Oaths | The Day of Kalu Bala (Bazm-i Alast) | Al-A'raf-172
Before coming to this world, in the pre-eternity, mankind was in a profound covenant with Allah. The 172nd verse of Surah Al-A'raf announces this meeting in the pre-eternity: Allah brought forth the descendants from the backs of the children of Adam and asked them, "Am I not your Lord?" We all saw Him with our hearts, heard Him with our hearts, and answered with our hearts, "Bala — Yes, You are our Lord!" This day is called the Day of Kalu Bala, and this meeting in the pre-eternity is called Bazm-i Alast.
This affirmation was not merely an approval; it brought with it three fundamental obligations: the misak (covenant) of our spirit, the ahd (covenant) of our physical body, and the oath of our nafs. The Holy Qur'ân declares these three obligations and the expectations of Allah separately.
The Day of Kalu Bala: Three Oaths in the Pre-eternity
7/AL-A'RAF-172: And when your Lord took from the children of Adam, from their loins, their descendants and made them testify over their nafs, (saying to them), "Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes, (You are our Lord), we have testified." (This is) lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, "Indeed, we were unaware of this."
At that moment, Allah gathered all spirits in His presence. Following the question, "Am I not your Lord?", we all said, "Bala!" In return for this affirmation, Allah declared three separate obligations: O nafs, you shall take an oath that you will perform the cleansing and purifying of your heart. O spirits, you shall take a misak that you will return to Me before your physical body dies. O physical bodies, you shall take an ahd that you will be saved from being a servant to satan and become a servant to Me.
The 7th verse of Surah Al-Ma'idah confirms this scene:
5/AL-MA'IDAH-7: And remember the blessing of Allah upon you and your misak with which He bound you when you said, "We hear and we obey." And be pious (owner of taqwa) to Allah. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of that within the breasts.
That day, we said, "Sami'na wa ata'na — We hear and we obey." And Allah made these three obligations fard (obligatory) upon us. In the Holy Qur'ân, the words misak, ahd, and oath express three different dimensions of the same truth in the pre-eternity.
The Misak of Our Spirit: To Reach Allah
The spirit's obligation in the pre-eternity is referred to by the word misak. The 20th and 21st verses of Surah Ar-Ra'd define this misak:
13/AR-RA'D-20: Those who fulfill the ahd of Allah (they surrender their spirits, their faces, their nafs, and their will to Allah). And they do not break their misak.
13/AR-RA'D-21: And those who reach to Allah (their spirits) that which Allah has ordered to be reached to Him (before death). And they fear their Lord and are afraid of the evil reckoning.
Fulfilling the misak of the spirit is to reach the spirit to Allah while the physical body is alive. Allah describes those who break their misak as follows:
13/AR-RA'D-25: And those who break the ahd of Allah after its binding and sever that which Allah has ordered to be joined and cause corruption on earth—for them is the curse, and for them is the worst of homes (hell).
The one who breaks the misak is the one who does not reach his spirit to Allah. Allah also declares that these people cause corruption on earth; for they also prevent others from reaching the Straight Path (Sirati Mustakim).
The Ahd of Our Physical Body: To Be a Servant to Allah
Our physical body's obligation in the pre-eternity is to be saved from being a servant to satan and to become a servant to Allah. The 60th and 61st verses of Surah Ya-Sin declare this ahd directly:
36/YA-SIN-60: Did I not take an ahd from you, O children of Adam, that you should not be a servant to satan? Indeed, he (satan) is to you a clear enemy.
36/YA-SIN-61: And (did I not take an ahd from you) that you should be a servant to Me? This is the Straight Path (Sirati Mustakim).
Our ahd is related to the physical body: to save this body from being a servant to satan and make it a servant to Allah. The ahd of Allah is more comprehensive. The expression "the ahd of Allah" mentioned in Ar-Ra'd-20 encompasses the surrender of the spirit, the face, the nafs, and the will to Allah in sequence.
The Oath of Our Nafs: Cleansing and Purifying the Nafs
The 38th, 39th, and 40th verses of Surah Al-Muddaththir clearly reveal the result of the oath of the nafs:
74/AL-MUDDATHTHIR-38: Every nafs is a hostage for what it has earned.
74/AL-MUDDATHTHIR-39: Except the owners of the oath (the nafs that fulfill their oaths).
74/AL-MUDDATHTHIR-40: They are in gardens (paradise).
The decree of Allah is clear: The nafs that fulfill their oath, meaning those who perform the cleansing and purifying of their nafs, are in paradise. The nafs that cannot fulfill their oath are hostages. So, what exactly is this oath of our nafs?
91/ASH-SHAMS-7: And by the nafs and He who has sevva (designed) it (in a way to transform into the excellent state in 7 stages).
91/ASH-SHAMS-9: He who has performed the cleansing (tezkiye) of it (his nafs) has attained salvation (falah).
