7th Masoom & 5th Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir a.s
Name |
Muhammad |
Title |
Al-Baqir |
Kunyat |
Abu Jafar |
Born |
Tuesday 1st of Rajab 57 A.H. , at Medina |
Father's Name |
Ali ibn Husain |
Mother's Name |
Fatima binte Hassan |
Died |
At
the age of 59 years, at Medina, on Monday, 7th
Zilhajj 116 AH. Poisoned by Hisham
bin Abdul Malik |
Buried |
Jannat-ul-Baqi |
Birth and Imamate
Imam
Muhammad Baqir(a.s)
was born in the 57th year of the Hijra, on
Friday the first day of the month of Rajab, in the city of
Madina.
His honoured father is Imam
Sajjad(a.s.)
and his revered mother, Fatema, daughter of
Imam Hasan(a.s.).
He was the only Imam who was Alawiite from
both the side of the Mother and the Father. Imam
Sajjad(a.s.),
according to the command of Allah(swt) and
the decree of the Prophet(pbuh&hf),
appointed his son, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir(a.s.),
to Imamate and leadership of the people in the 95 A.H. He remained Imam
for the rest of his life until 114 A.H. and the total period of his
Imamte is 19 years.
Allama Hajr
Makki writes in Sawaeq-e-Moharaqa
(Page 120) that He was the true copy of his father Imam
Sajjad(a.s.)
in knowledge, piousness and prayers &
supplications.
Meaning of Baqir
Baqir
is a derivate of the word 'Baqara' which
means to open up or to expand. Imam Mohammad
Baqir(a.s.)
was named as such since he introduced and spread the knowledge and
teachings of various dimensions and implemented the knowledge streams in
a manner which had never been seen earlier. Allama
Noor Allah Shostri
says in Majalis-al-Momineen (Page 117) that
Prophet Mohammad(pbuh&hf)
said that Imam Mohammad Baqir(a.s.)
will introduce, spread and open up knowledge just like the ground is
opened up for cultivation. Imam Muhammad
Baqir(a.s.)
instructed people in percepts of religion,
taught tafseer-e-Quran, taught them the
ethics of life, and used to strive very hard to educate, culture and
guide the people. During the course of his life, he taught the people
thousands of theological and religious principles, as well as scientific
subjects, and his teachings have been handled down to us.
Imam
Muhammad Baqir(a.s.),
like the other Imams, in knowledge and science had no equal. Great
learned men benefited from his knowledge and science and used to ask him
to solve their problems.
Presence in
Karbala
Imam
Mohammad Baqir(a.s.)
was about two and a half years old when he had to accompany Imam
Hussain(a.s.)
and the rest of his family members on the journey to
Karbala.
After the tiring journey from Madina to
Karbala,
he witnessed the shocking and tragic events of
Karbala
and then the heart rapturing events in Syria
and Iraq. After one year of detention in Damascus he returned in 62 A.H.
to Madina whe he
was 4 years.
Meeting with Jabir ibn-e-Abdullah
Ansari(r.a.)
It is
a proven fact that Prophet Mohammad(pbuh&hf)
had informed about the birth of Imam Mohammad Baqir(a.s.)
about 64 years before his birth. Sheikh Saduq(a.r.)
states in his book Amali (page 353) - Imam
Jafer Sadiq(a.s.)
narrates that one day Prophet Mohammad(pbuh&hf)
said to Hazrat Jabir
ibn-e-Abdullah Ansari(r.a.)
"you will stay alive untill you meet my son
Mohammad bin Ali bin Hussain bin Ali
ibn-e-Abi Talib(a.s.)
who is mentioned in the Torah as Baqir. Give
him my salutation (salam) when you meet
him". One day when Jabir visited Imam
Zain-ul-Abideen(a.s.),
he saw the young boy sitting next to the Imam(a.s.).
He addressed the young boy and asked him to come closer and show his
back. Then he proclaimed that by God, that young boy had the features
and traits of the Prophet Mohammad(pbuh&hf).
Then he asked Imam Sajjad(a.s.)
who the young boy was and Imam(a.s.) replied
that he was his son and the successor to the Imamate and his name was
Mohammad Baqir(a.s.).
