Muḥammad al-Bāqir ( ar, مُحَمَّد ٱلْبَاقِر), with the full name Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, also known as Abū Jaʿfar or simply al-Bāqir () was the fifth
Imam in Shia Islam, succeeding his father,
Zayn al-Abidin
ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn ( ar, علي بن الحسين زين العابدين), also known as al-Sajjād (, ) or simply as Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn (), , was an Imam in Shiʻi Islam after his father Husayn ibn Ali, his uncle Hasan ...
, and succeeded by his son,
Ja'far al-Sadiq
Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Ṣādiq ( ar, جعفر بن محمد الصادق; 702 – 765 CE), commonly known as Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (), was an 8th-century Shia Muslim scholar, jurist, and theologian.. He was the founder of th ...
. His mother,
Fatima Umm Abd Allah, was the daughter of
Hasan, making al-Baqir the first Imam who descended from both grandsons of
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mo ...
, namely,
Hasan and
Husayn
Hussein, Hussain, Hossein, Hossain, Huseyn, Husayn, Husein or Husain (; ar, حُسَيْن ), coming from the triconsonantal root Ḥ-S-i-N ( ar, ح س ی ن, link=no), is an Arabic name which is the diminutive of Hassan, meaning "good", " ...
.
Al-Baqir was born in
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the second-holiest city in Islam, and the capital of the ...
, about the time when
Mu'awiya I () was working to secure the succession of his son,
Yazid. As a child, al-Baqir witnessed the tragedy of
Karbala, in which all of his male relatives were massacred, except his father who was too ill to participate in the fighting. As a young man, al-Baqir witnessed the power struggles between the
Umayyads Umayyads may refer to:
*Umayyad dynasty, a Muslim ruling family of the Caliphate (661–750) and in Spain (756–1031)
*Umayyad Caliphate (661–750)
:*Emirate of Córdoba (756–929)
:*Caliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ( ar, خ ...
,
Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and various Shia groups, while his father resigned from political activities.
Al-Baqir is revered by both
Shia
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, mo ...
and
Sunni Muslims as an eminent expert in jurisprudence, the exegesis of the Quran, the science of hadith, and theology. Though he was a resident of Medina, his main following was in
Kufa
Kufa ( ar, الْكُوفَة ), also spelled Kufah, is a city in Iraq, about south of Baghdad, and northeast of Najaf. It is located on the banks of the Euphrates River. The estimated population in 2003 was 110,000. Currently, Kufa and Najaf a ...
, Iraq, where he attracted a number of distinguished theologians. Al-Baqir is credited with laying the foundations of Twelver Shia, including a coherent theory of
imamate, which was further developed by his son and successor,
Jafar al-Sadiq
Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Ṣādiq ( ar, جعفر بن محمد الصادق; 702 – 765 CE), commonly known as Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (), was an 8th-century Shia Muslim scholar, jurist, and theologian.. He was the founder of th ...
. Like his father, al-Baqir adopted a policy of quiescence, and reportedly attempted to dissuade his half-brother,
Zayd, from prematurely revolting against the Umayyads.
According to
Tabatabai, al-Baqir was poisoned by
Ibrahim ibn al-Walld, during his brief reign. Though 114 AH (732) and 117 (735) are commonly reported, there are different views about the date and cause of al-Baqir's death.
Ancestry
Al-Baqir descended from a prominent
lineage. His father was
Ali ibn Husayn
ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn ( ar, علي بن الحسين زين العابدين), also known as al-Sajjād (, ) or simply as Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn (), , was an Imam in Shiʻi Islam after his father Husayn ibn Ali, his uncle Hasan ...
, known also by the honorific title Zayn al-Abidin, and his paternal grandfather was
Husayn
Hussein, Hussain, Hossein, Hossain, Huseyn, Husayn, Husein or Husain (; ar, حُسَيْن ), coming from the triconsonantal root Ḥ-S-i-N ( ar, ح س ی ن, link=no), is an Arabic name which is the diminutive of Hassan, meaning "good", " ...
, while his mother was
Fatima Umm Abd Allah, and his maternal grandfather was
Hasan. His grandfathers, Hasan and Husayn, were the two eldest surviving sons of Ali through his first wife,
Fatima, daughter of the Islamic prophet,
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mo ...
.
Name
The honorific title al-Baqir is an abbreviation of Baqir al-'ilm, which means either 'the one who splits knowledge open' (brings it to light) or 'the one who possesses great knowledge'. According to
Ibn Khallikan
Aḥmad bin Muḥammad bin Ibrāhīm bin Abū Bakr ibn Khallikān) ( ar, أحمد بن محمد بن إبراهيم بن أبي بكر ابن خلكان; 1211 – 1282), better known as Ibn Khallikān, was a 13th century Shafi'i Islamic scholar w ...
, Muhammad ibn Ali received the honorific title al-Baqir () because of the ample fund of knowledge he possessed.
Ya'qubi
ʾAbū l-ʿAbbās ʾAḥmad bin ʾAbī Yaʿqūb bin Ǧaʿfar bin Wahb bin Waḍīḥ al-Yaʿqūbī (died 897/8), commonly referred to simply by his nisba al-Yaʿqūbī, was an Arab Muslim geographer and perhaps the first historian of world cul ...
, however, writes that al-Baqir received this title because he split knowledge open by scrutinizing and examining its depths. In Shia belief, al-Baqir's title was designated by the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. The Shia
al-Kulayni
Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn Yaʿqūb ibn Iṣḥāq al Kulaynī ar Rāzī ( Persian: ar, أَبُو جَعْفَر مُحَمَّد ٱبْن يَعْقُوب إِسْحَاق ٱلْكُلَيْنِيّ ٱلرَّازِيّ; c. 250 AH/864 CE ...
writes that the prophet's only surviving companion,
Jabir ibn Abd Allah, commonly addressed Muhammad ibn Ali as "O Baqir al-'ilm," telling the
Medinan residents about Muhammad's prophesy, "O Jabir! You will meet a man from my family who will have the same name and the same characteristics as mine. He will split open knowledge extensively." According to
al-Kulayni
Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn Yaʿqūb ibn Iṣḥāq al Kulaynī ar Rāzī ( Persian: ar, أَبُو جَعْفَر مُحَمَّد ٱبْن يَعْقُوب إِسْحَاق ٱلْكُلَيْنِيّ ٱلرَّازِيّ; c. 250 AH/864 CE ...
, Jabir first met Muhammad ibn Ali when the latter was still a child and identified him from the prophet's description. After confirming his identity, Jabir approached Muhammad ibn Ali, kissed his forehead and gave the prophet's regards.
Another Shia account relates that
Caliph
A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...
Hisham met with al-Baqir's half brother,
Zayd, and rudely referred to him as (). Zayd replied that it was the prophet
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mo ...
who had given his brother the title al-Baqir and then reprimanded Hisham for opposing the prophet. This narration suggests, according to Lalani, that al-Baqir was known by this title before he was born.
Biography
Al-Baqir was born in
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the second-holiest city in Islam, and the capital of the ...
about 56
AH (676 AD), around the time
Muawiyah I was working to secure the caliphate of his son,
Yazid I
Yazid ibn Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan ( ar, يزيد بن معاوية بن أبي سفيان, Yazīd ibn Muʿāwiya ibn ʾAbī Sufyān; 64611 November 683), commonly known as Yazid I, was the second caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate. He ruled from ...
. When al-Baqir was a three or four years old, his family suffered the tragedy of
Karbala, where his grandfather, Husayn, was killed by the forces of Yazid, alongside many of his relatives and supporters. In particular,
al-Yaqubi
ʾAbū l-ʿAbbās ʾAḥmad bin ʾAbī Yaʿqūb bin Ǧaʿfar bin Wahb bin Waḍīḥ al-Yaʿqūbī (died 897/8), commonly referred to simply by his nisba al-Yaʿqūbī, was an Arab Muslim geographer and perhaps the first historian of world cult ...
maintains that al-Baqir was also present at
Karbala. In his youth, al-Baqir witnessed the struggle for power between the
Umayyads Umayyads may refer to:
*Umayyad dynasty, a Muslim ruling family of the Caliphate (661–750) and in Spain (756–1031)
*Umayyad Caliphate (661–750)
:*Emirate of Córdoba (756–929)
:*Caliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ( ar, خ ...
,
Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and various Shia groups, while his father, Zayn al-Abidin, remained politically quiescent. Al-Baqir became Imam upon the death of his father in 94 or 95 AH and he too adopted a quiescent approach but was nevertheless harassed by the
Umayyad
The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE; , ; ar, ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة, al-Khilāfah al-ʾUmawīyah) was the second of the four major caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. The caliphate was ruled by the ...
rulers, as Kohlberg writes. Al-Baqir, however, enjoyed certain liberties as the Umayyads were busy infighting and quelling revolts, according to Tabatabai. He became the focus of growing Shia loyalties as many Kufan
Shia
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, mo ...
delegations visited him in
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the second-holiest city in Islam, and the capital of the ...
to attend his teaching circle and ask questions.
Abd al-Malik's reign (685-705 CE)
Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, the fifth Umayyad caliph, is said to have issued an Islamic gold coinage for the first time, replacing the Byzantine coins, at the suggestion of al-Baqir. Sharif al-Qarashi writes that Abd al-Malik consulted Muhammad al-Baqir about the threatening letters he had received from the
Byzantine emperor
This is a list of the Byzantine emperors from the foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD, which marks the conventional start of the Byzantine Empire, Eastern Roman Empire, to Fall of Constantinople, its fall to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. On ...
after Abd al-Malik forbade the Christian motto (
Father
A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. An adoptive fathe ...
,
Son
A son is a male offspring; a boy or a man in relation to his parents. The female counterpart is a daughter. From a biological perspective, a son constitutes a first degree relative.
Social issues
In pre-industrial societies and some current c ...
, and the
Holy Spirit) across Muslim territories. In response, the Byzantine emperor threatened Abd al-Malik with engraving insulting words to
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mo ...
on the Byzantine coins. When Abd al-Malik consulted al-Baqir about this, the latter proposed issuing Islamic coinage to replace the Byzantine ''denarius''.
Umar II's reign (717-720 CE)
Umar II
Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz ( ar, عمر بن عبد العزيز, ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz; 2 November 680 – ), commonly known as Umar II (), was the eighth Umayyad caliph. He made various significant contributions and reforms to the society, and ...
is often considered the most pious Umayyad ruler. He is said to have been favorably disposed to al-Baqir and, after meeting with him, even returned
Fadak to the Alids.
According to Kohlberg, in a narration apparently propagated by the anti-Alids and recorded by
Ibn Sa'd
Abū ‘Abd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Sa‘d ibn Manī‘ al-Baṣrī al-Hāshimī or simply Ibn Sa'd ( ar, ابن سعد) and nicknamed ''Scribe of Waqidi'' (''Katib al-Waqidi''), was a scholar and Arabian biographer. Ibn Sa'd was born in 784/785 C ...
, al-Baqir identified
Umar II
Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz ( ar, عمر بن عبد العزيز, ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz; 2 November 680 – ), commonly known as Umar II (), was the eighth Umayyad caliph. He made various significant contributions and reforms to the society, and ...
as the
Mahdi
The Mahdi ( ar, ٱلْمَهْدِيّ, al-Mahdī, lit=the Guided) is a messianic figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the end of times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a descendant of Muhammad w ...
, the promised savior in Islam. According to a Shia source, however, al-Baqir prophesied that Umar will be caliph, will do his best to spread justice, and will be honored by the inhabitants of the earth upon his death but cursed by the inhabitants of heaven because he had usurped Imam's right to the caliphate.
Hisham's reign (724-743 CE)
Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik summoned al-Baqir to Damascus several times and held him in prison at least once, according to Kohlberg. Al-Baqir was then sent back to Medina with escorts who were ordered not to give him any food or water. Al-Baqir emerged victorious in a debate with Nafi, a of the second caliph,
Umar
ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb ( ar, عمر بن الخطاب, also spelled Omar, ) was the second Rashidun caliph, ruling from August 634 until his assassination in 644. He succeeded Abu Bakr () as the second caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate ...
, who had challenged al-Baqir at the request of Caliph Hisham. Possibly on another occasion, according to Momen, Hisham summoned al-Baqir and his son, Jafar, to Damascus and was defeated by him in a debate about whether Ali possessed knowledge of unseen.
Death
![Grave Fatema(single one) and other Imams](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Grave_Fatema%28single_one%29_and_other_Imams.JPG)
Though 114 AH (732) and 117 (735) are commonly reported, there is considerable disagreement about the date of al-Baqir's death, ranging from 114 AH (732) to 118 (736).
As with the other Imams, al-Baqir is regarded as a
martyr
A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an externa ...
() in Shia belief, though there are different views about the manner of his death. According to one account, al-Baqir was poisoned by Caliph
Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik, while some accounts say that al-Baqir died during the rein of Hisham's successor,
al-Walid II, or was poisoned by
Ibrahim ibn al-Walld in his brief reign, which is also the view held by
Tabatabai. In yet another account, al-Baqir was poisoned by his cousin, Zaid ibn al-Hasan, who placed poison in the saddle on which al-Baqir sat when he failed to wrest control of the prophet's inheritance from al-Baqir. Al-Baqir was laid to rest in
al-Baqi' cemetery in Medina.
Imamate
According to
Jafri, it is widely reported that Zayn al-Abidin designated his eldest son, Muhammad al-Baqir, as the next Imam before his death. Lalani adds that this view is held by the
Twelver
Twelver Shīʿīsm ( ar, ٱثْنَا عَشَرِيَّة; '), also known as Imāmīyyah ( ar, إِمَامِيَّة), is the largest branch of Shīʿa Islam, comprising about 85 percent of all Shīʿa Muslims. The term ''Twelver'' refers t ...
and
Isma'ili
Isma'ilism ( ar, الإسماعيلية, al-ʾIsmāʿīlīyah) is a branch or sub-sect of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili () get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor ( imām) to Ja'far al- ...
Shia sects. The traditions reported by the Twelver
al-Kulayni
Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn Yaʿqūb ibn Iṣḥāq al Kulaynī ar Rāzī ( Persian: ar, أَبُو جَعْفَر مُحَمَّد ٱبْن يَعْقُوب إِسْحَاق ٱلْكُلَيْنِيّ ٱلرَّازِيّ; c. 250 AH/864 CE ...
suggest that al-Baqir received the weapons and books of the prophet from his father in presence of his brothers, thus symbolizing authority. In that period, various branches of the
Kaysanites
The Kaysanites () were a Shi'i sect of Islam that formed from the followers of Al-Mukhtar. They traced Imamate from Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah and his descendants. The name Kaysaniyya was most likely derived from the name of Mukhtar's chief gu ...
were also popular. They traced the
imamate through
Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, a non-Fatimid son of Ali. Al-Baqir's descent from Fatima, Muhammad's only surviving daughter, gave him a clear advantage over non-Fatimid claimants to the imamate.
Zayd, a half-brother of al-Baqir, also asserted a claim to the
imamate, saying that the title can belong to any descendant of
Hasan or
Husayn
Hussein, Hussain, Hossein, Hossain, Huseyn, Husayn, Husein or Husain (; ar, حُسَيْن ), coming from the triconsonantal root Ḥ-S-i-N ( ar, ح س ی ن, link=no), is an Arabic name which is the diminutive of Hassan, meaning "good", " ...
who is learned, pious, and revolts against the tyrants of his time. In this, Zayd was possibly influenced by the teachings of the
Mutazilite
Muʿtazila ( ar, المعتزلة ', English: "Those Who Withdraw, or Stand Apart", and who called themselves ''Ahl al-ʿAdl wa al-Tawḥīd'', English: "Party of ivineJustice and Oneness f God); was an Islamic group that appeared in early Islamic ...
Wasil ibn Ata
Wāṣil ibn ʿAtāʾ (700–748) ( ar, واصل بن عطاء) was an important Muslim theologian and jurist of his time, and by many accounts is considered to be the founder of the Muʿtazilite school of Kalam.
Born around the year 700 in the ...
, though the Twelver author Shareef al-Qurashi writes that Zayd was primarily educated by his father, Zayn al-Abidin.
Al-Shahrastani
Tāj al-Dīn Abū al-Fath Muhammad ibn `Abd al-Karīm ash-Shahrastānī ( ar, تاج الدين أبو الفتح محمد بن عبد الكريم الشهرستاني; 1086–1153 CE), also known as Muhammad al-Shahrastānī, was an influenti ...
recounts an argument between the two brothers, in which Zayd remarked that an imam must rise against oppressors, while al-Baqir reminded him that his own father, the fourth Shia Imam, never fought to assert his claims to the imamate. Zayd also accommodated to some extent the view point of the majority of Muslims by acknowledging the caliphates of Abu Bakr and Umar and accepting their legal practices, though he still regarded Ali as the best candidate (). Initially, Zayd's activist approach gained him a large following. However, as he increasingly compromised with the traditionalists, some of Zayd's supporters are said to have returned to Muhammad al-Baqir. Eventually, Zayd took up arms against the
Umayyads Umayyads may refer to:
*Umayyad dynasty, a Muslim ruling family of the Caliphate (661–750) and in Spain (756–1031)
*Umayyad Caliphate (661–750)
:*Emirate of Córdoba (756–929)
:*Caliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ( ar, خ ...
in 122
AH and was killed in
Kufa
Kufa ( ar, الْكُوفَة ), also spelled Kufah, is a city in Iraq, about south of Baghdad, and northeast of Najaf. It is located on the banks of the Euphrates River. The estimated population in 2003 was 110,000. Currently, Kufa and Najaf a ...
by the forces of
Caliph Hisham. Al-Baqir is reported to have advised Zayd against a premature revolt and even prophesied that he would be slain. After his death, a number of other revolts are also attributed to the
Zaydi
Zaydism (''h'') is a unique branch of Shia Islam that emerged in the eighth century following Zayd ibn Ali‘s unsuccessful rebellion against the Umayyad Caliphate. In contrast to other Shia Muslims of Twelver Shi'ism and Isma'ilism, Zaydis, ...
movement, continuing to modern times. The influence of al-Baqir in Zaydi doctrines has been described as significant by multiple authors.
In contrast to Zayd, al-Baqir opted for a policy of quiescence like his father and his theory of imammate was hereditary through divine designation
(), independent of outward political functions. Instead, according to Lalani, it was al-Baqir's extensive knowledge, his noble birth, primogeniture and personality which gained al-Baqir his following. Al-Baqir also enjoyed certain liberties as the Umayyads were busy infighting and quelling revolts, according to Tabatabai. He became the focus of growing Shia loyalties as many Kufan
Shia
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, mo ...
delegations visited him in
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the second-holiest city in Islam, and the capital of the ...
to attend his teaching circle and ask questions. Al-Baqir is credited with laying the foundations of the Twelver Shia, and his imamate marks the transition of the Shia to completely rely on the guidance of their Imams and reject the rulings upon which the rest of Muslims depended. The numerous traditions attributed to al-Baqir and his many distinguished disciples, according to Tabatabai, attest to the opportunities for disseminating the Shia thought which did not exist before al-Baqir.
Al-Baqir also sought to curb the influence of the
Ghulat (), followers who often conferred divinity on the Shia Imams and exaggerated their beliefs and personalities. Among them was Mughira ibn sa'id al-Bajali, the founder of the sect Mughiriyya, who held al-Baqir as divine and was rejected by him. Another example was Bayan ibn sam'an who reportedly asked al-Baqir to recognize him as prophet and Imam. Al-Baqir also disassociated himself from Abu al-Khattab, the founder of a Ghulat sect in Kufa, and his followers.
