Baqir al-'Ulum (epithet)

Baqir al-‘Ulum or al-Baqir is the most famous epithet of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a). In the book ‘Ilal al-shara’i’, it is narrated from Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju’fi that in answering the question why the fifth Imam (a) was called “al-Baqir”? He said, “Because, he (a) really split sciences.”

As mentioned in the book Wasilat al-khadim written by Fadl b. Ruzbihan, a Sunni scholar of the 9th and 10th centuries AH, the Prophet (a) granted the fifth Imam (a) the mentioned epithet; and it is mentioned in a narration by Imam al-Sadiq (a) that the Prophet (a) gave the epithet “al-Baqir” to his father Imam al-Baqir (a) as an exclusive merit. The Prophet (a) promised Jabir b. Abdullah Ansari that “you will live [long] until you see my son Muhammad b. Ali b. Husayn b. Ali b. Abi Talib (a), who has been blessed with the epithet al-Baqir in the Torah, and when you meet him, pass my greetings to him.”

Also, in another narration, in the book Tadhkirat al-khawas, written by Sibt b. Jawzi (d. 654 AH), it is said that Imam (a) was called al-Baqir because his forehead was dented due to frequent prostrations.