IMAM MUHAMMAD BAQIR (AS), THE SPLITTER OF SCIENTIFIC PROBLEMS & DIFFICULTIES

          On the first day of the lunar month of Rajab 57 A.H., the pure Household of the Prophet (SAW) was swept with a wave of joy and delight at the birth Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Hussein (AS). Unlike his predecessors from this great household, he was the first Imam who descended from Ali (AS), through both his father, Imam Ali as-Sajjad and his mother, Fatima, daughter of Imam Hassan (AS) who was praised by Imam Sadiq (AS) as being a faithful woman, the like of whom was not found in the family of Imam Hassan (AS).

          Imam al-Baqir (AS) was brought up in the fold of Islam by Imam Ali as-Sajjad (AS), his father, who educated him and prepared him in such a way that he would be able to shoulder the responsibility of the office of Imamate in accordance with the Divine Will.

          So Imam al-Baqir (AS) was the epitome of knowledge, thought and morals during his age, qualifying him to be the rightful ideological and social authority after his father (AS).

          He was called al-Baqir, which means "the man who is deeply knowledgeable and sharply wise, who discovers the  inner-most mysteries and essence of all kinds of knowledge, and who is well-versed in its arts," as explained by reliable Arabic dictionaries.

Imam's (AS) Character

          We usually refer, in a definite way, to the fact that all the Imams (AS) are of the same ideological fabric. Their daily conduct with people and their life-styles were the same. But there were differences in practice that can be attributed to the diversity of the social problems, and the different psychological, ideological and political conditions prevailing in their times.

          The similarity between the characters of the Imams (AS), is the exact result of the one ideological basis which defined their concepts, behavior and activities. And that is a fact explicitly expressed by the Apostle of Allah (SAW), when he said to his grandson, Hussein (AS): "Allah has certainly chosen nine Imams from your loins, O Hussein! All of them are equal in their outstanding merits and position in the sight of Allah.(1)

          Let us cite some practical examples from the life of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (AS) that we may ponder over, in order to find our way on the road trodden by those great men who raised the standard of guidance high on the earth.

His Spirituality:

          If members of the Ahlul-Bait (Prophet's (SAW) Family) suffered from the different tribulations poured on them by deviant rulers, such trials were targeted at their faith first and foremost. They were physically exterminated because of the mission they carried. Their foes wanted to obliterate their thought, jurisprudence and all trace of them. Even their tombs were not spared, many attempts being made to raze them to the ground.

          Following are some texts about Imam Muhammad al-Baqir's (AS) way of worship and his spiritual life which help us to realize the depth of the relationship between him and his  Exalted Lord:

1. His son Imam as-Sadiq (AS) is reported to have said: "My father used to praise Allah much. When I walked with him, he would remember Allah; when I ate with him, he would remember Allah. Even when talking to people, he would remember Allah. I heard him always praising Allah and repeating: "There is no god but Allah". He would gather us together and order us to praise Allah till sunrise. Whoever was able from among us, my father would order him to recite the Qur'an, but he would order the one who could not read, to praise Allah.(2)

2. Aflah, his male-servant, said: "I went to perform Hajj (pilgrimage) with Muhammad ibn Ali (AS). Upon entering the Mosque, he looked at the House of Allah and started weeping aloud till all could hear him. "May my father and mother be your ransom," I said to him, "People are looking at you ... if you lower your voice a little.." "May Allah have mercy on you," he explained. "Why should I not cry? Maybe Allah favors me with His mercy, and I may win His pleasure on the Day of Judgement." Then he circumambulated the House of Allah. Near the Maqam [a stone bearing the footprints of Prophet Ibrahim (AS)], he went down in prostration. When he raised his head, I saw that the place where he had touched his forehead to the ground was wet due to the profusion of his tears."

3. Concerning his supplication at night, Imam as-Sadiq (AS) said, "My father would say in his prayers at night, "You ordered me to do good, but I did not heed. You forbade me to do evil, but I did not listen. Here I am, Your servant in Your presence, I ask your forgiveness."(3)

4. And in his supplication which he used to say when he went to bed, he said, "In the name of Allah, My Lord, I have submitted myself to You, turned my face towards You, and to You I commanded myself. I have put my trust in You out of my fear from You and my desire to win Your satisfaction. There is no escape, neither is there refuge in anyone except You. I believe in Your Book which You revealed and in Your Messenger whom You sent."

... Then he would recite the praise of Hazrat az-Zahra (SA).(4)

          These selected texts reveal a soul infused with the love of Allah, and the seeking of His nearness, feeling His all-encompassing Mercy everywhere and always, and praying to Allah with all his soul, heart and senses. Such a state of spirituality can be achieved hardly by anyone. Only the saints can feel the closeness of Allah in such an intimate way.

          Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (AS) was so close to Allah, the Exalted, that the Hereafter and the meeting of Allah were his only concern. He was totally obsessed with them.

