Part 2: Understanding Bay'at al-Ridwan

Part 2: Bay‘at al-Ridwan: A Great Virtue, Not an Unconditional Guarantee

Later Actions, Battlefield Retreat, Political Conflict, and the Superiority of Imam Ali

In Part 1, we established the foundation:

Bay‘at al-Ridwan was a great virtue for the sincere believers who pledged allegiance beneath the tree at Hudaybiyyah in 6 AH, before the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.

But it was not an unconditional lifetime certificate for every individual.

The Qur’an says:

فَمَن نَّكَثَ فَإِنَّمَا يَنكُثُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ

“Whoever breaks the pledge only breaks it against himself.”

Reference:

Qur’an, Surah al-Fath 48:10.

Sunni books also say the pledge was:

على أن لا نفر

“That we would not flee.”

Reference:

Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Imarah, hadith 1856 / 1858.

Ibn Hajar explained that the wording “upon death” means they would not flee, even if they died.

Al-Tabari explained that they pledged not to flee and not to turn their backs.

Now Part 2 asks the historical question:

What happened after that pledge?

Did everyone fulfill the condition of the Bay‘ah?

Or did later actions expose who remained firm and who failed the test?

1. Hudaybiyyah itself became a test

Arabic:

فَقُلْتُ أَلَسْتَ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ حَقًّا؟ قَالَ بَلَى. قُلْتُ أَلَسْنَا عَلَى الْحَقِّ وَعَدُوُّنَا عَلَى الْبَاطِلِ؟ قَالَ بَلَى. قُلْتُ فَعَلاَمَ نُعْطِي الدَّنِيَّةَ فِي دِينِنَا إِذًا؟ قَالَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَلَسْتُ أَعْصِيهِ، وَهُوَ نَاصِرِي.

English:

Umar said: “I said: Are you not truly the Prophet of Allah? He said: Yes. I said: Are we not upon truth and our enemy upon falsehood? He said: Yes. I said: Then why should we accept humiliation in our religion? He said: I am the Messenger of Allah, I do not disobey Him, and He will support me.”

Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Shurut, Treaty of Hudaybiyyah narration, hadith 2731–2732.

Short comment:

This was at Hudaybiyyah, around the same event as Bay‘at al-Ridwan.

The Prophet ﷺ accepted the treaty by divine wisdom, but Umar strongly objected and questioned the decision. We do not need to exaggerate the wording. The point is enough:

Hudaybiyyah itself became a test.

Being present near that event did not make a person automatically above confusion, objection, error, or accountability.

2. Umar later admitted he performed deeds because of those questions

Arabic:

قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ: قَالَ عُمَرُ: فَعَمِلْتُ لِذَلِكَ أَعْمَالًا.

English:

Al-Zuhri said: Umar said: “I performed deeds because of that.”

Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Shurut, hadith 2731–2732.

Short comment:

This is important. Umar himself did not treat that moment as something normal and harmless.

He later performed deeds because of what happened.

So how can later people turn Bay‘at al-Ridwan into a careless slogan of permanent immunity?

3. The Prophet ordered sacrifice and shaving, but no one got up until he repeated it three times

Arabic:

فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ قَضِيَّةِ الْكِتَابِ، قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لأَصْحَابِهِ: قُومُوا فَانْحَرُوا ثُمَّ احْلِقُوا. قَالَ: فَوَاللَّهِ مَا قَامَ مِنْهُمْ رَجُلٌ حَتَّى قَالَ ذَلِكَ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ.

English:

“When the writing of the treaty was finished, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to his companions: ‘Get up, slaughter your sacrifices, then shave your heads.’ By Allah, not one man among them got up until he said that three times.”

Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Shurut, hadith 2731–2732.

Short comment:

This happened right after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.

The Prophet ﷺ gave a command.

He repeated it three times.

No one got up until the Prophet ﷺ went to Umm Salamah, followed her advice, and acted first.

This shows that even in the Hudaybiyyah context, the believers were tested in obedience.

So the claim that everyone around Bay‘at al-Ridwan automatically became beyond criticism does not match the actual narration of Sahih al-Bukhari.

4. The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah was divine wisdom, not humiliation

Arabic:

وَلَوْلَا رِجَالٌ مُّؤْمِنُونَ وَنِسَاءٌ مُّؤْمِنَاتٌ لَّمْ تَعْلَمُوهُمْ أَن تَطَئُوهُمْ فَتُصِيبَكُم مِّنْهُم مَّعَرَّةٌ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ

English:

“Had there not been believing men and believing women whom you did not know, whom you might have trampled unknowingly and thus incurred guilt because of them…”

Reference:

Qur’an, Surah al-Fath 48:25.

