Bay'at al-Ridwan (The Pledge of the Tree)
The Pledge of the Tree (Q 48:18); the sahaba ranked second only to Badr.
Hijri Dhu al-Qa'dah 6 AH CE 628 CE
The oath of allegiance the 1,400 Companions gave the Prophet ﷺ under a tree at Hudaybiyyah — to fight the Quraysh and not turn back — praised by Allah in Surah al-Fath and ranking its people second only to the Companions of Badr.
Date (Hijri / CE)
During the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, Dhu al-Qa’dah 6 AH (628 CE).
Background
The Prophet’s ﷺ envoy Uthman was held so long in Makkah that a rumour spread he had been killed. Facing a fresh, rested Quraysh three times their number — and unprepared for war, weary from the journey — the Prophet ﷺ resolved not to leave the death of an emissary unavenged, and called the believers to pledge.
What happened
A crier announced “Jibril has come down; give your allegiance!” The Prophet ﷺ, sitting under a tree, took each Companion’s oath to fight and not flee. Only one hypocrite hid behind his camel. For the absent Uthman, the Prophet ﷺ clasped his own left hand in his right — “this is for Uthman.”
Participants
The Prophet ﷺ and the 1,400 (including all four future caliphs, Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf, and the young Jabir ibn Abdillah, who later could not identify the exact tree).
Outcome & significance
- Divine pleasure. “Indeed Allah was pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you under the tree; He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down serenity upon them” (Q 48:18); “Allah’s Hand is over their hands” (48:10). The Prophet ﷺ: “You are the best people on earth,” and “No one who gave the pledge under the tree will enter the Fire” (Sahih Muslim).
- A rank of the Companions. After the Ten Promised Paradise and the people of Badr, the people of Ridwan hold the third rank — and this verse is a Sunni proof-text for the honour of the sahaba, and the source of the phrase radiya Allahu anhu.
- The tree cut down. Later Muslims began venerating a supposed tree; Umar had it chopped down (Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq) — the Companions themselves could not agree which tree it was — a case study against venerating places and objects.
Lessons
The bravery of the sahaba; the honour of Uthman (the Prophet ﷺ pledging on his behalf); and the line between remembering history for ibrah and superstitious tabarruk.
Cross-references
The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah · Uthman ibn Affan (ra) · Jabir ibn Abdillah (ra) · Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) · Quraysh · Tawakkul (Reliance on Allah) · Muhammad ﷺ · Seerah Timeline
Sources
- S009 — Yasir Qadhi Seerah EP 065. Surah al-Fath Q 48:10, 18; the pledge and its virtues in Sahih Muslim and Bukhari (incl. the Ibn Umar report on Uthman at Uhud/Badr/Ridwan); the cutting of the tree in Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq.