Is the covenant the pledge of allegiance?

The questioner : We also spoke with many of the young men who call for these organizations, and we mentioned to them the hadiths reported on this matter, the evidence, and the legal principles regarding the issue of the pledge of allegiance. They said, "Now, we are not performing a pledge of allegiance; rather, we are making a covenant. It is merely a treaty between us and some of the students." As you graciously mentioned in your answer regarding their argument based on fulfilling covenants, I say to them: What is the evidence for the obligation of the covenant in the first place? Then, if the covenant is made, we bring the evidence for fulfilling covenants. First, this argument... The second point: A treaty is an interaction between two parties, so why do you appoint yourself, while people come to make a treaty with you? Suppose I make a treaty with someone other than you. Suppose I make a treaty with someone other than you. And why do you not come to make a treaty with me? Why is it always that I come to make a treaty with you, and the second and third, and all the people? It is the image of a pledge of allegiance, even if it is called by another name. This answer, O Shaykh, is correct.

The Shaykh : A hundred, correct.

The questioner : May Allah reward you.

The Shaykh : And I add, in the way of variety in expression, if that expression is correct, modern Sufis.

The questioner: Allahu Akbar.