Short comment:

Some people saw the treaty as humiliation.

But Allah revealed that there were hidden believing men and women in Makkah whom the Muslims did not know. If battle had happened, those hidden believers could have been harmed unknowingly.

So the treaty was not weakness.

It was divine wisdom.

The Prophet ﷺ knew by Allah’s guidance.

Some people failed to understand it at first.

5. Fleeing from battle is one of the destructive sins

Arabic:

اجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ الْمُوبِقَاتِ. قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا هُنَّ؟ قَالَ: الشِّرْكُ بِاللَّهِ، وَالسِّحْرُ، وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ، وَأَكْلُ الرِّبَا، وَأَكْلُ مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ، وَالتَّوَلِّي يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ، وَقَذْفُ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ الْغَافِلَاتِ.

English:

“Avoid the seven destructive sins.” They asked: “O Messenger of Allah, what are they?” He said: “Associating partners with Allah, sorcery, killing a soul which Allah has forbidden except by right, consuming usury, consuming the wealth of an orphan, turning away on the day of battle, and slandering chaste believing women who are unaware.”

Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith 2766; Sahih Muslim, hadith 89.

Short comment:

This matters because Bay‘at al-Ridwan was a pledge not to flee.

And fleeing from battle is not a minor issue in Sunni hadith.

It is counted among the seven destructive sins.

So if someone later fled from battle after pledging not to flee, this cannot be brushed aside with slogans.

6. Khaybar came after Bay‘at al-Ridwan

Bay‘at al-Ridwan happened at Hudaybiyyah in 6 AH.

Khaybar happened after it, in 7 AH.

Now read what Sunni sources preserve about Khaybar.

Arabic:

بعث رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عمر بن الخطاب بالناس، فلقي أهل خيبر، فردوه وكشفوه هو وأصحابه، فرجعوا إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يجبن أصحابه ويجبنه أصحابه، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: لأعطين اللواء غدا رجلا يحب الله ورسوله ويحبه الله ورسوله.

English:

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent Umar ibn al-Khattab with the people. They met the people of Khaybar, but they repelled him and exposed/defeated him and his companions. They returned to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, with his companions accusing him of cowardice and him accusing his companions of cowardice. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him.”

Reference:

Ibn Abi Shaybah, al-Musannaf, Kitab al-Maghazi, Ghazwat Khaybar; also reported in similar wording in Sunni historical and hadith works.

Short comment:

This is after Bay‘at al-Ridwan.

The pledge was:

“We will not flee.”

But at Khaybar, Sunni sources preserve reports of Umar and his companions returning defeated, while each side accused the other of cowardice.

Some routes are debated by later Sunni scholars, so the wording should be used honestly:

This is preserved in Sunni sources.

Some scholars accepted or strengthened parts of the Khaybar material.

Some later scholars disputed certain chains.

But no one should pretend Sunni books only contain the image of Umar as an unmatched battlefield hero.

7. Al-Hakim’s Khaybar report

Arabic:

أن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم دفع الراية يوم خيبر إلى عمر رضي الله عنه، فانطلق، فرجع يجبن أصحابه ويجبنونه.

English:

“The Prophet ﷺ gave the banner on the day of Khaybar to Umar. He went out, then returned accusing his companions of cowardice, and they accused him of cowardice.”

Reference:

Al-Hakim al-Naysaburi, al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn, Kitab al-Maghazi wa al-Saraya, Ghazwat Khaybar.

Grading note:

Al-Hakim authenticated it. Later Sunni scholars disputed some routes. Therefore, the fair wording is:

“Al-Hakim authenticated this report, while later Sunni scholars disputed parts of the chain.”

Short comment:

This report is powerful because it uses the very language of cowardice.

But even if someone disputes one route, the broader Khaybar contrast still remains established:

Others returned without victory.

Imam Ali was given the banner.

Victory came through Imam Ali.

8. Imam Ali was described as “not one who flees”

Arabic:

لأعطين الراية غدا رجلا يحب الله ورسوله ويحبه الله ورسوله، يفتح الله عليه، ليس بفرار.

English:

“Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him. Allah will grant victory through him. He is not one who flees.”

