Imam Muhammad al-Baqir

Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (الإمام محمد الباقر) (First of Rajab 57 AH (676 AD) – Seventh of Dhu al-Hijjah 114 AH (743 AD)) was the fifth Shi'a Imam. Mohammad al-Baqir is the fourth imam according to Isma'ili Faatemi sect. His father was Imam Ali ibn Husayn (fourth Shi'a Imam) and his mother was the daughter of Imam Hassan ibn Ali (second Shi'a Imam), and her name was Fatima bint Hassan ibn Ali. He is highly respected by Sunni Muslims for his religious knowledge and Islamic scholarship.

Birth

Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir was born on the 1st of the month of Rajab, 57th Hijra, in the city of Medina. Because of the resemblance that he had with his grandfather he was named Mohammad, because of it that he analyzed the knowledge and made manifest its secrets he became known with the title of Al-Baqir.

His father was Ali ibn Hussayn and mother Fatimah bint Hassan. He was the first Imam whose lineage ascended and reached the Islamic prophet Muhammad both from the paternal and maternal sides. His life history can be divided into two parts.

• The period before his Imamate which is nearly 35 years and was the peaceful part of his life, led in Medina.
• The Period of Imamate, which stretched, up to twenty years and is counted as the duration of the propagation and dissemination of Islamic knowledge and wisdom.

Expertise

Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir was awarded the title Baqir al-'Ulum (Revealer of Knowledge) because of his religious and judicial knowledge and his enthusiasm to teach. Muhammad Al-Baqir's son, Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (sixth Shi'ah Imam), was his student and benefited from his knowledge. He founded the precursor to Shi`ah jurisprudence.

Sheikh Tusi writes a man from among the Syrians visited Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir and said, "Since you are a man of knowledge and learning your assembly is fruitful, valuable and worthy for me and so I attend your teaching session but I have enmity with you and your lineage." Muhammad Al-Baqir did not reply him.

After a few days that man fell ill. Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir visited him along with his friends and sat by his bed, and enquired after his health. When the Syrian man saw this graciousness and magnanimity of Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir he extremely repented about what he had said, and was ashamed. He did not know what response to give to Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir.

Muhammad Al-Baqir gave orders about his food, treatment to his family members and prayed for him and got up, not very long had passed that he got cured and left the ailment bed. Next day, he made it a point to reach the assembly of Muhammad Al-Baqir and expressed repentance over what he had said and asked for apologies and became one of the permanent and everlasting friends of Muhammad Al-Baqir.

Jabir ibn Abd-Allah faces Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir

Muhammad told one of his pious friends named Jabir ibn Abd-Allah, "Oh Jabir! You will live and will see my son Muhammad ibn Ali (the fifth Imam) whose name in Torah (The Old Testament) is Baqir, convey my compliments (Salam) to him."

Muhammad died and Jabir ibn Abd-Allah remained alive for long times to come. But he devoutly waited for the time when he would meet the fifth Imam. Each morning he would come out from his house, sit by the roadside and wait for the sound of the footsteps to recognize the fifth Imam. One such day while he was waiting in the street of Medina, he heard someone walking towards him, the sound of footsteps reminded him of the way Muhammad used to walk. Jabir stood up, stopped the man and asked his name. He replied, "Muhammad", Jabir asked, "whose son"? He replied "Ali ibn Hussain". Jabir immediately recognized the man he was talking to was the 5th Imam. He kissed his hands and conveyed the message of Muhammad.

Muhammad Al-Baqir's eyes were filled up with tears and he said, "compliments and benediction be upon my grandfather the Prophet of Allah until the Sky and Earth are stable (firm) and upon you too, Oh Jabir ibn Abd-Allah, that you conveyed his compliment to me."

During the Umayyad rulers

Despite his aversion to politics, the Umayyad rulers harassed Muhammad Al-Baqir for fear of his popularity and influence. The actions of his brother and other kinsmen made them distrust him.

Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq said, "One of the years Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik traveled to perform Hajj. On that year, I too along with my father (Muhammad Al-Baqir) went to perform Hajj. I, in a congregation, said, "Praise is for Allah who created the Islamic Prophet Muhammad for the guidance of the people and made us revered and honorable by his existence. We are the selected ones of Allah's creations and His caliphs on earth. Fortunate is the one who follows us and unfortunate is the one who opposes and has enmity with us." The brother of Hisham who was present among the people and was regarded as one of his special spies, reported what he had heard to Hisham. Hisham did not interrupt (molest) us in Mecca but when he reached back Syria he wrote to his representative in Medina, to send my father and me to Syria. The governor of Medina sent us to Syria. When we reached the assembly of Hisham we saw that all the Commanders had gathered over there. Hisham himself was seated upon the throne of authority and all the Commanders were standing before him. They had placed an aim at a distant place and all of them were aiming and shooting (arrows) at it. When we arrived in the court, Hisham held my father in respect, honored him then he said, "Come close and you also take part in shooting."

My father said, "I have grown old, excuse me."

Hisham swore and took oath that he would not let my father go. Obliged, my father held the bow and took aim. The arrow struck in the center of the point (aimed at). Again, he aimed another arrow at it. The arrow struck into the first arrow and split it into two and then struck the aim. He took a third arrow and took aim. The arrow struck the second arrow split it into two, and sat firm on the second place. Similarly my father continued up till the ninth arrow.

Hisham said, "That is all, Oh father of Ja'far, you are the most expert of the people who shoot. Hisham was smoldering and burning in the fire of rage and had repented upon his action. Thereby, he took the decision to kill my father. And to get himself out of the condition he started saying with a glib-tongue (eloquently) "The tribe of Quraish should boast of it over the Arab and Ajam that they have got a person like you."

Hisham enquired, "From where did you learn this expertise and mastery?"

My father replied, "God has bestowed upon us completely every knowledge and perfection, as His favor."

Hisham was greatly enraged and inflamed with my father's words and his face glowed red with anger. He hung his head down for a moment. Then he raised his head and said, "Are we and you not from the lineage of Abd Manaf ibn Qusai?"

Was the Islamic Prophet Muhammad not from Abd Manaf ibn Qusai so that God sent him for the patronage of the people? From where did you inherit this knowledge?"

My father said, "We are a family of revelation and God has given us the specialties which he has not given to others. The Islamic Prophet Muhammad told secrets to his son in law Ali ibn Abi Talib (first Shi'ah Imam and the fourth Sunni Caliph), which he did not tell to the others. Similarly Ali ibn Abi Talib said in Kufa, "The Islamic Prophet Muhammad opened a thousand doors of knowledge before me, so that from each of the doors a thousand other doors are opened."

Oh Hisham, it is we who have inherited that knowledge and wisdom no other persons. Hisham remained silent and ordered that we be sent back to Medina honorably.

Death

Finally, Muhammad Al-Baqir after years of troubles, grief's, labor, and service to the Islamic culture was poisoned by the order of Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik on the 7th of Dhu al-Hijjah 114 Hijra (approximately: January 31, 743) at the age of 57 years. His body was buried beside the graves of other Imams in the graveyard of Jannat al-Baqi.