Baya'h Bayah - A covenant and contract

[mahebubchatur]

Bay‘ah is a contract & a covenant between every Ismaili Muslim (or murid), and the Imam of the Time.

Bayah literally means “buying/selling”, a two-way contract that includes a commitment from the murid and a acceptance by the Imam give guidance by giving Farmans and Blessimgs.

When offering Bayah , the murid commits his allegiance, devotion, and obedience (walayah). In accepting the Bayah, the Imam of the time agreed to give the Imam’s material and spiritual, Farmans , (including intercession, blessings, and purification).

Bay‘ah gives very murid the right to access and receive Imam’s teachings, interpretations guidance, & blessings. These are given by the Imam in the Form of Farmans.

"You perform bay‘ah, but you must first understand it’s meaning and then offer bay‘ah. When you offer me bay‘ah it means that you extend your hand to me with a promise…He who obeys me and promises to follow me after offering me Bay‘ah , I also give him my promise that I shall hold his hand in the Hereafter. The trials and tribulations of the Day of Judgment are very frightening and painful. I will keep him away from this. "
Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III,
(Manjewadi, October 31, 1903, quoted in Kamaluddin Ali, Practices and Ceremonies)

" Since bay‘ah is a two-way contract involving both the murid and the Imam, only those who have given bay‘ah to the Imam of the time have access to private discursive spaces and private religious practices offered by the Imam in the Jamatkhanah, while those who do not give this bay‘ah are not privy to them. This only makes logical sense because every single Ismaili ritual practice performed in the Jamatkhanah is an expression and an enactment of the Imam-murid relationship, a relationship that only exists through bay‘ah. The act of bay‘ah indicates that a person accepts the Ismaili Imam as his or her spiritual master and guide and accordingly, only after this acceptance does it become appropriate to access the Imam’s guidance. It simply makes no sense for someone who has not given bay‘ah to participate in the Jamatkhanah practices. Accessing the Jamatkhana practices without giving bay‘ah to the Imam is similar to walking into a store and stealing products without paying for them, or trying to access prescription drugs from the pharmacy without having the doctor’s prescription.

It is incumbent upon the parents that they should first make their children my murid through the performance of bay‘ah…Those who have not offered bay‘ah they have not signed to accept our faith. Just as you sign on an agreement in your business and in other dealings, similarly, through bay‘ah, I take a signature from your soul.
Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III,
(Kutch Nagalpur, November 27, 1903)


Bay‘ah as a religious practice goes back to the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad and the Qur’an mentions it in numerous verses (48:10, 16:91, 48:18, and 60:12) in which the believers give bay‘ah to the Prophet Muhammad when they become his followers or reaffirm their loyalty to him. The Qur’an stipulates that the Prophet should only provide guidance, blessings, and intercession to people after they give him their bay‘ah. The Ismailis have continued this Qur’anic protocol of bay‘ah throughout their history:


BAYAH

BISMILLA HIR REHMANIR RAHEEM.
ASH-HADU AN LA ILAHA ILLALLAH
WA ASH-HADU ANNA MOHAMMEDAN RASOOLULLAH
WA ASH-HADU ANNA ALI-YUN AMIRIL MOMINEEN ALIYULLAH

I DECLARE AND ACCEPT THAT MOWLANA HAZAR IMAM SHAH KARIM AL-HUSAYNI IS THE LORD OF THE AGE, THE IMAME ZAMAN, AND MY SPIRITUAL MASTER. I PROMISE TO BE ABSOLUTELY OBEDIENT AND LOYAL TO HIM. HAI ZINDAH - QAYAM PAYA".


Dua part 4 - if you don't honour and respect your Bayah (promise and covenant), with Imam e Zaman then the Loss is ours (48:10)

Related Articles

http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php ... 545be63d9f


https://ismailignosis.com/2016/11/19/wh ... r-prayers/

[mahebubchatur]

Bay‘a Baya'h

(Arabic; derived from ba-ya-‘a, meaning ‘to sell’ or ‘clasp hands’).

A practice rooted in Arab tradition and the practice of Prophet Muhammad. It is also mentioned in the Holy Qur’an (see 48:10, 48:18, and 60:12) and defined as an oath of allegiance, an act by which a certain number of people, individually or collectively, recognise the authority of an individual.

