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

 

 

[[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] said Imam al-Baqir (a) was superior to all his brothers in knowledge, piety, and dignity. He had a higher position in relation to his siblings. Everyone praised him with glory and he was respected by the Suuni and Shi'a scholars. He (a) had knowledge of religion, the [[Qur'an]], ethics, and morals to such a great extent, that even these had not been formerly taught by any of the children of al-Hasan (a) and al-Husayn (a). The rest of the [[companions of the Prophet (s)]], noble ones among the [[Tabi'un|Followers]], and highest ranking of fiqh scholars have narrated from him. His position in merits and nobility reached a level of being exemplary among the people of knowledge. They wrote works and composed poems to praise his personality<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād '', vol. 2, p. 157.</ref>.

Before this time, Shi'a jurisprudential viewpoints were clarified in a few issues like adhan, taqiyya, funeral prayer, .... By the begining of Imam al-Baqir's (a) imamate a great scientific movement by him emerged in Shi'a which reached its peak at the time of his son, Imam al-Sadiq (a).  He (a) was superior to all nobles of Banu Hashim in knowledge, piety, dignity, and merits. His narrations in religion, conduct of the Prophet (s), Qur'an sciences, moral conduct, and manners are more than what remained from the children of Imam al-Hasan (a) and Imam al-Husayn (a) until then.<ref>Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', vol. 2, p. 507.</ref> It was in this period that Shi'a started to well establish its culture-including fiqh, exegiseis, and ethics.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Ḥayāt-i fikrī wa sīyāsī-yi imāmān-i Shīʿa'', p. 295.</ref>

The scientific fame of Imam al-Baqir (a) was not only known in [[Hijaz]] but also had spread in [[Iraq]] and [[Khurasan]], there is even a report saying about the Imam (a), "I saw people of [[Khurasan]] had circled around him and asked him their scientific questions."<ref>Kulaynī,''al-Kāfī'', vol. 6, p. 357; Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 46, p. 357.</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]]. Such power is not held by anyone other than the Ahl al-Bayt (a) and thus Imam al-Baqir (a) said, "Nothing is farther than exegesis of the Qur'an from the reason of people; since, a [[verse]] which is a 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>''Pīshwāyān-i hidāyat'', p. 320.</ref>

At the time of Imam al-Baqir (a), the emerging foundations and expression of different beliefs and thoughts were rife, due to opportunity and the lack of pressure and control by the government; this caused deviant thoughts in society. In this situation, Imam al-Baqir (a) had to announce authentic Islamic beliefs, denounce 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 was the inability of human intellect from understanding the truth of [[God]]<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 1, p. 82.</ref>, eternal existence of the [[Necessary Existent]]<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 1, p.88-89.</ref>, and the necessity of obedience of Imam<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'',  vol. 1, p. 185.</ref>.

 

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

 

::[[Zurara b. A'yan]] narrated that, "I was sitting before Imam al-Baqir (a) while he (a) was facing [[Ka'ba]], he said, 'Looking at the Ka'ba 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, Ka'ba 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 are both incorrect,' then angrily said, '[[God]] has not created a monument more beloved than Ka'ba on earth".<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 46, p. 354.</ref>

From the viewpoint of Shi'a scholars, the most prominent fiqh scholars of the beginning centuries of Islam were six people who were all companions of Imam al-Baqir (a) and Imam al-Sadiq (a): Zurara b. A'yan, [[Ma'ruf b. Kharrabudh al-Makki]], [[Abu Basir al-Asadi]], [[Fudayl b. Yasar al-Basri]], Muhammad b. Muslim and [[Burayd b. Mu'awiya al-'Ijli]].<ref>Ibn Shahrāshūb,''Manāqib'', vol. 4, p. 211.</ref>

However, there should be no claim that Imam al-Baqir (a) was free from restrictions which governments imposed on the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]]; rather, undoubtedly the ruling atmosphere of the life of Imam al-Baqir (a) was in a state of [[Taqiyya]]. At that point, culture was inflicted upon the society as a result of the ruling of unjust governments. Leaving Taqiyya meant abandoning scientific activities and preaching principle teachings of religion.{{citation needed}}

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}}

Ibn Hajar al-Haytami wrote, "Abu Ja'far Muhammad al-Baqir (a) had disclosed so many hidden treasures of sciences, truth behind rulings, and points of wisdom that are not hidden except to ignorant or ill-wishers and thus they have called him Baqir al-'ilm [splitter of knowledge]. He is a great source and the one who establishes knowledge. He (a) spent his life in worship of God and in the ranks of mystics, he reached a status beyond description. He (a) has many words in the journey towards [[God]] and Islamic teachings"<ref>Ibn Hajar , ''al-Ṣawāʿiq al-muḥraqah'', p. 201.</ref>

About Imam al-Baqir (a), [[al-Dhahabi]] wrote, "He (a) is among those who have gathered knowledge, its observation, dignity, honor, reliability, serenity and he (a) was competent for [[caliphate]]".<ref>Dhahabī,  ''Sīyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ'', vol. 4, p. 402.</ref>

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