Miracles
Some miracles are attributed to al-Baqir. He is reported to have conversed with animals, returned sight to the blind, and foretold future events, such as the death in the battle of his brother, Zayd, defeat of the
Umaayads and the accession of the
Abbasid Caliph,
al-Mansur
Abū Jaʿfar ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Manṣūr (; ar, أبو جعفر عبد الله بن محمد المنصور; 95 AH – 158 AH/714 CE – 6 October 775 CE) usually known simply as by his laqab Al-Manṣūr (المنصور) w ...
.
Succession
Al-Baqir was succeeded by his eldest son,
Jafar al-Sadiq
Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Ṣādiq ( ar, جعفر بن محمد الصادق; 702 – 765 CE), commonly known as Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (), was an 8th-century Shia Muslim scholar, jurist, and theologian.. He was the founder of th ...
. According to a polemic Sunni source, the Shia sect al-Bakiriyya did not accept al-Baqir's death and awaited his return as
Mahdi
The Mahdi ( ar, ٱلْمَهْدِيّ, al-Mahdī, lit=the Guided) is a messianic figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the end of times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a descendant of Muhammad w ...
, the promised savior in Islam.
Teachings
While politically quiescent, al-Baqir is said to have played a significant role in the history of Islam from an intellectual and religious point of view, as attested to by the vast number of traditions ascribed to al-Baqir. As the first Shia Imam who engaged in systematic teaching, Lalani regards al-Baqir as a versatile expert in jurisprudence, the exegesis of the Quran, the science of hadith, and theology. Al-Baqir has also been credited with laying the doctrinal and legal foundations of the Twelver Shia, which were further developed by al-Baqir's son, Jafar al-Sadiq. The evidence also suggests that al-Baqir was a prominent traditionist, distinct in that he only accepted those traditions of Muhammad which had been reported by the previous Imams.
The many splinter groups within the Shia movement likely motivated al-Baqir to bring some order to the existing concepts of
imamate by laying out a more coherent theory based on the Quran and the hadith literature. A key principle of al-Baqir's theory is that the imamate passes on from one Imam to the next through divinely-inspired designation (), beginning with Muhammad who also listed all the Imams. Al-Baqir also explained the necessary qualities and attributes of an Imam, such as his esoteric knowledge () and infallibility (
), which distinguished the Imam from others as the best of mankind (), the representative () of God on earth, and the rightful interpreter of His words in the Quran. The Imams also hold absolute spiritual authority, resting on the absolute authority of Muhammad. As the sole spiritual guide in life and the source of intercession in the afterlife, the authority of Imam in al-Baqir's view did not rest on outward political power. Al-Baqir also defended the doctrine of dissociation () from the first three caliphs, whom the Shia considers as usurpers, and the majority of Muhammad's companions, as the enemies of the Imams.
Al-Baqir founded what later developed into the Twelver school of law and consolidated the characteristic practices of the Shia. For instance, he reinstated the expression () in the Shia call to prayer (
), which was allegedly removed by Umar according to Shia and some early Sunni sources. Another distinct ruling was that wiping one's footwear before prayer, though common, was unacceptable as a substitute for washing one's feet. Al-Baqir also defended () marriage as a practice sanctioned by Muhammad. Al-Baqir forbade all intoxicants, whereas the Kufan jurists permitted fermented drinks (). He rejected the use of () and () when answering juridicial questions. Al-Baqir also maintained that, under the threat of death or injury, self-protection through dissimulation (
) is necessary.
Al-Baqir is closely associated with Twelver exegesis of the Quran and is credited with the commentary ''Kitab al-Baqir'' (), parts of which are extant in ''
Tafsir
Tafsir ( ar, تفسير, tafsīr ) refers to exegesis, usually of the Quran. An author of a ''tafsir'' is a ' ( ar, مُفسّر; plural: ar, مفسّرون, mufassirūn). A Quranic ''tafsir'' attempts to provide elucidation, explanation, in ...
'' by Ali ibn Ibrahim al-Qomi. ''Tafsir Jabir al-Jufi'' is a collection of exegetical traditions ascribed to al-Baqir and narrated by Jabir ibn Yazid al-Jufi. In ''
Tafsir Nur al-Thaqalayn'', an extensive Shia exegesis of the Quran, al-Baqir is the authority for 13 percent of the traditions, behind only Muhammad (13.5 percent) and al-Sadiq (47 percent). Al-Baqir also contributed to the theolegical doctrines about ''iman'', ''qada wa qadar'', the unity of God, and other hotly debated topics in the broader Muslim community.
According to al-Kafi, al-Baqir held that everyone was accountable on the day of judgement to the extent of their intelligence.
Notable disciples
Al-Baqir is known as the first Shia Imam who engaged in the systematic teaching of the Shia beliefs. Though he lived in Medina, the main following of al-Baqir was in Kufa, where he attracted a number of distinguished theologians.
Kufa
*
Jabir ibn Yazid al-Ju'fi was the main representative of al-Baqir in Kufa. As an authority in hadith, he has been described as truthful () and with the quality of reliability () but quoted by unreliable transmitters. Jabir claimed to have witnessed miracles of al-Baqir and was recognized as the () to al-Baqir who is said to have related many secrets to him. Despite this reputation, Shia do not reject Jabir as a (), possibly because he sided with al-Baqir in the conflict with al-Mughira bin Sa'id al-'Ijli, the well-known . Jabir is the transmitter of some hadiths in ''Umm al-Kitab'' and he is also the main narrator of al-Baqir in ''Risalat al-Ju'fi''.
*
Aban ibn Taghlib was an outstanding jurist-traditionist and an associate of al-Baqir, but also of Zayn al-Abidin and al-Sadiq. Al-Baqir is reported to have praised Aban as, "Sit in the mosque of Kufa and give legal judgment to the people. Indeed I would like to see among my Shia, people like you."
*
Zurarah ibn A'yan was a disciple of al-Hakam ibn Utayba before joining al-Baqir. A prominent traditionist and theologian, Zurarah played an important role in the development of the Shia thought. Zurarah lived long enough to also become a close disciple of Jafar al-Sadiq.
*
Muhammad bin Muslim, a
of
Thaqif
The Banu Thaqif ( ar, بنو ثقيف, Banū Thaqīf) is an Arab tribe which inhabited, and still inhabits, the city of Ta'if and its environs, in modern Saudi Arabia, and played a prominent role in early Islamic history.
During the pre-Islamic ...
, was a traditionist, a practicing lawyer, and an ascetic (), who was highly regarded in the legal circles of Kufa.
*
Burayd ibn Mu'awieh Ejli was a famous disciple of al-Baqir and later al-Sadiq, who later became a key authority in the Shia jurisprudence (
). Al-Baqir praised him (along with
Abu Basir Moradi, Muhammad bin Muslim, and Zurarah) as worthy of the paradise.
*
Abu Basir al-Asadi was considered one of the poles of the intellectual leadership of the Imami community of Kufa. His name is included in the number of
six companions of al-Baqir and al-Sadiq that hadiths narrated by any one of them is considered authentic by many Shi'a scholars. Some consider
Abu Basir al-Moradi as one of those six people instead of Abu Basir al-Asadi.
*
Abu Basir Moradi, a famous Shia jurist (
) and traditionist, was another associate of al-Baqir and al-Sadiq. Al-Sadiq is believed to have told Moradi, Zurarah, Burayd, and Muhammad ibn Muslim that without them the prophetic
hadiths
Ḥadīth ( or ; ar, حديث, , , , , , , literally "talk" or "discourse") or Athar ( ar, أثر, , literally "remnant"/"effect") refers to what the majority of Muslims believe to be a record of the words, actions, and the silent approval ...
would have been lost.
*
Abu Hamza al-Thumali
Thābit ibn Safiya famously known as Abū Hamzah al-Thumālī Thābit ibn Dīnār ( ar, أبو حمزة الثمالي) was a close companion of Imam Ali Zayn al-Abidin.
Life
Abu Hamza al-Thumali was pious and righteous companion of Ali Zayn al-Ab ...
and
Abu Khalid Kameli, formerly disciples of Zayn al-Abedin, were also among al-Baqir's followers. Abu Hamza al-Thumali is regarded as a trustworthy transmitter of hadith, especially those about miracles.
* Fudayl ibn Yasar is another notable associate of both al-Baqir and al-Sadiq, about whom al-Sadiq said what Muhammad had said about
Salman the Persian
Salman the Persian or Salmān al-Fārsī ( ar, سَلْمَان ٱلْفَارِسِيّ), born Rūzbeh Khoshnūdān ( fa, ), was a Persian companion (Sahaba) of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He was raised as a Zoroastrian in Sasanian Persia, ...
, that "Fudayl is from us, the
Ahl al-Bayt."
*
Al-Kumayt ibn Zayd al-Asadi was a renowned poet of his time and a devout Shia of al-Baqir. His ''Hashimiyyat'', in praise of the
Ahl al-Bayt, is considered among the earliest evidence for the doctrine of
imamate.
* Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Nu'man known as
Mu'min al-Taq was a distinguished theologist and a devoted follower of al-Baqir and al-Sadiq, whose debates about imamate are famous. ''Kitab al-Imamah'' and ''Kitab al_Radd alla al-Mu'tazila fi Imamat al-Mafdul'' are among his works.
Elsewhere
Basra
Basra ( ar, ٱلْبَصْرَة, al-Baṣrah) is an Iraqi city located on the Shatt al-Arab. It had an estimated population of 1.4 million in 2018. Basra is also Iraq's main port, although it does not have deep water access, which is han ...
was generally not considered a Shia city though al-Baqir had a few notable disciples there as well, including Muhammad ibn Marwan al-Basri, Isma'il ibn Fadl al-Hashemi, Malek ibn A'yan al-Juhani. The last one should not be confused with Zurara's brother. Al-Baqir's circle in Mecca included
Ma'ruf ibn Kharbuz Makki, a famed jurist (
) and traditionist, though not comparable to Zurarah, and Maymun ibn al-Aswad al-Qaddah, who was likely a merchant and in charge of the Imam's property in Mecca. One of his sons,
Abdullah
Abdullah may refer to:
* Abdullah (name), a list of people with the given name or surname
* Abdullah, Kargı, Turkey, a village
* ''Abdullah'' (film), a 1980 Bollywood film directed by Sanjay Khan
* '' Abdullah: The Final Witness'', a 2015 Pakis ...