The Social Aspects of Imam Baqir's (AS) Character:

          Following are quotations which shed light on the Imam's daily life, his relationship with the people and the scope of his social activities.

1.       His son, Imam as-Sadiq (AS) is quoted to have said, "One day, I called on my father and found him busy handing out 8,000 dinars to the poor people of Medina. He set free a family of 11 slaves.(5)

2. Sulaiman ibn Qarm said: "Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali (AS) would reward us with 500, 600 and up to 1000 dirhams. He never tired of helping his brethren, those who came from distant places to see him, and those who hoped he would help them."(6)

His Thought:

          Due to their special education and upbringing, all the Imams (AS) achieved the highest levels of excellence in all possible fields. In thought and practice, they were the true bearers of the Message to which they remained faithful.

          Even though their thought was in fact inherited from the Prophet (SAW) and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS), the trustee of the Apostle of Allah (SAW), their success in settling the problems they faced and the people faced, and the wisdom they showed in dealing with the different events during their lives, reflect a reservoir of inexhaustible knowledge and skill.

          A number of Traditions refer to this fact. Practically, the Imams (AS) found no difficulty whatsoever in answering any question put to them. Nor were they ever confronted with a problem which remained unresolved, whether it was ideological, religious or scientific. Throughout their lives, the Imams (AS) never erred in explaining a concept or an opinion.

          As for Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (AS), his deep thought, and his superiority over other scholars of his time in the fields of jurisprudence, Qur'anic exegesis, traditions, and other Islamic sciences, made his contemporaries hold him in high esteem and admiration.

          Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab was asked about something, but he failed to offer an answer. Instead he advised the questioner to visit Imam al-Baqir (AS) saying, "Go to that youth and put your question to him, and tell me afterwards what his answer was."

          When the man asked the Imam about it, the Imam (AS) answered him directly and immediately. The man then returned to Abdullah with the answer. "That came from a Household well-versed in knowledge", commented Abdullah.(6)

          Following are some of his answers to questions put to him. We hope they will help us to shape our minds and reform our communities.

1. Amru ibn Ubayd, a leader and intellectual of al-Mu'tazilah (literally schismatics), a school of thought, called on Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (AS) to test him with a question: "May I be your ransom," said he, "What is meant by this verse: `Or see not those who disbelieve that the heavens and the earth were one piece, before We clove them asunder, ...' (21:30).

          "What is this one piece and what is meant by clove them asunder?"

          "The heavens were one solid mass which rendered no rain," replied the Imam (AS). "And the earth was a solid mass which produced no plants. Allah tore asunder the heavens with the rain, and the earth with the plants."

          Amru ibn Ubayd kept silent and did not comment.

          Once again he returned, asking this question, "May I be your ransom. Tell me what is meant by this verse: "... and those on whom My wrath descends do perish indeed!" (20:81). What is that wrath?"

          Imam al-Baqir (AS) answered, "O Amru, the wrath is when a creature gets angry when something provokes him, changing him from one condition to another, and whoever claims that wrath and satisfaction change Allah, and that He regains His equanimity, he is describing Allah with the qualities of that creature."(7)

2. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (AS) is reported to have said:

          "Beware of sloth and boredom, for they are the key to every evil. Should you get lazy you will not do what you are obliged to do. And should you get bored you will not have the perseverance to do what you are obliged to do."

          Again he said:

          "There is nothing more lovable to Allah than to be implored. Nothing other than supplication wards off fate. The greatest punishable evil act is injustice. Sufficient flaw is that one sees in other people what one is blind to see in oneself, enjoins them to do what he cannot bring himself to do, and annoys his visitor with what does not concern him."(7)

          "PEACE BE UPON HIM ON THE DAY HE WAS BORN, ON THE DAY HE WAS MARTYRED AND ON THE DAY HE SHALL BE RAISED TO LIFE."

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Footnotes:

1.  Yanabi al-Mawaddah, Al-Balakhi al-Qandoozi. Similar traditions are mentioned in Usool al-Kafi, vol. 1; Chapter on the evenness of the Imams (AS) in their knowledge, bravery and obedience to Allah.

2. Biharul Anwar, vol. 46; Chapter on His High Morals and Life. Al-Fusool al-Muhimmah, ibn al-Sabbagh al-Maliki.

3. Ibid.

4. Al-Irshad, Manaqib Aal Abi Talib, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46.

5. Manaqib Aal Abi Talib, vol. 3; His Knowledge. A'yan al-Shi'ah quoted from Hilyat al-Awliya", by Abu Na'im.

6. Al-Ihtijaj (Reasoned Arguments), vol. 2; Arguments of Imam al-Baqir (AS).

7. A'yan al-Shi'ah, Muhsin al-Amili, quoted from Hilyat al-Awliya'a - by Abu Na'im al-Asfahani, vol. 1, p. 657, 5th edition.