Thus, the bay‘a of a Caliph was the act by which an individual was proclaimed and recognised as the head of the Muslim State. In many Muslim traditions, the meaning of bay‘a is to offer oneself to a spiritual master, pir, murshid, or shaykh in exchange for spiritual knowledge and guidance.

In Shi‘i contexts, the word is used for the oath of allegiance to the Imam by his followers. In the Shi‘i Ismaili tradition, it is the acceptance of the permanent spiritual bond between the Imam and the murid, uniting all Ismaili Muslims worldwide in their loyalty, devotion and obedience to the Imam within the Islamic concept of universal brotherhood.

[swamidada1]

[quote="mahebubchatur"]Bay‘ah is a contract & a covenant between every Ismaili Muslim (or murid), and the Imam of the Time.


ASH-HADU AN LA ILAHA ILLALLAH
WA ASH-HADU ANNA MOHAMMEDAN RASOOLULLAH
WA ASH-HADU ANNA ALI-YUN AMIRIL MOMINEEN ALIYULLAH


Note:
Please correct the following pronunciation of Kalimah Paak (Shahadah). Even in JK it is recited wrong.

ASH HADU AL LA ILLAHA ILALLAH
WA ASH HADU ANNA MUHAMMADAR RASUL LALLAH
WA ASH HADU ANNA ALIYAN AMIRAL MU'MINEENA ALIYULLAH

In first line it is not ASH HADU AN BUT ASH HADU AL.....
In second line it is not MUHAMMADAN BUT MUHAMMADAR....
In third line need more attention, it is not ALIYUN AMIRIL... BUT ALIYAN AMIRAL MU'MINEENA ALIYULAH.



]

[kmaherali]

There is a related thread:

http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php ... highlight=

Code of Conduct for the Followers of the Imam by Qadi al-Nu'man

Majlis 5 - FULFILMENT OF THE TERMS OF BAYAT WITH THE IMAMS

pdf:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-xQ9IM ... Ook8o/view

[swamidada1]

In early 50's to late 60's, Ismailia Association Pakistan published some books and the book 'Al Kitab ul Himma fi Aadabi Ataba' Al A'immah' (code of conduct for followers of Imams), written by Qazi Noaman was translated by Professor Jawad al Musqati and published by Ismailia Association in 1954.

[mahebubchatur]

Bay‘ah (Arabic: بيعة) – Allegiance, In Ismaili Faith is a sacred and binding sacred covenant and agreement between every Ismaili Muslim (murid) and the Imam
of the Time (Murshid). It is not merely a symbolic act but a profound lived contract rooted in devotion and an ethical commitment.

In this the follower pledges and commits loyalty, and obedience (walayah), to Imam for Farman’s, Blessings and Mercy. The Murid makes voluntary contributions of time, and resources in accordance with Farmans

In return, Hazar Imam accepts this allegiance and gives guidance, blessings, and intercession, which
are divinely inspired from the Qur’an , and rooted in Allah’s light and will.

This reciprocal commitment and engagement form the core foundation and cornerstone of the
Ismaili faith and the agreement with Noor of Imam who will never withhold Farmans which are the continuation of the teachings and interpretations - Tawil & Talim - from the Will of Allah - as is the Quran from the will of Allah

Full article on Bayah including Noor Deedar etc

http://ismaili.net/timeline/2025/bayah.pdf

Bayah and pledges - renewal on 11 Feb 2025

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6p7am204 ... 4k000&dl=0

[mahebubchatur]

The Sacred Covenant of Bay‘ah Reaffirmed by Mawlana Hazar Imam on 12 July 2025

On 12 July 2025 in Paris, Mawlana Hazar Imam, through his beloved son, reaffirmed the sacred and binding nature of bay‘ah - a foundational covenant that links every murid directly to the Imam-of-the-Time through love, obedience, and total devotion.

This bay‘ah is not symbolic. It is a two-way, sacred contract:
• The murid offers allegiance, humility, and unconditional trust including time knowledge and resources to the Imam
• The Imam accepts this devotion, formalizing a spiritual bond of eternal care, grace, and guidance.

This act of mutual commitment is not merely ceremonial. It carries immense spiritual significance. It is a covenant of divine origin, forming the essence of the relationship between the Imam and the Jamat. The Imam, as the bearer of the Noor, does not merely convey good wishes — he conveys divinely inspired blessings, guidance, and interpretation — both spiritual and material.

