Pledge of Allegiance: Continuing the Legacy Forward
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His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan, the oldest son of His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the second President of the UAE, passed away on May 13, 2022. A flood of sentiments poured from across as the nation grieved the painful loss of its leader and compatriot.
In a memorial poem titled ‘In the Eternal Paradise,’ His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai grieved the late His Highness Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. In his poem, Sheikh Mohammed mourned Sheikh Khalifa’s loss to the people of UAE and the world. He described him as his steadfast supporter and pledged “allegiance to the successor with complete faithfulness and love.”
On May 14, 2022, UAE’s Federal Supreme Council unanimously chose His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the country’s third President. All the UAE confederation leaders subsequently declared their allegiance to the newly appointed President. The pledge of allegiance, or Bay’ah, is a concept that holds deep meaning in the Islamic tradition. In his book ‘Muqaddimah’, the famous Arab historian Ibn Khaldun defined Bay’ah as a commitment to obey. It is as if the one who swears allegiance is promising his leader that he would accept his authority over his affairs and the affairs of the people of the state.
The tradition of Bay’ah is deep-rooted, not just in societal affairs but also in managing the personal experiences of a community. The start of the pledge is from an individual who pledges to lead a God-oriented and conscientious life. A collection of such individuals creates a society that opens up opportunities to flourish peacefully. A nation based on such ideals allows its political authorities to create favourable conditions for all the inhabitants. The chosen political administration has the task of ensuring peace and security to pave the way for harnessing the future potential of society.
In the cogwheel of a nation, the leader makes up one end, and the community makes up the other end.
The Companions of the Prophet, known as Sahaba, followers of the Companions (Tabieen), Followers of the Followers (Taba Tabieen), traditionalists, jurists, and ulama embraced the political model of their time to continue their academic pursuits unobstructed. Historians regard this period as an accurate model (Durust Manhaj).
Following the death of the Prophet of Islam in 632 AD, the period of the Rightly Guided Caliphs known as Rashidun Caliphs began. This era lasted around thirty years and had four caliphs; Abu Bakr, Umar ibn al Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, and Ali ibn Abi Talib. Each of these four caliphs was appointed differently. All those known as Aslaf (Muslims of the early period) accepted these governance models.
The goal of governance in Islam is to promote stability. The stability of a nation allows its inhabitants to pursue possibilities and opportunities in various ways. However, the future course must be deep-rooted in a strong tradition and cultural fundamentals. In the words of Henry James, “It takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition.” The citizens, therefore, act as a vanguard of the cultural traditions, and the governing bodies offer the leadership and vision to propel the development engine into the future.
A leader’s legacy is the legacy of the nation he leads; it is not just an individual’s legacy. In the cogwheel of a nation, the leader makes up one end, and the community makes up the other end. It requires a balance of efforts from both to tread the path of sustainable development. This is the Islamic essence of Bay’ah, or oath of loyalty. This oath serves as the element whereby the people assure their leader of their unwavering support because only then can a state’s administration function smoothly. As residents of this nation, it is our duty to pledge our heartfelt allegiance to the newly appointed President and continue to strive for its betterment so that it realises the pinnacle of its forefather’s vision.