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

== Lineage==

=== Naming, Kunya, and Titles ===

His titles were,al-Baqir, al-Shakir (the thankful to God), and al-Hadi (the guide), the former of which is his most famous title. The meaning of "al-Baqir" is "splitter." Al-Ya'qubi wrote that, "He (a) was named al-Baqir since he split knowledge."<ref>Yaʿqūbī, ''Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī'', Vol. 2, P. 289.</ref> His famous kunya is Abu Ja'far.<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Dalāʾil al-Imāma'', p. 216</ref> In hadith references, he (a) is mostly referred to as Abu Ja'far al-Awwal.

{{Family tree Ahl al-Bayt (a)}}

== Birth==

== Wives and Children ==

{{Shi'a-Vertical}}

The number of the children of Imam al-Baqir (a) was 7, including 5 sons and 2 daughters:

# [[Sultan 'Ali b. al-Imam al-Baqir (a)|'Ali]]

# Zaynab: the mohter of the these two was a concubine.

== Imamate ==

=== Proofs of Imamate ===

=== Contemporary Rulers ===

From 94/712-713 to 114/732-732, there was a period of different schools of [[fiqh]] emerging and narrating many hadiths about [[exegesis]]. This was because of the weakening of the [[Umayyad]] government and the conflicts among statesmen over power. [[Sunni]] scholars, Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri, Makhul al-Shami, 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]].{{citation needed}}

=== Exegesis ===

=== Hadith ===

Imam al-Baqir (a) did not suffice to only narrating and spreading traditions, but he (a) also encouraged his companions to strive in understanding traditions and learning their meanings. In a statement, he (a) said:

=== Kalam ===

=== Debates ===

Jews were among the present groups in society at the time of Imam al-Baqir (a) and they had a deep influence over the culture at that time. Some of the Jewish scholars pretended to become Muslims and others remained openly Jewish. Their 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 instigation in Islamic culture, and renouncing their invented false hadiths about divine [[prophet|prophets]] (a) or issues which tarnished the true face of the Prophets (a). Below is an example:

== Companions and Students ==

The situation at that time prepared a foundation that Imam al-Baqir (a) and [[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]] benefitted highly from. That opportune situation was the result of weakness of the [[Umayyad]] government. Internal crises of their political system did not allow the rulers to suppress the voices of [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]] and isolate them as previous rulers had done. This situation helped Imam al-Baqir (a) and Imam al-Sadiq (a) to give jurisprudential, exegesis-related, ethical opinions in [[fiqh]] and [[hadith]] books.{{citation needed}}

In his book about [[rijal]], [[al-Shaykh al-Tusi]] counted companions of Imam al-Baqir (a) and people who narrated from him as 462 men and two women.{{citation needed}}

[[File:Al-Baqi' before being demolished.jpg|300px|thumb|The historical dome of [[Imams of al-Baqi']] which was destroyed by [[Wahhabism|Wahhabis]] in 1925. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a) is one of the four Shi'a Imams buried here.]]

Although the reports are seemingly different, it is not impossible that they could all be correct to a certain degree. There lies a possibility that several people cooperated in the martyrdom of Imam al-Baqir (a), as the reports refer to each of them. Regarding the violent behavior of Hisham b. 'Abd al-Malik towards Imam al-Baqir (a) and the undeniable enmity of [[Umayyads]] with Imam Ali's (a) descendants, there is no doubt that Hisham had strong motivation to play a role in the martyrdom of Imam al-Baqir (a) even if it were indirectly. Clearly, to have made his plot materialize, Hisham would have used trustworthy people. Therefore, he employed Ibrahim b. al-Walid who was an Umayyad and an enemy of the [[Ahl al-bayt (a)]], who could use a person who could easily enter the home of Imam al-Baqir (a). Through him, the scheming plot of Hisham unfolded and Imam (a) was martyred.{{citation needed}}

== In the Views of Scholars ==

Imam al-Baqir's (a) personality was not only outstanding in the views of the [[Shi'a]] but in the views of Sunni scholars he (a) was a unique personality too. Below, some examples are mentioned:

== See also ==