, later became the alleged ancestor of the
Isma'ili
Isma'ilism ( ar, الإسماعيلية, al-ʾIsmāʿīlīyah) is a branch or sub-sect of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili () get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor ( imām) to Ja'far al- ...
imams. Elsewhere, prominent followers of al-Baqir include Muhammad ibn Isma'il Bazi and other members of Bazi's family, Abu Harun and his namesake, Abu Harun Makfuf, Uqba ibn Bashir al-Asadi, Aslam al-Makki, and Najiyy ibn Abi Mu'adh ibn Muslim.
Works
A number of works are ascribed to al-Baqir. An indication of the breadth of his contributions, ''Musnad al-Imam al-Baqir'' () is a six-volume book attributed to al-Baqir, consisting of
Twelver law and doctrines. It was collected by Azizallah al-Utaridi, who compiled it mostly from
Twelver
Twelver Shīʿīsm ( ar, ٱثْنَا عَشَرِيَّة; '), also known as Imāmīyyah ( ar, إِمَامِيَّة), is the largest branch of Shīʿa Islam, comprising about 85 percent of all Shīʿa Muslims. The term ''Twelver'' refers t ...
Shia
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, mo ...
sources, but also from
Ismaili,
Zaydi
Zaydism (''h'') is a unique branch of Shia Islam that emerged in the eighth century following Zayd ibn Ali‘s unsuccessful rebellion against the Umayyad Caliphate. In contrast to other Shia Muslims of Twelver Shi'ism and Isma'ilism, Zaydis, ...
, and
Sunni references.
The book covers legal issues such as divorce, manumission, testimony, inheritance, funerals, and marriage, ritual practices such as supplications (), ritual purity (), prayer, fasting, alms (), and pilgrimage (), and doctrinal issues such as monotheism (), imamate, faith (), and unbelief (). A synopsis of al-Baqir's teachings, collected in ''Ma'athirul-Baqir'', appears in Cannon Sell's ''Ithna Ashariyya''.
''Tafsir al-Baqir'' or ''Ketab al-Baqir'' is an exegesis of the Quran attributed to al-Baqir and transmitted by his disciple, Abu l-Jarud Ziyad ibn al-Mundhir. Ranked first by Najashi among the early Quranic commentaries, this work is partially extant in ''
Tafsir
Tafsir ( ar, تفسير, tafsīr ) refers to exegesis, usually of the Quran. An author of a ''tafsir'' is a ' ( ar, مُفسّر; plural: ar, مفسّرون, mufassirūn). A Quranic ''tafsir'' attempts to provide elucidation, explanation, in ...
'' by Ali ibn Ibrahim al-Qomi. Another Quranic commentary ascribed to al-Bāqir is narrated by
Jabir ibn Yazid al-Ju'fi and compiled by Rasul Kaẓim Abd al-Sada under the title Tafsir Jabir al-Juʿfī. ''Risalat al-Ju'fi'' contains views about the
Ismaili sect and is narrated mainly by
Jabir ibn Yazid al-Ju'fi, a companion of al-Baqir. ''Al-Manasik'' is a treatise on the rituals of Islamic pilgrimage (
) that Abu l-Jarud Ziyad ibn al-Mundhir quoted from al-Baqir. ''Al-Manasik'' is quoted in full in an extant work by Ahmad ibn Isa.
''
Umm al-Kitab'' () is said to contain al-Baqir's answers to some of the questions posed by his followers,
Jabir ibn Yazid al-Ju'fi and is in the form of a discussion between the Imam and three of his companions. Some of the traditions in the book are transmitted by
Jabir ibn Yazid al-Ju'fi and in its 'Apocalypse of Jabir', al-Baqir confides to Jabir how the cosmos were created, how men descended to this world, and how they can gain deliverance from it. According to Kohlberg, Jabir was a central figure in Kufan Ghulat circles, while Lalani writes that it is difficult to ascertain whether Jabir was really the transmitter of the traditions in ''Umm al-Kitab'' or if some or many were later foisted upon him. Resembling the ''
Infancy Gospel of Thomas
The ''Infancy Gospel of Thomas'' is a biographical gospel about the childhood of Jesus, believed to date at the latest to the second century.
The Infancy Gospel of Thomas is generally considered to be Gnostic in origin because of references ...
'', the book illustrates the similarity between
imamology and gnostic
Christology
In Christianity, Christology (from the Greek grc, Χριστός, Khristós, label=none and grc, -λογία, -logia, label=none), translated literally from Greek as "the study of Christ", is a branch of theology that concerns Jesus. Differ ...
. A major concept of this work is the description of the
numinous
Numinous () is a term derived from the Latin ''numen'', meaning "arousing spiritual or religious emotion; mysterious or awe-inspiring."Collins English Dictionary -7th ed. - 2005 The term was given its present sense by the German theologian and ph ...
experience. Its central motif is the psychological and philosophical explanation of spiritual symbols, with believers instructed to perform acts of self-purification and renewal. Colors are used to symbolize theories and levels of consciousness that one must recognize in oneself.
