wikishia:Featured articles/2024/39
Bayʿat al-Nisāʾ or pledging allegiance of women to Prophet Muhammad (s) took place after the conquest of Mecca. Some believe it was the same event as the first Allegiance of al-'Aqaba. The terms of this pledge are clearly mentioned in the 12 verse of Quran 60: to avoid idolatry (Shirk), to avoid theft and adultery, avoid infanticide (killing their own children), avoid disobeying Prophet Muhammad (s) and assigning other's children to their husbands.
First Prophet Muhammad (s) put his hand in a bowl of water and said the terms of the pledge, then those women put their hands in the water and accepted the terms.
Bay'a means accepting and agreeing to a pledge or leadership of someone which conveys the meaning of loyalty and obedience. It was an important costume in pre-Islamic time in Hijaz among Arabs, which was accepted by Islam. Women did not play a crucial role in pledges and important affairs in Jahiliyya era.
According to historical reports, women were present in the second pledge of al-'Aqaba 13 years after Bi'that. A number of historical reports mentioned that women of Mecca also took oath of allegiance to Prophet Muhammad (s). After the migration of Prophet (s) to Medina, they came to visit him in groups, or individually at times, to take oath of allegiance, and Prophet (s) sent one of his representatives to make the pledge. In addition, women took oath of allegiance alongside men in special occasions. In Bay'at al-Ridwan, a number of Muslim women including Umm Salama, Prophet Muhammad's (s) wife, Umm 'Umara, Umm Muni' and Umm 'Amir Ashhaliyya were present.....
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