The new student or seeker takes an oath before The Creator of all (gives Bay’ah) to abide by the school’s codes based on the Qur’an and Prophetic ways. This is much like when students apply to a school, or a university they pledge to abide by the school’s codes of conduct and regulations. All codes that are in the Book and authentic Sunnah are binding, and any code that is not based thereon is simply not. 

Joining a school of Ihsan (pledging/giving Ba’yah) to uphold the Qur’anic and authentic Sunnah codes of conduct while dedicating part of your daily time for Allah’s Dhikr, love, reflection, and litanies (~ 10 min. daily) and intending to devote part of your life to positively contribute to the mission of Sayyiduna Rasool’Allah  (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) is not for everybody. It is extra (beyond the Fard/obligatory) hence, it should be for the passionate and devoted.

Bay’ah is an ancient sacred ritual and a spiritual bond that has its root in the Prophetic Sunnah, in which the Sahaba (Peace and blessings be upon them all) gave their pledge (took an oath) of commitment, devotion, and allegiance to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) and his mission. Bayʾah is in effect, pledging exactly that, with the current teacher being simply a witness to the pledge and a guide on the Prophetic path and to it. The current Shaykh is not pledged to, rather pledged before as a witness and a guide. The pledged to is none other than Sayyiduna Rasūl’Allah, ṣallallahu Taʾāla ʾalayhi wa Ᾱlihi wa sallam, before Allāh; The Creator of all. The pledge entails the same things the Sahaba (Prophetic companions) pledged to, namely: commitment, devotion, and allegiance to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) and his mission, to refine ourselves and improve Akhlaq (character building), to maximize our potential vis-à-vis The Creator and His creation. In other words, to be good people and positively contributing people, to love God, and love people.

Bayʾah nowadays is more of a spiritual connection, pledge and bond than physical devotion, nearness and servitude of the Mosque. It may help connect the new student spiritually to all his or her spiritual ancestors all the way up to the beloved Prophet, ṣallallahu Taʾāla ʾalayhi wa Ᾱlihi wa sallam. However, what is expected is establishing Dhikr on daily basis, and journeying the path to Allah Ta’ala, not just affiliation. 

The oath to be initiated in our Zawiya (school/Tariqah) is a commitment by the heart to:

1 – Bear witness to Lā ilāha illa Allāh, Muḥammad Rasūl Allāh.

2 – Uphold the Farāiḍ, then as much as one can from the Prophetic Sunnah.

3 – Uphold the foundations and objectives of our Zawiya (school), and devote some time for learning, servitude, sharing, self-improvement, positive contribution and refinement, all of which are mandated by the Book and authentic Prophetic Sunnah. Similarly to enjoin your fellow seekers and students in the Zawiya to do good and to try to uphold the General Wird daily.

If anyone agrees to the above 3 conditions, then they are encouraged to follow the objectives, methodology, and practices as no authorization is required for anyone to read the Qur’an or Sunnah and practice them. For those who seek such an authorization, nevertheless, then authorization (Ijaza) in the General Wird (as in Methodology and Practices) is hereby granted to all human beings who accept the above condition.

General authorization to recite our basic daily Dhikr (Wird/litany) including a general Ijaza to all in the Shādhilī General Wird:

The Shaykh of our Zawiya; Sīdī Muḥammad hereby authorizes all human beings who will accept the above commitment (the 3 conditions in the pledge line) with all the general litanies (Al-Wird al-ʾᾹm) of the Shādhilī school (Tariqah).

Students who have accepted this, either physically or spiritually, can pass the General Wird to their families and friends without needing to ask the Shaykh of the Zawiya or his appointed representatives for permission or authorization.