Reference:

Reported in the Khaybar narrations of Ibn Abi Shaybah and other Sunni sources. The core Khaybar banner virtue of Imam Ali is established in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

Short comment:

This is the heart of the argument.

The Prophet ﷺ did not merely give Imam Ali the banner.

He gave it after others had returned without victory.

And the description attached to Imam Ali was:

ليس بفرار

“He is not one who flees.”

So if Bay‘at al-Ridwan is used as a virtue, Imam Ali is not below those who later retreated.

Rather, Imam Ali has clear superiority over those who failed to stand firm.

He was the one who did not flee.

He was the one through whom Allah gave victory.

9. The core Khaybar virtue of Imam Ali is in Sahih al-Bukhari

Arabic:

لأعطين الراية غدا رجلا يفتح الله على يديه، يحب الله ورسوله، ويحبه الله ورسوله.

English:

“Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man at whose hands Allah will grant victory; he loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him.”

Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, Ghazwat Khaybar; Sahih Muslim, Fada’il Ali ibn Abi Talib.

Short comment:

Even if someone disputes the extra wording “not one who flees,” the central Sunni-authentic fact remains:

At Khaybar, the Prophet ﷺ gave the decisive banner to Imam Ali.

Allah granted victory through Imam Ali.

This is a special merit that cannot be erased by political slogans.

10. Hunayn also came after Bay‘at al-Ridwan

Hunayn happened in 8 AH, after Hudaybiyyah and after Bay‘at al-Ridwan.

Sahih al-Bukhari records:

Arabic:

وانهزم المسلمون وانهزمت معهم، فإذا عمر بن الخطاب في الناس، فقلت له: ما شأن الناس؟ قال: أمر الله، ثم تراجع الناس إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم.

English:

“The Muslims were defeated, and I was defeated with them. Then there was Umar ibn al-Khattab among the people. I said to him: What is wrong with the people? He said: It is the command of Allah. Then the people returned to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”

Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, Ghazwat Hunayn, hadith 4322.

Short comment:

Be fair with the wording.

This narration does not say Umar alone fled.

It says the Muslims were defeated/retreated, Abu Qatadah retreated with them, and he found Umar among the people during that retreat.

But this is still important because Hunayn happened after Bay‘at al-Ridwan.

The pledge was:

“Do not flee.”

So when later retreat occurs, the claim of unconditional immunity becomes very weak.

11. Qur’an itself describes the shock of Hunayn

Arabic:

وَيَوْمَ حُنَيْنٍ إِذْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ كَثْرَتُكُمْ فَلَمْ تُغْنِ عَنكُمْ شَيْئًا وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ ثُمَّ وَلَّيْتُم مُّدْبِرِينَ

English:

“And on the day of Hunayn, when your great number pleased you, but it did not benefit you at all, and the earth, vast as it was, became tight for you; then you turned back fleeing.”

Reference:

Qur’an, Surah al-Tawbah 9:25.

Short comment:

The Qur’an itself says:

ثُمَّ وَلَّيْتُم مُّدْبِرِينَ

“Then you turned back fleeing.”

So no one can pretend that battlefield retreat never happened among Muslims after Hudaybiyyah.

The question remains:

Who stood firm?

Who fled?

Who fulfilled the covenant?

Who broke its condition?

12. Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib’s warning now becomes clearer

Arabic:

فَقُلْتُ: طُوبَى لَكَ، صَحِبْتَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَبَايَعْتَهُ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ. فَقَالَ: يَا ابْنَ أَخِي، إِنَّكَ لاَ تَدْرِي مَا أَحْدَثْنَا بَعْدَهُ.

English:

“I said to al-Bara’: Glad tidings to you! You accompanied the Prophet ﷺ and pledged to him under the tree. He replied: O my nephew, you do not know what we did after him.”

Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, Bab Ghazwat al-Hudaybiyyah, hadith 4170.

Short comment:

This narration now becomes even stronger.

A man congratulated al-Bara’ for the exact thing Sunnis often use as a blanket guarantee:

Companionship.

Bay‘ah under the tree.

But al-Bara’ replied:

“You do not know what we did after him.”

So even a person connected to the pledge did not use it as a careless immunity card.