Our nafs took an oath to Allah on the Day of Kalu Bala that it would be cleansed and purified. Fulfilling this oath is to illuminate the heart of the nafs step by step and surrender it to Allah. He who completes the cleansing and purification of the nafs attains salvation.
The Ahd and Testament of Allah: The Straight Path (Sirati Mustakim)
Allah did not only take a promise from us; He also made a covenant with us. The 152nd and 153rd verses of Surah Al-An'am also express this ahd as "the testament of Allah":
6/AL-AN'AM-152: ...And fulfill the ahd of Allah. This has He instructed you with, that you may remember.
6/AL-AN'AM-153: And indeed, this is My path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow (other) ways, for you will be separated from His way. This has He instructed you with that you may become pious (owner of taqwa).
The testament of Allah encompasses the surrender of the spirit, the face, the nafs, and the will as a whole. Completing these four surrenders is to become an owner of "Hakka tukatihi takva" — the piety (taqwa) of highest Truth:
3/ALI IMRAN-102: O you who have attained faith (amenu), be pious (owner of taqwa) to Allah with the piety (taqwa) of highest Truth (Hakka tukatihi takva) and do not die except as those who have surrendered (to Allah)!
When the word "Muslim" is evaluated in the light of this verse, it is not merely an identity label; it defines a person who has surrendered his spirit, his face, his nafs, and his will to Allah. Allah Himself gave this name.
Fulfilling the Oaths is Guidance (Hidayah)
Every surrender is a separate guidance (hidayah). The spirit's reaching Allah, the physical body's becoming a servant to Allah, and the cleansing and purifying of the nafs; each of these is defined as guidance in the Holy Qur'ân.
3/ALI IMRAN-73: ...Say, "Indeed, guidance is reaching to Allah. (It is the human spirit reaching to Allah before death.)..."
2/AL-BAQARAH-120: ...Say, "Indeed, reaching to Allah (Allah's reaching the person to Himself), that is the guidance."
The physical body's becoming a servant to Allah is also guidance:
16/AN-NAHL-36: And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, (saying), "Be servants to Allah (by wishing to reach Allah) and avoid taghut." And among them were those whom Allah guided, and among them were those upon whom darkness (misguidance) was deserved.
The cleansing and purifying of the nafs is also guidance. The 22nd and 23rd verses of Surah Az-Zumar report the illumination of the heart of the nafs by the lights coming from Allah as "the guidance of Allah":
39/AZ-ZUMAR-23: ...That is the guidance of Allah by which He guides whom He wills. And whoever Allah leaves in darkness (misguidance), there is no Guide (teacher) for him.
The three oaths taken on the Day of Kalu Bala — the misak of the spirit, the ahd of the physical body, and the oath of the nafs — are also the gates to three separate guidances. He who fulfills these oaths attains the honor of being a servant who deserves Allah's paradise and consent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Day of Kalu Bala?
Kalu Bala is the moment in the pre-eternity when mankind, before coming to this world, answered "Bala — Yes!" to Allah's question, "Am I not your Lord?" It is reported in Al-A'raf-172.
What does Bazm-i Alast mean?
Bazm-i Alast refers to the meeting in the pre-eternity where the question "Alastu birabbikum — Am I not your Lord?" was asked. "Bezm" means assembly/meeting, and "Elest" is the first word of this question.
What is the difference between an oath, a misak, and an ahd?
Misak is the promise the spirit gave to Allah, ahd is the promise the physical body gave, and the oath is the promise the nafs gave. Misak encompasses the spirit's reaching Allah, ahd encompasses the physical body's being saved from being a servant to satan and becoming a servant to Allah, and the oath encompasses the cleansing and purifying of the nafs.
Who are the "owners of the oath" mentioned in Surah Al-Muddaththir?
They are the people who fulfilled the oath they gave for their nafs in the pre-eternity, meaning those who cleansed and purified their nafs. Allah declares that the owners of the oath will be in paradise.
What does it mean to break one's misak?
According to Ar-Ra'd-25, the one who breaks his misak is the person who does not reach his spirit to Allah while the physical body is alive. Allah characterizes these people as those who cause corruption on earth.
What is the difference between the ahd of Allah and our ahd?
Our ahd is related to the physical body: to be saved from being a servant to satan and to become a servant to Allah. The ahd of Allah is more comprehensive; it includes the surrender of the spirit, the face, the nafs, and the will together.
What does the testament of Allah mean?
The testament of Allah mentioned in Al-An'am-152 and 153 encompasses the surrender of the spirit, the face, the nafs, and the will, and following the Straight Path (Sirati Mustakim). Allah declared this testament so that people might become pious (owners of taqwa).
Why is the fulfillment of the oaths defined as guidance?
Because according to the Qur'ân, every surrender is a separate guidance. The spirit's reaching Allah (Ali Imran-73), the physical body's becoming a servant to Allah (An-Nahl-36), and the cleansing and purifying of the nafs (Az-Zumar-23) have been reported as separate guidances.