Pledge of 'Aqabah

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

During the Rihla, we visited the Mosque of 'Aqabah where the Pledge of 'Aqabah took place.

If you remember the history when the Muslims were persecuted and boycotted, they lived at the out skirt of Makkah without any means of living. They were not allowed to trade in Makkah and outside Makkah, no marriage with the Makkans, and no contact with anyone outside Makkah. The suffering ended 3 years later when the contract signed by the non-Muslim Makkans was eated by ants. So, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was free to preach Islam to the pilgrims who came every year to the Ka'abah during the pilgrimage season, most of them were idol-worshippers at that time. Six people from Madinah (it was Yathrib back then) accepted his teaching and brought the teaching back to their people. The next year, 12 people from Madinah accepted Islam and they decided to meet the Prophet Muhammad (saw) secretly in Makkah.

The Pledge of 'Aqabah is when the Prophet Muhammad (saw) meet this group of people from Madinah (it was Yathrib back then) in Makkah, where they gave their pledge to the Prophet Muhammad (saw). They accepted him (saw) as the Prophet explained in the Torah and obeyed his teachings, among are:

We shall not associate anyone with ALLAH (The One God): whether in worship, His Attributes, His Power or His Authority.
We shall not indulge in adultery, fornication, and practice or propagate any other indecency.
We shall not steal or rob anyone’s property in any manner or under any pretense.
We shall not practice the custom of killing children.
We shall not falsely accuse or backbite anyone.
We shall not disobey you in good deeds and just cause.
We shall always follow you, be it hard or easy, to our liking or not, and we shall act according to your commands. We shall follow and obey your decisions even if it be against ourselves and in favor of others.
We shall not participate in opposing the deserving persons of authority or positions.
We shall support the truth and justice and stand firm under all circumstances. In matters of ALLAH’s religion, we shall not be afraid for our name, disrepute, disgrace, or blame.

This is the First Pledge of 'Aqabah and it happened in the twelveth year after the first revelation of the Holy Qur'an (621 AD). There were only 12 Madineses at that time but it was the most important event in the Islamic history. By this pledge, it means that Islam has been spread outside Makkah and accepted by people outside Makkah. By this pledge, there is a possibility to get more followers of Islam. By this pledge, there will be a sanctuary for the Muslims in the future, especially during the Hijrah (Immigration from Makkah to Madinah escaping the torturous persecution). By this pledge, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) became stronger in carrying out his mission. It is a mark of victory for the Muslims and the mission of the Prophet Muhammad (saw).

The Second Pledge of 'Aqabah happened the next year when 70 Madineses came and invited the Prophet Muhammad (saw) and the Muslims to emigrate to Madinah. This marked the start of the Islamic Calendar. It was a very moving moment when the secret meeting between the Prophet Muhammad (saw) and the 70 Madineses who came to Makkah to conveyed their acceptance. Imagine after 13 years of preaching to the Makkans, many of them were still in the state of ignorance and worse, persecuted the Muslims, there were more than 70 people from Madinah, outside Makkah where the Prophet Muhammad (saw) has never been before to preach Islam, accepted Islam. It was moving for the Madineses during the meeting because they have been hearing a lot about the Prophet Muhammad (saw), his noble acts, his wisdom and teachings, but never had the chance to see him. How joyous the moment is for the both parties. The love of the Muslims to the Prophet Muhammad (saw) is the most touching moment for many devout Muslims.

"When a man asked the prophet (saw) "O Messenger of ALLAH, when will the Day of Judgement be?", the Prophet (saw) replied, "What have you prepared for it?" he said, "I have not prepared for it a great deal of prayer, fasting nor charity, but I love ALLAH and His Messenger intensely," the Prophet (saw) said, "You will be with those whom you love."

~ narrated by Imam Bukhari

Love the Prophet Muhammad (saw) as much as we can because by loving him we will be with him in the Hereafter. Why so? It's a simple explanation if we reflect on the reasons to love him (saw). To love a person, we need to know the person (Malay saying - tak kenal maka tak cinta - you won't love until you know). We will learn how the person lives, speaks, eats, sleeps, acts, etc. The aim of loving him and learning about him (saw) is to enable us to follow him, to follow the perfect example sent by ALLAH as a mercy to mankind. What harm can there be to be able to act as close as to the perfect example of a human? It will mean PEACE to the whole world if everyone can just act at least a portion of his (saw) manner.

"Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If you love ALLAH, follow me; ALLAH will love you and forgive you your sins. ALLAH is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful."

~ The Holy Qur'an, Surah Ali 'Imran (Chapter 3, The Family of Imran) verse 31

SubhanALLAH, such a great wisdom behind everything that ALLAH has planned and revealed. May ALLAH bring us nearer to HIM and him (saw).

During the Rihla, when Shaykh Hamza Yusuf told us the pledge, almost everyone (including he himself) cried because we were so touched by the story, standing where the Prophet Muhammad (saw) once stood with the 70 Madineses who risked their lives to hold this secret meeting just to see the face their beloved. Now, who do we think we are in front of ALLAH, in front of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) if there isn't a seed of love and obedience to ALLAH and HIS Messenger (saw)?

ALLAHU'alam.

The Mosque of 'Aqabah is just next to Mina

There's no roof (the authority refused to maintain it)

No carpet, just sand

I'm not sure which one is the first and the second pledge cemented on the wall

From the Holy Qur'an

Wassalam.