Is the pledge of allegiance (bay'ah) made by party members to their leader, or by Sufis to their sheikhs, while a ruler is in place, considered a religious innovation (bid'ah)?

Question:
May Allah reward you. Your Eminence, father, the questioner says: In His saying, the Exalted: , does this verse imply that the pledge of allegiance (bay'ah) made by the members of the groups to their leader, while there is a ruler in the state, or by the members of the Sufi orders to their shaykhs, is a blameworthy religious innovation (bid'ah)?

Answer:
There is no doubt that it is a blameworthy religious innovation (bid'ah), because from the beginning to the end of Islam, the pledge of allegiance is not made except to the ruler, to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and then to his successors. The pledge of allegiance was not made to anyone else, so it is a religious innovation (bid'ah). And these people do not believe in the authority of the rulers; they only pledge allegiance because they do not [acknowledge them]. This is considered an act of the Khawarij. We ask Allah for well-being. Yes.