Hearing this, Jabir(r.a.)
rose up and kissed the young Imam and said "Son of
Rasool Allah(pbuh&hf), may I be taken
ransom for you, accept the salutation (salam)
of Rasool Allah(pbuh&hf).
He asked me to convey it to you". Imam Jafer
Sadiq(a.s.)
states that his father burst into tears on hearing this and said "Jabir
my salutation to my grand father until this sky and earth survives. You
conveyed the salam of my grand father to me
so I convey my salam
to you as well".
Imam
Mohammad Baqir and Abu
Hanifa
The
founder of the
Hanafi
School of thougth, Imam Abu
Hanifa was a disciple and student of Imam
Mohammad Baqir(a.s.)
for a long period. He used to study fiqh and
ilm-e-hadees and other branches of knowledge
from the Imam(a.s.)
and both Shia and Sunni
Ulema agree that most of his knowledge was derived and obtained
from Imam Mohammad Baqir(a.s.).
Allama Shabrawi
Shafaee writes that on several
occassions Imam Mohammad
Baqir(a.s.)
tested Abu Hanifa on matters of
fiqh and Abu Hanifa
could not answer them and then Imam Baqir(a.s.)
explained the reasoning and logics to him.
Abu
Hanifa was also an associate of his son Imam
Jafer
Sadiq(a.s.)
and benefitted a lot from his knowledge as
well.
His
Death and burial
In 100
A.H. Hashsham bin Abdul
Malik became the Caliph. He was a known enemy of the
Ahl-e-Bait(a.s.)
and he did not waste any opportunity to bring hardship to the
Ahl-e-Bait(a.s.).
Allam Majlisi
writes that during the last days of his caliphate,
Hashsham came to Makkah for Hajj.
Imam Mohammad Baqir(a.s.)
and his son Imam Jafer
Sadiq(a.s.) were also present.
Hashsham was informed that Imam
Jafer Sadiq(a.s.)
delivered a sermon among the Hajis that he
and his father were the Allah's vicegerent and His command on earth and
whoever was their friend and well wisher will go to heaven and whoever
is thier enemy will be destined to hell.
This infuriated Hashsham and when he reached
Damasacus, he ordered the governor of
Madina, Ibrahim
bin Walid to send the two
Imams(a.s.) to
his court. Hashsham had planned to malign
the Imams in his court but the Imams(a.s.)
overturned his plans which further ignited his enmity and he
orderd the Imams(a.s.)
to be jailed. While in the jail, Imam Mohammad
Baqir(a.s.)
gave sermons to the other prisoners which created an atmosphere of great
enthusiaism and devotion towards the Imam(a.s.)
and against Hashsham and
sensin the gravity of the situations and the
risk of a revolt, Hashsham ordered the
release of the Imam(a.s.). He then ordered
the governor of Madina that Imam Mohammad
Baqir(a.s.)
should be poisoned as he is becoming a constant threat (Jala-ul-Ayoon
Page 262). The governor of Madina -
Ibrahim bin Walid
carried out the orders and poisoned the Imam(a.s.)
in 114 A.H.
Imam
Muhammad Baqir(a.s.),
lived in this world for a period of 57 years, and in the 114th year of
the Hijra, on the seventh day of the month
of Zil-Hijjah, in Medina he left this world.
His body was buried in Baqi
cemetry alongside the graves of Imam
Hasan(a.s.)
and Imam Sajjad(a.s)
in Medina.
His
last will and instructions
Before
his martyrdom, Imam Mohammad Baqir(a.s.)
instructed his son Imam Jafer
Sadiq(a.s.)
about several issues and said to him that he is hearing the voice of his
father who is calling him(Noor
ul Absar Page
131). He gave special instructions for his kafan
and burial since only an Imam can say the prayers of an Imam (Shawahi-un-Nabowah
page 181). Allama
Majlisi states that in his will, he also mentioned that 800
Dirhams should be spent on his
azadari and mourning and arrangement should
be made that the Hajj pilgrims would commamorate
his martyrdon in Mina for the next 10 years.
Ulema also mention that in his will, the
Imam(a.s.) also
mentioned that his kafn should be opened
after his burial and his grave should not be higher that 4 fingers. |