tasawwuf

Initiation can be understood from its association with the word 'initiative'.
In the spiritual path when a person makes an intention (iradah)
- in spite of having belief and faith, feels he needs to take a step in a direction which he does
not know; this first step (initiative) when taken is known as initiation.
Imam Ghazali (rahmatullahi alaihi) states: "Entering the spiritual path is like shooting
an arrow at a point one cannot see, so that one does not know what the
arrow is going to hit; one only knows one's own action,
and one does not see the point aimed at". In the spiritual path the initiative taken to 'sell'
oneself to Allah is the arrow, and the point that one hopes to target is Allah.
Hence the word "Bai'ah" is from the word 'Bai' which means to sell.
This is in keeping with Quranic perspective way in Allah Most High states:

"Allah has purchased of the believers their persons and their goods,
for theirs (in return) is the Garden of Paradise. (S.9 V.111) "

The person who firmly makes any intention and takes the initiative to surrender himself completely to Allah is called the murid (initiate). When the murid attains his goal then this seeker to unto Allah becomes the murad (The sought).

In reality everything belongs to Allah. Man's life, his possessions have been entrusted unto him by Allah. Unfortunately man tends to abuse this trust by wrongly thinking that his life, wealth etc. are his possessions, and in this respect begins to expend them according to his own wishes and his desires. In this respect, he risks falling into a snare where he unconsciously becomes a renegade flagrantly breaching the trust that was placed in him. When man realises the error of his rebellion and returns to Allah surrendering himself completely to His will, ashamed at the tyranny of following the insinuations of his ego, he then begins anew and attaches everything to Allah and starts to act in accordance with His commandment and wishes willingly. His actions then make him worthy of being someone who has 'sold' himself to Allah in exchange for His pleasure and reward.

As in the case of a business transaction, merely intending to enter into a business transaction with a particular party does not get one far. Practical steps have to be taken.

Similarly, when one intends to surrender oneself completely to Allah, then, intention has to be translated into action. We're greatly aware of the various steps which are taken, when selling a property, and the time and effort which is put into making the transaction successful. How great then is this transaction between Lord (rab) and servant ('abd) when the servant desires to sell himself to Allah. The first step that is taken in order to surrender oneself to Allah is that one become the disciple of he who has the necessary capabilities of being 'a means (wasila) of approach unto him'. This first step is a Quranic directive where Allah most High states:

O you who believe, fear Allah and seek a means of
approach unto him, and strive in His path so that
you may attain success. (S.4 V.38)

In view of the great scholars of the kinds the 'means of approach' that is being mentioned here is a spiritual guide (murshid). When a person takes the pledge of allegiance upon the hands of the qualified murshid in accordance with the etiquette's and ethics of Bai'ah, then his allegiance link by link reaches the Holy Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wasallam) and then, ultimately to Allah. If a person remains steadfast on his Bai'ah, he becomes a recipient of great reward. However, if he breaks of his Bai'ah, then he does so at his own peril.

Verily! Those who swear allegiance unto thee (Muhammad), swear allegiance only unto Allah.
The Hand of Allah is above their hands. So whosoever breaks his oath breaks it only to his soul's hurt;
while whosoever keeps his covenant with Allah, on him will He bestow immense reward. (S.48 V.10)

There are various types of Bai'ah which the sahaaba took upon the hands of the Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wasallam) viz. The pledge of Islam, the pledge of vicegerency, pledge of migration, pledge of Jihad, a pledge of steadfastness, pledge of adherence to Sunnah, pledge of piety, pledge of steadfastness in worship and devotion to Allah and so on. In Tasawwuf (Sufism), Bai'ah is the sum total of the pledge of repentance, piety (internal and external), steadfastness to the precepts of deen, steadfastness to Sunnah, devout worship and every other aspect which is related to the cleansing of the nafs (ego) and inner purity.

In Tasawwuf, there are two types of Bai'ah:
Bai'ah al Barakah, and Baiah al Iradah.

Bai'ah al Barakah is where one initiates oneself into a spiritual order merely for the blessings of being part of the spiritual order of which has a direct link with the Holy Prophet (sallalahu alaihi wasallam) without a break in sequence. Bai'ah taken for mere material gain and not for spiritual upliftment is considered null and void. The Bai'ah is highly beneficial and brings one in the bank of those who have a link with the beloved ones of Allah.

Bai'ah al Iradah is where one completely cancels one's own desires and surrenders oneself completely to Allah. In this type of Bai'ah, one becomes like the 'corpse in the hands of the ghassal'

(washer), where one gives one's shaykh absolute empowerment to lead one to Allah. The Bai'ah is taken on by a few and is also known as Bai'ah al- Salikeen. This type of Bai'ah was undertaken by the sahaaba upon the hands of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). If one decides to undertake Bai'ah al Iradah then the Bai'ah takes on a greater meaning. People of the path have likened this type of Bai'ah to marriage. As a wife is forbidden to look at any 'other' except a husband, similarly a murid is forbidden to look at any 'other' except his murshid. in the life of his motion. In Tasawwuf this is called Tawhid al Matlab (Singularity of purpose).

Utmost faith and fidelity to one's Shaykh, intense love transcending the boundaries of love for life and wealth, and thinking that though there may be other great teachers in the world -- but my success on the path to Allah and the key that opens the door to Allah is solely in the hands of my murshid, is the attitude which is called Singularity of Purpose. To be a recipient of spiritual benefit, Singularity of Purpose is the necessary prerequisite. If one does not develop this type of relationship with one's Shaykh, one will not be capable of being a recipient of spiritual benefit. To the people of the path looking at another Shaykh to fulfil one's spiritual purpose is forbidden. This is done in order to inculcated within the heart of the mureed steadfastness, fidelity, obedience, submission, surrender, direction, a sense of purpose and most importantly sincere devotion. Without these one can never be a true aspirant on the path to Allah.