“I have accepted the bay’ah pledged by the Mukhi of the Paris Jamat on your behalf. This bay’ah reaffirms the permanent spiritual bond between the Imam-of-the-Time and his murids. This is a deeply significant bond. I care for your spiritual and material elevation; for your well-being and security; and for your happiness. I will always be connected with you through this bay’ah.”

Here, the Imam openly confirms that his responsibility is both spiritual and material — a unique responsibility within Islam that belongs only to the Imam-of-the-Time.

When the Imam gives Farmans, he is not merely offering advice — he is conveying the Will of Allah as interpreted through the Noor of Imam . These blessings are not human in origin but divinely ordained. Imam gives never withholds them.

And Imam continues:

“I pray for your good health, for success in all your endeavours, for the fulfilment of your good wishes, for your spiritual enlightenment and for mushkil-asan. May the burden of your difficulties be lightened. Khanavadan.”

These Farmans — which include the Imam’s du‘a, rahma (mercy), and barakah (blessings) — are not selective or exclusive. They are intended for every murid in the world who has offered bay‘ah, and whom the Imam has accepted as his spiritual child.

This is further clarified in the Farman of 12 July 2025, where Mawlana Hazar Imam explicitly instructs that the full Farmans — not summaries, not paraphrased versions — must be shared with the entire global Jamat. He reiterates that all murids have the right and duty to hear and reflect on his guidance directly.

This statement reaffirms what has been explained previously — that there is no valid justification for withholding or restricting the Imam’s Farmans. To do so would contradict both the Imam’s own words and the sacred nature of the bay‘ah he has accepted.

This Farman is, therefore, not only a message of love and prayer — it is a command rooted in divine responsibility and a reminder to leaders and institutions that all murids are entitled to the Imam’s guidance. It is also a reminder to the Jamat to expect, request, and uphold this sacred relationship, and never to forget the mutual obligations of the bay‘ah.

On 12 July 2025, the Imam lovingly and firmly reaffirmed what has always been true: That the bay‘ah is sacred, his Farmans are divinely ordained and conveyed rooted in Allah’s will, and that his love and guidance are for every murid — unconditionally, continuously, and without exception.

[mahebubchatur]

Bay‘ah (Arabic: بيعة) – Allegiance, In Ismaili Faith is a sacred and binding sacred covenant and agreement between every Ismaili Muslim (murid) and the Imam
of the Time (Murshid). It is not merely a symbolic act but a profound lived contract rooted in devotion and an ethical commitment.

In this the follower pledges and commits loyalty, and obedience (walayah), to Imam for Farman’s, Blessings and Mercy. The Murid makes voluntary contributions of time, and resources in accordance with Farmans

In return, Hazar Imam accepts this allegiance and gives guidance, blessings, and intercession, which
are divinely inspired from the Qur’an , and rooted in Allah’s light and will.

This reciprocal commitment and engagement form the core foundation and cornerstone of the
Ismaili faith and the agreement with Noor of Imam who will never withhold Farmans which are the continuation of the teachings and interpretations - Tawil & Talim - from the Will of Allah - as is the Quran from the will of Allah

Full article on Bayah including Noor Deedar etc

http://ismaili.net/timeline/2025/bayah.pdf

Bayah and pledges - renewal on 11 Feb 2025

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6p7am204 ... 4k000&dl=0

An article on Bayah

On Tuesday February 11, 2025, the global Ismaili Jamat will collectively offer bay‘ah to the new Imam of the Time, Mawlana Shah Rahim al-Husayni Aga Khan V during a special Takht-nishini ceremony.


Bay‘ah is the spiritual contract or covenant that every Ismaili Muslim or murid makes with each Ismaili Imam of the Time.

When a murid offers bay‘ah to the Imam, they formally accept the permanent spiritual bond that exists between the Imam and the murid. In Ismaili history, the act of bay‘ah is also known as ‘ahd (oath) and mithaq (covenant).

Bay‘ah gives the murid the right to access the Imam’s farmans, guidance, blessings, and spiritual medicine, and the Jamatkhanah is the private space where the Imam makes these available to his murids.

The bay‘ah, a word which means “buying/selling,” is a two-way contract that includes a commitment from the murid and a commitment from the Imam.

