Pledge of Allegiance
Total Hadiths 24
What Do Hadiths Teach Us About the Pledge of Allegiance in Islam?
The authentic Prophetic narrations provide deep insights into the foundational commitments required from a believer when giving the pledge of allegiance. These specific texts establish that an individual's pledge directly involves taking core spiritual and communal duties seriously. According to Islamic scholars, taking this oath goes beyond simple speech; it means pledging to establish prayers perfectly, pay the mandatory charity or Zakat, and consistently offer good, sincere advice to every fellow Muslim. Furthermore, the narrations highlight that after the historical Conquest of Mecca, the physical requirement for migration ceased. Instead, the Prophet emphasized that a person's life-long pledge shifts toward dedicating oneself fully to Islam, deepening internal belief, and actively struggling in Allah's cause. Following these guidelines helps teams work together to cultivate a strong, sincere, and mutually supportive Muslim community.
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ كُنَّا نُبَايِعُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى السَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ فَيَقُولُ لَنَا " فِيمَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ كِلاَهُمَا .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
We Used To Pledge To The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) To Hear And Obey. So He Would Say To Us: "As Much As You Are Able." [Abu 'Eisa Said:] This Hadith Is Hasan Sahih.
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1593In-book reference : Book 21, Hadith 55English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 1593
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، سَمِعَ جَابِرًا، يَقُولُ لَمْ نُبَايِعْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الْمَوْتِ إِنَّمَا بَايَعْنَاهُ عَلَى أَنْ لاَ نَفِرَّ .
Jabir Narrated from:
We did not give our pledge to the Messenger of Allah for death, rather we pledged not to flee (from battle).
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4158In-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 10English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 4163
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ جَاءَ عَبْدٌ فَبَايَعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الْهِجْرَةِ وَلاَ يَشْعُرُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ عَبْدٌ فَجَاءَ سَيِّدُهُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " بِعْنِيهِ " . فَاشْتَرَاهُ بِعَبْدَيْنِ أَسْوَدَيْنِ وَلَمْ يُبَايِعْ أَحَدًا بَعْدُ حَتَّى يَسْأَلَهُ أَعَبْدٌ هُوَ . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ جَابِرٍ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ صَحِيحٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ .
Jabir Narrated from:
A Slave Came To Give The Pledge To The Prophet (ﷺ) For Hijrah, But The Prophet (ﷺ) Did Not Realize That He Was A Slave. So His Master Came, And The Prophet (ﷺ) Said: 'Sell Him To Me.' So He Purchased Him For Two Black Slaves. After This He (ﷺ) Would Not Take The Pledge From Anyone Until He Asked Him If He Was A Slave. [He Said:] There Is Something On This Topic From Ibn 'Abbas. [Abu 'Eisa Said:] The Hadith Of Jabir Is Hasan Gharib Sahih, We Do Not Know Of It Except As A Narration Of Abu Az-Zubair.
[1] This Hadith preceded, see no. 1239.Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1596In-book reference : Book 21, Hadith 58English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 1596
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي قَيْسُ بْنُ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ جَرِيرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ بَايَعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى إِقَامِ الصَّلاَةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ وَالنُّصْحِ لِكُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ.
Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:
I gave the pledge of allegiance to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) for offering the prayers perfectly paying the Zakat and giving good advice to every Muslim.
[2] Iqāmat-aṣ-Ṣalāt : See the glossary.Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 2715In-book reference : Book 54, Hadith 4USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 50, Hadith 876
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الأُمَوِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ يُونُسَ، عَنِ الأَوْزَاعِيِّ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: (لَقَدْ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ ) قَالَ جَابِرٌ بَايَعْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى أَنْ لاَ نَفِرَّ وَلَمْ نُبَايِعْهُ عَلَى الْمَوْتِ . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ الأَكْوَعِ وَابْنِ عُمَرَ وَعُبَادَةَ وَجَرِيرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَقَدْ رُوِيَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ يُونُسَ عَنِ الأَوْزَاعِيِّ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ قَالَ قَالَ جَابِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَلَمْ يُذْكَرْ فِيهِ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ .
Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:
Narrated Yahya bin Abi Kathir: From Abu Salamah, From Jabir Bin Abdullah About The Statement Of Allah, Most High:Allah Was Pleased With The Believers When They Gave The Pledge To You Under The Tree (48:18).That Jabir Said: "We Pledged To The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) That We Would Not Flee, And We Did Not Pledge To Him For Death." [He Said:] There Are Narration On This Topic From Salamah Bin Al-Akwa', Ibn 'Umar, 'Ubadah, And Jarir Bin 'Abdullah. [Abu 'Eisa Said:] This Hadith Is Been Reported From 'Eisa Bin Yunus, From Al-Awza'I, From Yahya Bin Abi Kathir Who Said: "Jabir Bin 'Abdullah Said" And He Did Not Mention Abu Salamah On It.
