converts

During the 11th year of Prophetic mission, on the occasion of Hajj, while Prophet Muhammad was meeting different tribes and calling them towards Islam, he met a group of people from the Khazraj tribe of Yathrib (Madinah), at Al-‘Aqabah which is situated at Mina, near the first Jamarah. Prophet Muhammad asked them to sit and listen to him for a while. When they agreed, Prophet Muhammad invited them to worship Allah alone, explained the teachings of Islam and recited some of the verses of the

in front of them. They were and idolaters, but were allies of the Jews, who were the People of Book. These people had heard from the Jews that the time of the advent of the promised prophet had arrived. They listened to Prophet Muhammad attentively and when he finished his talk, they remarked among themselves that he was certainly the Prophet of Allah , about whom the Jews had been predicting in front of them. Some even suggested that they should believe in him first and become the first followers of the Holy Prophet . They discussed this matter thoroughly amongst themselves and then accepted Islam. In response to the Holy Prophet’s call for support and protection, they told him that their people lacked unity. They wished that perhaps Allah would bring unity among them through Prophet Muhammad . They also assured him that after approaching their people, they would invite them towards Islam. Then, they returned to Yathrib. ⁷ Possibly, these people also had vague knowledge about Prophet Muhammad and his mission, which they had heard from different sources other than the Jews, including pilgrims like Swayd ibn Samit and Iyas ibn Mu‘adh, but they had personally heard these things from the Messenger of Allah for the first time. ⁸

The Following six people were included in the first group of the People of Yathrib who met Prophet Muhammad and believed him in 11th year of his mission:

1. As‘ad ibn Zurarah of Banu Al-Najjar (Abu Amamah)
2. ‘Awf ibn Al-Harith of Banu al-Najjar (Ibn ‘Afra)
3. Rafi ibn Malik ibn Al-Ajlan
4. Qutbah ibn ‘Amir ibn Hadidah
5. ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir ibn Naabi
6. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Riaab ibn Noman. ⁹

First Muslim from Yathrib

There is a difference of opinion about the name of the first Ansar or Ansars who accepted Islam and responded to the call of the Holy Prophet . It is quoted that there was either a single person, or two people or even the whole group accepted Islam at once, hence all can be considered as the first Muslims from Yathrib. Some of the narrators suggest that As‘ad ibn Zurarah and Zakwan ibn Abd Qais were the first ones to accept Islam. It is said that these two already believed in the oneness of Allah in Yathrib, even before accepting Islam. Once they went to Makkah to meet ‘Utbah ibn Rabi’ah to discuss one of their issues. ‘Utbah told them that Makkans at that time were disturbed because of a person who offered prayers regularly and claimed that he was the Messenger of Allah . As these two people were already monotheists, they became curious and visited the Holy Prophet , and both of them ultimately accepted Islam. When these two men returned to Yathrib, they met Al-Haytham ibn Al-Tihan and told him about their new faith. He also accepted Islam. Others claim that Rafi ibn Malik and Ma’dh ibn ‘Afra of Banu Zurayq were the first ones from Yathrib to accept Islam. They had gone to Makkah to perform Umrah and had met Prophet Muhammad there. After listening to his teachings, both of them embraced Islam. They came back to Yathrib and told people about Islam. Thus, the first Mosque in Yathrib where the Quran was recited, was also built in Banu Zurayq. ¹⁰

On their return to Yathrib, the above-mentioned group told their people about Prophet Muhammad and invited them to accept Islam. It is cited that as a result of their efforts, there was not even a single house, family or clan in Yathrib in which Prophet Muhammad and his message was not delivered. ¹¹

First Pledge of Al-‘Aqabah

Through the efforts of the first Muslim group of Yathrib, the message of Islam was delivered to every house and corner of the city, and by the next year, 12 people visited Makkah during the Hajj season and met Prophet Muhammad at Al-'Aqabah ¹² at night and pledged allegiance at his hands. ¹³ This oath was known as the first pledge of Al-'Aqabah or Al-Aqba Al-Oula. ¹⁴ This oath was also referred to as Bai’t Al-Nisa or Pledge of Women as the oath at Al-‘Aqaba was not taken for the purpose of war. ¹⁵

Twelve people were present at the pledge of Al-Aqaba. They included ten people from the Khazraj tribe while the other two belonged to the ‘Aws tribe. The names of those people are given below:

1. As‘ad ibn Zurarah from Banu Najjar
2. ‘Awf ibn Al-Harith from Banu Najjar
3. Mu‘adh ibn al-Harith Banu Najjar (brother of above)
4. Rafi’ ibn Malik from Banu Zurayq
5. Dhakwan ibn ‘Abd Qays from Banu Zurayq
6. ’Abu ‘Abd Al-Rahman (Yazid ibn Tha‘labah) from Banu ‘Awf ibn Al-Khazraj
7. Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Ubadah ibn Nadlah from Banu Saalim
8. ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir from Banu Sulaimah
9. Qutbah ibn ‘Amir from Banu Sawad ibn Ghanam
10. ’Abu Al-Haytham ibn Al-Tayyahan from Banu ‘Abd Al-’Ashhal
11. ‘Uaym ibn Sa‘idah from Banu ’Amr ibn ’Awf
12. ‘Ubadah ibn Al-Samit from Banu Awf ¹⁶

The Terms of the Pledge

It is narrated that these 12 people, in response to Prophet Muhammad’s request for support, stated that were not ready to provide him with security. Hence, they needed a year to get ready, however, they wanted to pledge their allegiance at that time. ¹⁷ Thus, Prophet Muhammad took an oath from them. ‘Ubadah ibn Al-Samit, a participant narrated that Prophet Muhammad took an oath from them on the following terms:

1. They will not to associate any partner with Allah.
2. They will not steal.
3. They will not commit adultery or fornication.
4. They will not kill their children.
5. They will not calumniate knowingly.
6. They will not disobey the Messenger of Allah in any lawful matter.
7. They also vowed that they will obey the Messenger of Allah and follow him in times of peace or difficulty. They will not dispute the matter with the people, and will speak the truth wherever they were and they will not fear from the slander, blamed upon them by others, for the sake of Allah. ¹⁸

Then, Prophet Muhammad told them that if they fulfilled the obligations of the oath, they would be rewarded with paradise. However, if they violated any of the terms, they would be punished by Allah Almighty. ¹⁹

These men returned to Yathrib and invited other people Hence, more people started to go to Makkah, one after another to embrace Islam, and on their return, promoted Islam in Yathrib. Consequently, there was no house of Ansar which was without a believer. Then, the people of ‘Aws and Khazraj wrote a letter to Prophet Muhammad and requested him to send a teacher of the Holy Quran for them. Prophet Muhammad sent Mus’ab ibn Umair and instructed him to teach them the correct recitation of the Holy Quran and its meanings. ²⁰

Mus’ab ibn Umair stayed at the dwelling of As’ad ibn Zurarah and taught the Holy Quran to the people. Mus’ab led the prayer in Yathrib because ‘Aws and Khazraj could not bear to see one of their rival taking the lead. ²¹ Some reports suggest that the Holy Prophet also sent Ibn Umme Maktoom to Yathrib along with Mus'ab ibn Umair . ²² As a result, a large number of people accepted Islam. The next year, on the occasion of hajj, Mus'ab ibn Umair returned with 70 of the new converts of Yathrib and met the Messenger of Allah at Al-‘Aqabah. ²³

 

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