HAZRAT MUHAMMAD BIN ALI AL-BAQAR (AS)
| Name: Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s.) Mother: Umm Abdullah, the daughter of Imam Hasan (a.s.). Kunniyat (Patronymic): Abu Ja'far. Laqab (Title): Al Baqir. Birth: He was born at Madina in the year 57 A.H. Martyrdom: He died of poisoning in Madina in 114 A.H. and is also buried at Baqi near his father. |
A Short Life History
Birth and Imamate
Imam Muhammad baqir (pbuh) was born in the 57th year of the Hijra, on Friday the first day of the month of Rajab, in the city of Medina. His honored father is Imam Sajjad (pbuh) and his revered mother, Fatima, daughter of Imam Hasan (pbuh). He was the only Imam who was Alawiite from both the side of the Mother and the Father. Imam Sajjad (pbuh), according to the command of Allah and the decree of the Prophet (pbuh), appointed his son, Imam Muhammad baqir (pbuh), 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 Imamate is 19 years. Allama Hajr Makki writes in Sawa’eq-e-Moharaqa (Page 120) that He was the true copy of his father Imam Sajjad (pbuh) 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 (pbuh) 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) said that Imam Mohammad baqir (pbuh) will introduce, spread and open up knowledge just like the ground is opened up for cultivation. Imam Muhammad baqir (pbuh) instructed people in percepts of religion, taught exegesis of 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 (pbuh), 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 (pbuh) was about two and a half years old when he had to accompany Imam Hosein (pbuh) and the rest of his family members on the journey to Karbala. After the tiring journey from Medina to Karbala, he witnessed the shocking and tragic events ofKarbala and then the heart-rupturing events inSyria and Iraq. After one year of detention in Damascus he returned in 62 A.H. to Medina when he was 4 years.His traditions and students
During the Imamate of the Imam baqir, as a result of the injustice of the Umayyads, revolts and wars broke out in some corner of the Islamic world every day. Moreover, there were disputes within the Umayyad family itself which kept the caliphate busy and to a certain extent left the members of the Household of the Prophet alone. From the other side, the tragedy of Karbala and the oppression suffered by the Household of the Prophet , of which the Fourth Imam was the most noteworthy embodiment , had attracted many Muslims to the Imam. These factors combined to make it possible for people and especially the Shiites to go in great numbers toMedina and to come into the presence of the Imam. Possibilities for disseminating the truth about Islam and the sciences of the Household of the Prophet, which had never existed for the Imams before him, were presented by Imam baqir. The proof of this fact is the innumerable traditions recounted from the Fifth Imam and the large number of illustrious men of science and Shiite scholars who were trained by him in different Islamic sciences. These names are listed in books of biographies of famous men in Islam.
Meeting with Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari
It is a proven fact that Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) had informed about the birth of Imam Mohammad baqir (pbuh) about 64 years before his birth. Sheikh Saduq states in his book Amali (page 353) - Imam Jafer Sadiq (pbuh) narrates that one day Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) said to Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari "you will stay alive until you meet my son Mohammad bin Ali bin Hosein bin Ali bin Abi Talib (pbuh)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 (pbuh), he saw the young boy sitting next to the Imam (pbuh). 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). Then he asked Imam Sajjad (pbuh) who the young boy was and Imam (pbuh) replied that he was his son and the successor to the Imamate and his name was Mohammad baqir (pbuh). Hearing this, Jabir rose up and kissed the young Imam and said "Son of Prophet (pbuh), may I be taken ransom for you, accept the salutation (salam) of Prophet (pbuh). He asked me to convey it to you". Imam Jafer Sadiq (pbuh) 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 grandfather to me so I convey my salam to you as well".
No comments:
Post a Comment