[1] Al-Fath 48:18.Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1591In-book reference : Book 21, Hadith 53English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 1591
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ لَمْ نُبَايِعْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الْمَوْتِ إِنَّمَا بَايَعْنَاهُ عَلَى أَنْ لاَ نَفِرَّ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَمَعْنَى كِلاَ الْحَدِيثَيْنِ صَحِيحٌ قَدْ بَايَعَهُ قَوْمٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ عَلَى الْمَوْتِ وَإِنَّمَا قَالُوا لاَ نَزَالُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ حَتَّى نُقْتَلَ وَبَايَعَهُ آخَرُونَ فَقَالُوا لاَ نَفِرُّ .
Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:
We Did Not Pledge To The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) For Death, But Only That We Would Not Flee. [Abu 'Eisa Said:] This Hadith Is Hasan Sahih, Meaning Both Of The Ahadith Are Sahih. Some Of His Companions Pledged To Him For Death, They Said Only: "We Will Not Leave From In Front Of You As Long As We Are Not Killed." While Others Pledged Him By Saying: "We Will Not Flee."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1594In-book reference : Book 21, Hadith 56English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 1594
حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ مَسْعَدَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنٌ الْمُعَلِّمُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ فِي خُطْبَتِهِ " أَوْفُوا بِحِلْفِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَزِيدُهُ يَعْنِي الإِسْلاَمَ إِلاَّ شِدَّةً وَلاَ تُحْدِثُوا حِلْفًا فِي الإِسْلاَمِ " . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ وَأُمِّ سَلَمَةَ وَجُبَيْرِ بْنِ مُطْعِمٍ وَأَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَقَيْسِ بْنِ عَاصِمٍ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
'Amr bin Shu'aib Narrated from:
Narrated 'Amr bin Shu'aib: From His Father, From His Grandfather, That The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said During His Khutbah: "Fulfill The Allegiances Sworn In Jahiliyyah For It" - Meaning Islam - "Does Not Add To Them Except In Gravity. And Do Not Initiate New Allegiances In Islam." [He Said:] There Are Narration On This Topic From 'Abdur-Rahman Bin 'Awf, Umm Salamah, Jubair Bin Mut'Im, Abu Hurairah, Ibn 'Abbas, And Qais Bin 'Asim. [Abu 'Eisa Said:] This Hadith Is Hasan Sahih.
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1585In-book reference : Book 21, Hadith 47English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 1585
قَالَ عُرْوَةُ فَأَخْبَرَتْنِي عَائِشَةُ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَمْتَحِنُهُنَّ بِهَذِهِ الآيَةِ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا جَاءَكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ مُهَاجِرَاتٍ فَامْتَحِنُوهُنَّ } إِلَى {غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ}. قَالَ عُرْوَةُ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَمَنْ أَقَرَّ بِهَذَا الشَّرْطِ مِنْهُنَّ قَالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " قَدْ بَايَعْتُكِ ". كَلاَمًا يُكَلِّمُهَا بِهِ، وَاللَّهِ مَا مَسَّتْ يَدُهُ يَدَ امْرَأَةٍ قَطُّ فِي الْمُبَايَعَةِ، وَمَا بَايَعَهُنَّ إِلاَّ بِقَوْلِهِ.
`Urwa Narrated from:
Aisha told me, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to examine them according to this Verse:"O you who believe! When the believing women come to you, as emigrants test them . . . for Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful." (60.10-12)Aisha said, "When any of them agreed to that condition Allah's Apostle would say to her, 'I have accepted your pledge of allegiance.' He would only say that, but, by Allah he never touched the hand of any women (i.e. never shook hands with them) while taking the pledge of allegiance and he never took their pledge of allegiance except by his words (only).
[1] The condition mentioned in the Verse, i.e., that they will not associate anything in worship with Allāh, that they will not steal, that they will not commit illegal sexual intercourse, that they will not kill their children, that they will not utter slander intentionally forging falsehood (i.e., by making illegal children belonging to their husbands), and that they will not disobey you in any Ma'rūf (Islamic Monotheism and all that which Islam ordains).... (V.60:12).Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 2713In-book reference : Book 54, Hadith 2USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 50, Hadith 874
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ عِلاَقَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ جَرِيرًا ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ بَايَعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاشْتَرَطَ عَلَىَّ وَالنُّصْحِ لِكُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ.
Jarir Narrated from:
Narrated Jarir: When I gave the pledge of allegiance to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he stipulated that I should give good advice to every Muslim.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 2714In-book reference : Book 54, Hadith 3USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 50, Hadith 875
أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أُمِّ عَطِيَّةَ، قَالَتْ لَمَّا أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أُبَايِعَ، رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ امْرَأَةً أَسْعَدَتْنِي فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَأَذْهَبُ فَأُسْعِدُهَا ثُمَّ أَجِيئُكَ فَأُبَايِعُكَ . قَالَ " اذْهَبِي فَأَسْعِدِيهَا " . قَالَتْ فَذَهَبْتُ فَسَاعَدْتُهَا ثُمَّ جِئْتُ فَبَايَعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Umm 'Atiyyah Narrated from:
When I wanted to give pledge to the Messenger of Allah, I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, women helped me (in wailing for the dead) during the Jahiliyyah; shall I go and help her (in wailing) and then come to you and give you my oath of allegiance?' He said: 'Go and help her.' So I went and helped her, then I came, and gave my pledge to the Messenger of Allah.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4179In-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 31English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 4184
