55. The Oath of Allegiance

Malik related to me from Abdullah ibn Dinar that Abdullah ibnUmar said, "When we took an oath of allegiance with him to hear andobey, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,said to us, 'In what you are able.' " Malik related to me from Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir that Umaymabint Ruqayqa said, "I went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah blesshim and grant him peace, with the women who took an oath of allegiancewith him in Islam. They said, 'Messenger of Allah! We take a pledgewith you not to associate anything with Allah, not to steal, not tocommit adultery, not to kill our children, nor to produce any lie thatwe have devised between our hands and feet, and not to disobey you inwhat is known.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and granthim peace, said, 'In what you can do and are able.' " Umaymacontinued, "They said, 'Allah and His Messenger are more merciful tous than ourselves. Come, let us give our hands to you, Messenger ofAllah!' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant himpeace, said, 'I do not shake hands with women. My word to a hundredwomen is like my word to one woman.' " Malik related to me from Abdullah ibn Dinar that Abdullah ibnUmar wrote to Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, making an oath of allegiance.He wrote, "In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Tothe slave of Allah, Abd al-Malik, the amir al-muminin, Peace be uponyou. I praise Allah to you. There is no god but Him. I acknowledgeyour right to my hearing and my obedience according to the sunna ofAllah and the sunna of His Prophet, in what I am able."