“It is incumbent upon the parents that they should first make their children my murid through the performance of bay‘ah… Those who have not offered bay‘ah they have not signed to accept our faith. Just as you sign on an agreement in your business and in other dealings, similarly, through bay‘ah, I take signature from your soul.”

Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III,
(Kutch Nagalpur, November 27, 1903, quoted in Kamaluddin Ali, Practices and Ceremonies, 71)

Bay‘ah as a religious practice goes back to the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad and the Qur’an mentions it in numerous verses (48:10, 16:91, 48:18, and 60:12) in which the believers give bay‘ah to the Prophet Muhammad when they become his followers or reaffirm their loyalty to him. The Qur’an stipulates that the Prophet should only provide guidance, blessings, and intercession to people after they give him their bay‘ah.

One of the earliest descriptions of bay‘ah in Ismaili history can be found in the pre-Fatimid text The Master and the Disciple. In this work, an Ismaili Da‘i (‘the Knower’) on behalf of the Imam of the Time facilitates the bay‘ah of a new Ismaili murid (‘the young man’) as follows:

‘There is a key to religion,’ the Knower began, ‘which renders it either sacred or profane, like the difference between marriage and fornication.’

‘Surely that key you have mentioned must be extraordinary in God’s sight,’ remarked the young man, ‘if it is what distinguishes between the sacred and the profane, between truth and falsehood! So what is it?’

‘That is the pact of God (13:20, 33:15, etc.) which confirms His rights, encompasses His obligations and safeguards His friends (10:62-64); the rope of God (3:103) upon His earth and His guarantee of security among His creatures,’ said the Knower. ‘I shall repeat (that oath) to you and impose its obligation on you.’

‘Yes,’ said the young man. ‘Ask (of me) whatever you would like. I am not hesitant about your opinion, nor will I violate your tradition.’

The narrator continued: So the Knower began to recite the oath to the young man, and he slowly repeated it and bound himself by it. The young man couldn’t control himself because of his emotions, and his tears were streaming down because of the intensity of that moment, until (the Knower) brought him to the end of the oath. So he praised God and glorified Him and gave thanks for all that had reached him, knowing with certainty that he was henceforth part of the party of God (5:56; 58:22) and the party of God’s friends because he had accepted the obligations of their oath.

Sayyidna Ja‘far b. Mansur al-Yaman, The Master and the Disciple, 78-79

According to Ismaili teachings, it is obligatory for Ismaili murids to give bay‘ah to the new Imam of the Time after he succeeds to the office of Imamat:

“From the time of Hazrat ‘Ali and Prophet Muhammad this ritual of offering bay‘ah continues. Even at that time people were becoming murids. This is the rule in this Satpanth Ismaili tariqah that each murid must once offer bay‘ah to the new Imam. Each new Imam must be offered bay‘ah at least once in life. It is up to the murids if they wish to offer bay ‘ah more than once to the Imam.”

Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III,
(Kutch Nagalpur, November 27, 1903, quoted in Kamaluddin Ali, Practices and Ceremonies, 70)

Thus, the bay‘ah between the murid and the Imam is a spiritual “transaction” or “contract” in which the murid commits his allegiance, devotion, and obedience (walayah) in exchange for the Imam’s spiritual guidance, intercession, blessings, and purification – in this world and in the afterlife. The bay‘ah includes the explicit promise to steadfastly follow the farmans of the Imam of the Time.

“You perform bay‘ah, but you must first understand it’s meaning and then offer bay‘ah. When you offer me bay‘ah it means that you extend your hand to me with a promise. The promise is that during your lifetime my farman will be around your neck and you will obey me. Like a rope around your neck, keep my farmans around your neck with intelligence. Only understanding this and being content is not enough, you should also understand the meaning of this act and the farman. But if you forget the meaning of this act and the farman, then what is the use of doing this work? When you do this work then do realize that you have given your promise to your master that as long as you are alive you will not go out of my farman. He who offers bay‘ah with such intentions I will not abandon him in the next world. I also give him my words. I never break my promise. If you never go out of my farman only then I give you my words. He who obeys me and promises to follow me after offering me bay‘ah I also give him my promise that I shall hold his hand in the Hereafter. The trials and tribulations of the Day of Judgment are very frightening and painful. I will keep him away from this.”

Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III,
(Manjewadi, October 31, 1903, quoted in Kamaluddin Ali, Practices and Ceremonies, 68-69.

By Ismaili Gnosis