Views
Sunni view
The reputation of al-Baqir as a traditionist and religious scholar went far beyond the Shia circles. He is unanimously seen as a trustworthy authority of hadith, bestowed with the highest degree of trust, that of . Al-Baqir is the authority of over a hundred traditions in the six canonical collections of Sunni hadith. In
Sunni works, al-Baqir is depicted as an eminent theologian,
(expert in jurisprudence), and interpreter of the Quran. He is occasionally criticized though for directly quoting individuals who died before he was born or when he was still an infant. Al-Baqir is cited by
Ibn Ishaq in his
prophetic biography and by
al-Tabari for a version of the events in
Karbala. In Sunni sources, al-Baqir is portrayed as a proto-Sunni scholar who rejected what his Shia followers attributed to him. For instance, in contrast with Shia sources, later Sunni authors maintain that al-Baqir supported Abu Bakr and Umar, called them Imams, and said that one should pray behind the Umayyads.
The Sunni attitude towards al-Baqir is reflected in the following statements. Abd Allah ibn Ata al-Makki conceded that he had never seen scholars feel so small in the presence of anyone as they felt before al-Baqir. He added that even the famous traditionist, al-Hakam ibn Utayba, despite his age and eminence, behaved before al-Baqir as so he was a pupil before a teacher.
Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir is reported to have said that he had not seen anyone who surpassed
Ali ibn al-Husayn, until he met his son, Muhammad al-Baqir. While Shia sources describe a meeting between al-Baqir and
Abu Hanifa in a negative light, Sunni sources write that Abu Hanifa was a prominent disciple of al-Baqir, who had prophesied that Abu Hanifa would revive the prophet's
.
Isma'ili view
Al-Baqir is
Ismaiilie's fourth Imam and an authority in Ismaili law. According to
al-Qadi al-Nu'man
Abū Ḥanīfa al-Nuʿmān ibn Muḥammad ibn Manṣūr ibn Aḥmad ibn Ḥayyūn al-Tamīmiyy ( ar, النعمان بن محمد بن منصور بن أحمد بن حيون التميمي, generally known as al-Qāḍī al-Nu‘mān () or as ibn ...
, the reliability of al-Baqir was such that a
hadith (with interrupted or broken chain of transmission) was regarded as () and elevated to
(traceable to the prophet) when narrated by him.
Zaydi view
Al-Baqir is not recognized by
Zaydis
Zaydism (''h'') is a unique branch of Shia Islam that emerged in the eighth century following Zayd ibn Ali‘s unsuccessful rebellion against the Umayyad Caliphate. In contrast to other Shia Muslims of Twelver Shi'ism and Isma'ilism, Zaydis, ...
as an Imam, though he is seen as a prominent figure and his traditions appear in some Zaydi works such as ''Amali al-Imam Aḥmad ibn Isa''. According to Kohlberg, al-Baqir is portrayed in Zaydi works as acknowledging Zayd's superior knowledge and so, by implication, Zayd's claims to the imamate."
Sufi view
Al-Baqir is a well-known figure among the
Sufi, frequently depicted in their biographies as a distinguished authority in the intricacies of the (esoteric) sciences () and the subtle allusions of the
Quran
The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , s ...
(). He is also said to have performed well-known miracles (), and displayed radiant signs () and distinct proofs () of God. In Sufi sources, al-Baqir reached the spiritual stations of the gnostics (). It is related that al-Baqir defined
Sufism as "goodness of disposition: he that has the better disposition is the better Sufi." In the
Naqshbandi order, al-Baqir is revered as the father of Jafar al-Sadiq, the
of the Golden Chain.
See also
*
Family tree of Muhammad
This family tree is about the relatives of the Islamic prophet Muhammad known as a family member of the family of Hashim and the Qurayshs tribe which is ‘Adnani. "The ‘arabicised or arabicising Arabs’, on the contrary, are believed to be ...
*
Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin
ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn ( ar, علي بن الحسين زين العابدين), also known as al-Sajjād (, ) or simply as Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn (), , was an Imam in Shiʻi Islam after his father Husayn ibn Ali, his uncle Hasan ...
*
Jafar al-Sadiq
Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Ṣādiq ( ar, جعفر بن محمد الصادق; 702 – 765 CE), commonly known as Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (), was an 8th-century Shia Muslim scholar, jurist, and theologian.. He was the founder of th ...
*
Jabir ibn Abd Allah
*
Zayd ibn Ali
*
Zaydism
Zaydism (''h'') is a unique branch of Shia Islam that emerged in the eighth century following Zayd ibn Ali‘s unsuccessful rebellion against the Umayyad Caliphate. In contrast to other Shia Muslims of Twelver Shi'ism and Isma'ilism, Zaydis, ...
*
Mashhad Ardehal
Footnotes
References
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Muhammad Baqir
677 births
733 deaths
7th-century Arabs
8th-century Arabs
8th-century imams
Twelve Imams
Deaths by poisoning
Husaynids
Burials at Jannat al-Baqī