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Seerah / Persecution

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The Pledge of al-'Aqabah

Date
c. 621–622 CE · approximate
Location
Al-'Aqabah, Mina
People
'Ubada ibn as-Samit (RA), Ka'b ibn Malik (RA)

'Ubada ibn as-Samit (RA), one of the Ansar present that night, narrates in Sahih al-Bukhari the pledge they gave: not to associate partners with Allah, steal, commit zina, kill their children, slander, or disobey in good.

As it was narrated

The story, in the words of those who were there

Read slowly. These are the Companions' own words, from the verified hadith collections.

Hadith
Hadith collection

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو إِدْرِيسَ، عَائِذُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنَّ عُبَادَةَ بْنَ الصَّامِتِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ وَكَانَ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا، وَهُوَ أَحَدُ النُّقَبَاءِ لَيْلَةَ الْعَقَبَةِ ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ وَحَوْلَهُ عِصَابَةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ ‏ "‏ بَايِعُونِي عَلَى أَنْ لاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا، وَل…

Narrated 'Ubada bin As-Samit: who took part in the battle of Badr and was a Naqib (a person heading a group of six persons), on the night of Al-'Aqaba pledge: Allah's Apostle said while a group of his companions were around him, "Swear allegiance to me for: 1. Not to join anything in worship along with Allah. 2. Not to steal. 3. Not to commit illegal sexual intercourse. 4. Not to kill your children. 5. Not to accuse an innocent person (to spread such an accusation among people). 6. Not to be disobedient (when ordered) to do good deed." The Prophet (ﷺ) added: "Whoever among you fulfills his pledge will be rewarded by Allah. And whoever indulges in any one of them (except the ascription of par…

Sahih al-Bukhari · Hadith 18 · Belief
Translation: Sahih al-Bukhari — English. Hadith data: fawazahmed0/hadith-api (numbering and gradings as published there).

Grading information unavailable in source data · from a collection regarded as sahih

Open source
Hadith
Hadith collection

حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَخِي ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عَمِّهِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو إِدْرِيسَ، عَائِذُ اللَّهِ أَنَّ عُبَادَةَ بْنَ الصَّامِتِ ـ مِنَ الَّذِينَ شَهِدُوا بَدْرًا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَمِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ لَيْلَةَ الْعَقَبَةِ ـ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ وَحَوْلَهُ عِصَابَةٌ مِنْ أَصْح…

Narrated 'Ubada bin As-Samit:Who had taken part in the battle of Badr with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and had been amongst his companions on the night of Al-`Aqaba Pledge: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), surrounded by a group of his companions said, "Come along and give me the pledge of allegiance that you will not worship anything besides Allah, will not steal, will not commit illegal sexual intercourse will not kill your children, will not utter; slander, invented by yourself, and will not disobey me if I order you to do something good. Whoever among you will respect and fulfill this pledge, will be rewarded by Allah. And if one of you commits any of these sins and is punished in this world then that wi…

Sahih al-Bukhari · Hadith 3892 · Merits of the Helpers in Madinah (Ansaar)
Translation: Sahih al-Bukhari — English. Hadith data: fawazahmed0/hadith-api (numbering and gradings as published there).

Grading information unavailable in source data · from a collection regarded as sahih

Open source

Lessons

  • A community is built on shared moral commitments, not only on belief.

Lessons are editorial reflections drawn from the event and its sources.

Pause for a moment

Which moment of your own life does this remind you of? Sit with it for a minute, then send salawat on the one who lived it ﷺ.

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Bibliography

  • Sahih al-Bukhari 18, 3892 ('Ubada ibn as-Samit) · primary source
  • Ibn Hisham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah (further reading)
  • Ibn Kathir, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah (further reading)
  • Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (further reading)

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