13. Jamal: Later conflict became a test

Arabic:

لَمَّا سَارَ طَلْحَةُ وَالزُّبَيْرُ وَعَائِشَةُ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ، بَعَثَ عَلِيٌّ عَمَّارَ بْنَ يَاسِرٍ وَحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ... فَقَالَ عَمَّارٌ: إِنَّ عَائِشَةَ قَدْ سَارَتْ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ، وَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّهَا لَزَوْجَةُ نَبِيِّكُمْ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ، وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى ابْتَلاَكُمْ لِيَعْلَمَ إِيَّاهُ تُطِيعُونَ أَمْ هِيَ.

English:

“When Talhah, al-Zubayr and Aisha moved to Basra, Ali sent Ammar ibn Yasir and Hasan ibn Ali... Ammar said: Aisha has moved to Basra. By Allah, she is the wife of your Prophet ﷺ in this world and the Hereafter. But Allah, Blessed and Exalted, has tested you to know whether you will obey Him or her.”

Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Fitan, hadith 7100; also recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, Fada’il al-Sahabah, hadith 3772.

Short comment:

This is not Shia history.

This is Sahih al-Bukhari.

Ammar says the situation of Jamal was a test:

Will people obey Allah or follow Aisha?

So later conflict cannot be whitewashed by saying:

“Everyone was already guaranteed.”

The Qur’an and hadith show that later actions still matter.

14. Siffin and the Hasan-Muawiya conflict show the scale of later division

Arabic:

اسْتَقْبَلَ وَاللَّهِ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ مُعَاوِيَةَ بِكَتَائِبَ أَمْثَالِ الْجِبَالِ... فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: إِنَّ ابْنِي هَذَا سَيِّدٌ، وَلَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُصْلِحَ بِهِ بَيْنَ فِئَتَيْنِ عَظِيمَتَيْنِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ.

English:

“By Allah, Hasan ibn Ali faced Muawiya with battalions like mountains... The Prophet ﷺ said: This son of mine is a leader, and perhaps Allah will reconcile through him two great groups of Muslims.”

Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Sulh, hadith 2704.

Short comment:

This narration proves that massive conflict existed after the Prophet ﷺ.

The Prophet ﷺ described them as two great groups of Muslims, but that does not mean the conflict was meaningless or that every political action becomes immune from criticism.

It proves the opposite:

The Ummah was tested by real conflict.

15. Division is not mercy

Some people try to escape by saying:

“Difference in my Ummah is mercy.”

But the famous wording is not reliable.

Arabic:

اختلاف أمتي رحمة

English:

“The difference of my Ummah is mercy.”

Reference and grading:

Al-Albani, al-Silsilah al-Da‘ifah, no. 57; Dorar records the ruling:

لا أصل له

“It has no basis.”

Short comment:

So this slogan cannot be used to justify civil war, political division, or bloodshed.

The Qur’an says the opposite.

16. The Qur’an condemns division

Arabic:

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا

English:

“Hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together, and do not divide.”

Reference:

Qur’an, Surah Aal Imran 3:103.

Short comment:

Allah commands unity upon His rope.

He does not call religious division a mercy.

17. Qur’an 6:159 condemns those who divide religion

Arabic:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا لَّسْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ

English:

“Indeed, those who divided their religion and became sects, you have nothing to do with them.”

Reference:

Qur’an, Surah al-An‘am 6:159.

Short comment:

This verse is enough to reject the idea that all religious division and civil conflict can be excused as “mercy.”

18. Qur’an 10:93 says Allah will judge those who differed after knowledge

Arabic:

وَلَقَدْ بَوَّأْنَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مُبَوَّأَ صِدْقٍ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ فَمَا اخْتَلَفُوا حَتَّىٰ جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقْضِي بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ

English:

“We settled the Children of Israel in a good settlement and provided them with good things. They did not differ until knowledge had come to them. Surely your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning what they differed over.”

Reference:

Qur’an, Surah Yunus 10:93.

Short comment:

This verse shows that differing after knowledge is not automatically praiseworthy.

Allah will judge between the disputing sides.

This applies as a principle.

When later Muslims fought, disputed, and divided, the correct response is not blind slogans.

The correct response is to ask:

Who was with truth?

Who opposed truth?

Who fulfilled the covenant?

Who broke it?

19. Usama ibn Zayd’s army: use only the verified Sunni wording

Arabic:

بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعْثًا، وَأَمَّرَ عَلَيْهِمْ أُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ، فَطَعَنَ النَّاسُ فِي إِمَارَتِهِ.

English:

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent an army and appointed Usama ibn Zayd over them, so the people criticized his leadership.”

Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Maghazi, hadith 4469.

Short comment:

This is the verified Sunni point.

People criticized the Prophet’s appointment of Usama.

We should not use the disputed curse wording as a strong Sunni proof, because Sunni scholars dispute it.

The stronger point is enough:

Even near the Prophet’s final days, Sahih al-Bukhari shows people criticized a command appointment made by the Prophet ﷺ.

So again, early companionship does not cancel later testing.

20. Saqifah: political dispute began immediately after the Prophet ﷺ

Arabic:

إِنَّمَا كَانَتْ بَيْعَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَلْتَةً وَتَمَّتْ، أَلاَ وَإِنَّهَا قَدْ كَانَتْ كَذَلِكَ، وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ وَقَى شَرَّهَا.

English:

“The pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr was only a sudden matter and it was completed. Indeed, it was like that, but Allah protected from its evil.”

Reference:

Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Hudud, hadith 6830.

Short comment:

This is Umar’s own wording in Sahih al-Bukhari.

The same narration discusses the Saqifah situation and the political tension after the Prophet ﷺ.

Use this carefully.

This is not being presented here as direct proof of breaking Bay‘at al-Ridwan.

It is proof that political dispute began immediately after the Prophet ﷺ and that later history cannot be reduced to a simple slogan:

“Everyone was guaranteed, so no criticism is allowed.”

21. The key comparison: those who fled versus Imam Ali

Now return to the core issue.

Bay‘at al-Ridwan was a pledge:

أن لا نفر

“That we would not flee.”

Al-Tabari says:

أن لا يفروا ولا يولوهم الدبر

“That they would not flee and would not turn their backs.”

Ibn Hajar says:

أن لا يفروا ولو ماتوا

“That they would not flee, even if they died.”

Then after this pledge, Sunni sources preserve reports of later battlefield retreat and defeat.

At Khaybar, reports mention Umar returning defeated and accused of cowardice.

At Hunayn, Sahih al-Bukhari records a general retreat and Umar being among the people during that retreat.

But Imam Ali was described as:

ليس بفرار

“Not one who flees.”

And the Prophet ﷺ said about him:

يحب الله ورسوله ويحبه الله ورسوله

“He loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him.”

And Allah granted victory through him.

So the question becomes very simple:

How can Bay‘at al-Ridwan be used to place those who fled above Imam Ali, when Imam Ali was the one described as “not one who flees”?

Bay‘at al-Ridwan itself becomes a proof of Imam Ali’s superiority over those who broke its condition.

22. Final conclusion

Bay‘at al-Ridwan was a great virtue.

But it was not an unconditional guarantee of Paradise for every individual forever.

The Qur’an praises the sincere believers who pledged beneath the tree.

But the same Qur’an says:

فَمَن نَّكَثَ فَإِنَّمَا يَنكُثُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ

“Whoever breaks the pledge only breaks it against himself.”

Reference:

Qur’an, Surah al-Fath 48:10.

Sunni books say the pledge was:

على أن لا نفر

“That we would not flee.”

Reference:

Sahih Muslim.

Sahih al-Bukhari records some described it as:

على الموت

“Upon death.”

Ibn Hajar explains that this means:

They would not flee, even if they died.

Al-Tabari says they pledged not to flee and not to turn their backs.

Sahih al-Bukhari records al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib saying:

إنك لا تدري ما أحدثنا بعده

“You do not know what we did after him.”

Sahih al-Bukhari records the Hudaybiyyah obedience test.

Sahih al-Bukhari records later retreat at Hunayn.

Sunni sources preserve Khaybar reports where Umar returned defeated, while Imam Ali was given the banner and described as “not one who flees.”

Sahih al-Bukhari records later conflicts such as Jamal and the Hasan-Muawiya confrontation.

Sahih al-Bukhari records political dispute after the Prophet ﷺ, including Umar’s own statement that Abu Bakr’s pledge was a sudden matter.

Therefore, no one has the right to turn Surah al-Fath 48:18 into a political weapon to silence all historical criticism.

The correct position is balanced:

Those who sincerely fulfilled Bay‘at al-Ridwan deserve honour.

Those who broke the condition of the pledge cannot hide behind the pledge.

The real question is not simply:

“Was someone under the tree?”

The real question is:

“Did he fulfill what he pledged under the tree?”

Bay‘at al-Ridwan was not a slogan.

It was a covenant.

And a covenant is judged by fulfillment.