Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother

I want to know your opinion about bayt. I m only talking about the bayt that a muslim man take on the hand of pious man for improve and get help to follow the teaching of islam (not any other type of bayt). the man told about his disease to the pious man like he is in the habit of staring non mehrams or he is involve in hasad with one`s success then the pious man said him to recite these verses 100 times a day and any other kalmat to recite particular times. and advice him and help him to follow the path of islam in his life.

What i seen in todays life it is very difficult to follow the path of islam in the presence of lot of weapons of shaytan. we need some one help who told us and advice us regularly to stay away from these things. i m not saying that it is the mandatory part of the islam to bayt someone`s hand but the muslim like me we are need some one to continuosly get teaching from a pious man to follow islam.

i thought i made clear to you what i m trying to ask. i just want to know is it bidaa or not?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Concept of bayt or allegiance

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

A ‘bayt’ or ‘pledge of allegiance’ is generally associated in Islam when given to:

A Prophet of Allah Subhanah

the Khalifah or Ameer or Leader of the believers

to a leader of the believers for some particular mission. Example, when the Messenger of Allah (saws) took the allegiance from the believers which became famous as the ‘Bayt-e-Ridhwaan’ on the occasion of Hudaibiyah.

There is absolutely no need, requirement, or precedent in the Sunnah for a believer to take allegiance or ‘bayt’ on someone’s hand, just because he is a good or pious person, neither is there a need to take allegiance on someone’s hand if one wishes to become a student of this pious teacher. Neither should the teacher (if he is indeed pious and God-Fearing) should ask his students who wish to learn the deen of Islam take allegiance, nor should the student give ‘bayt’ to a teacher or scholar.

For a scholar to demand his students give ‘bayt’ or allegiance to him, or for the students to give ‘bayt’ to their scholar to learn the deen would indeed be a form of innovation or ‘bidah’ in Islam.

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), he can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), he can be assured of being led astray.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan