Bai'at or
Bay'ah is an
Islamic practice which is literally translated with the meaning
to sell. In a religious context it means
oath of allegiance whereby an individual or group declares itself in allegiance to a particular leader, cause or community. In an Islamic religious sense, this oath is the standard procedure of pledging allegiance to an
Imam, a spiritual leader, or to sell ones self in exchange of the spiritual guidance given by an Imam or leader. It is known to have been practiced by the Islamic prophet
Muhammad and his
successors after him. A large Bai'at ceremony of initiation for entering the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, based upon this prophetic model, is held every year during the annual gathering of the community in the
United Kingdom. This ceremony is called the
International Bay'ah. The ceremony is led by the head of the community, the
Khalifatul Masih, at whose hand the new converts take the oath of initiation.