Imam Muhammad b. Ali al-Baqir (a): Difference between revisions

From 94 to 114 AH (713 to 732), there was a period of emerging different schools of [[fiqh]] and narrating many hadiths about [[Tafsir]] and this is because of the weakening of [[Umayyad]] government and the conflicts among statesmen to take the power. Among [[Sunni]] scholars, [[Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri]], [[Makhul al-Shami]], [[Hisham b. 'Urwa b. Zubayr|Hisham b. 'Urwa]], etc. were active in narrating hadiths and issuing [[Fatwa]] and other groups tried to spread their own beliefs such as [[Khawarij]], [[Murji'a]], [[Kaysaniyya]], and [[Ghulat]].

Although the Shi'i viewpoints were still limited at that time and included [[Adhan]], [[Taqiyya]], [[funeral prayer]], etc., there was a great step taken after Imam al-Baqir (a) and an admirable cultural movement emerged from the Shi'a. It was in this age that Shi'a school of thought began establishing its culture which included [[fiqh]], [[tafsir]], and [[ethics]].

Imam al-Baqir (a) strongly rejected reasoning of the followers of analogy<ref>al-Hurr al-'Amili, ''Wasa'il al-shi'a'', Vol.18, P.39</ref> and took sharp stances against other Islamic sects and this way tried to separate the authentic ideological domain of the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]] in different fields from other sects. About Khawarij, he (a) said, "Khawarij took it hard on themselves out of ignorance; while religion is more lenient and flexible than how they know it.<ref>al-Shaykh al-Tusi, ''al-Tahdhib'', Vol.1, P.241</ref>"

Imam (a) had dedicated a part of his time to explain tafsir issues by holding tafsir sessions and answering the questions of scholars and other people. It is said that Imam al-Baqir (a) wrote a book in [[Tafsir]] of the [[Qur'an]] which Muhammad b. Ishaq Nadim has mentioned in his ''al-Fihrist''<ref>Ibn Nadim, ''al-Fihrist'', P.59; al-Sharif al-Qurashi, Baqir, ''Hayat al-Imam Muhammad al-Baqir'', Vol.1, P. 174</ref>.

Imam (a) considered the knowledge of the Qur'an only held by the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]], since it is only they who can distinguish the [[Muhkamat|clear issues]] in the Qur'an from [[Mutashabihat|unclear ones]] and the [[Nasikh|abrogating]] from the [[Mansukh|abrogated]]. And such a power is not held by anyone other than the Ahl al-Bayt (a) and thus Imam al-Baqir (a) said, "Nothing is farther than Tafsir of the Qur'an from the reason of people; since, a [[verse]] which is an cohesive speech, the beginning of which happens to be about one issue and the end of it about another issue and this cohesive speech is interpreted from different aspects.<ref>Group of authors, ''Pishwayan-i hidayat'', P.320</ref>"

Imam al-Baqir (a) paid a particular attention to [[hadith|hadiths]] (or traditions) from the [[Prophet (s)]] to the extent that [[Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju'fi]] narrated 70,000 traditions from the noble Prophet (s). Also, [[Aban b. Taghlib]] and other students of Imam al-Baqir (a) narrated a great number of this tremendous legacy from the Imam (a).

At the time of Imam al-Baqir (a), due to opportunity and the lessening of pressure and control of the government, the foundations for emerging and expression of different beliefs and thoughts were laid and this caused deviant thoughts in society. In this situation, the Imam (a) had to announce genuine and authentic Shi'a beliefs, renounce and reject false beliefs, and answer related questions. Therefore, he (a) held his theological discussions with the direction towards the mentioned issues. Among such issues is the inability of human intellect from understanding the truth of [[God]]<ref>al-Kulayni, ''al-Kafi'', Vol.1, P.82</ref>, eternal existence of the [[Necessary Existent]]<ref>al-Kulayni, ''al-Kafi'', PP.88-9</ref>, and the necessity of obedience that the Imam (a)<ref>al-Kulayni, ''al-Kafi'', Vol.1, P.185</ref> addressed.

Other legacies left from Imam (a) are jurisprudential<ref>Group of authors, ''Pishwayan-i hidayat'', Vol.7, PP.341-7</ref> and historical legacies<ref>Group of authors, ''Pishwayan-i hidayat'', Vol.7, PP.330-4</ref>.

* [[Imam al-Baqir's (a) Debate with Christians' bishop|Imam's (a) debate with Christians' bishop]]

Jews were among the present groups in society at the time of Imam (a) and they had a deep influence over the culture at that time. Some of the Jewish scholars pretended to become Muslim and some others were remained openly Jewish's influence spread in the Islamic society and thus, they became the authorities of some simple-minded people. Imam's (a) reaction included fighting with the Jews and their malicious instigations in Islamic culture and renouncing their invented false hadiths about divine [[prophet|prophets]] (a) and issues which tarnished the true face of Prophets (a). Here is given an example:

[[Zurara b. A'yan|Zurara]] narrated that, "I was sitting before Imam al-Baqir (a) while he (a) was facing [[Kaaba]] said, 'Looking at the Kaaba is an act of worship.' At that time, a man called 'Asim b. 'Umar came to Imam (a) and said [[Ka'b al-Ahbar]] says, 'Every morning, Kaaba prostrates towards [[Jerusalem]].' Imam (a) said, 'What do you think about the opinion of Ka'b al-Ahbar?' The man answered, 'His talk is right.' Imam al-Baqir (a) said, 'You and Ka'b al-Ahbar both are lying [wrong],' then angrily said, '[[God]] has not created a monument more beloved than Kaaba on earth"<ref>al-Majlisi, ''Bihar al-anwar'', Vol.46, P.354</ref>.