Muhammad al-Baqir

Template:Short description Template:Infobox religious biography Template:Use dmy dates Template:Twelvers Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (Template:Langx; Template:Circa) was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the fifth of the twelve Shia imams, succeeding his father, Ali al-Sajjad, and succeeded by his son, Ja'far al-Sadiq. Muhammad's honorific title Template:Transliteration is short for Template:Transliteration, which means 'the one who splits knowledge open', a reference to his fame as a religious scholar.

Muhammad was born in Medina around 676 CE. In 680, when he was a small child, he witnessed the Battle of Karbala, where his grandfather Husayn ibn Ali and most of his relatives were massacred by the forces of the Umayyad caliph Yazid ibn Mu'awiya (Template:Reign). Upon his father's death around 712, Muhammad was recognized as the next imam by most followers of his father. These were the Imamites, the forerunners of Twelvers and Isma'ilis, which now constitute the majority of Shia Muslims. At the time, however, this quiescent group was a minority compared to other rival Shia groups, who actively worked against the Umayyads. One such rival group were Zaydis. These followed Zayd ibn Ali, a much younger half-brother of al-Baqir, who staged an unsuccessful revolt shortly after al-Baqir's death. In contrast, like his father, al-Baqir was politically quiescent but was nevertheless harassed by the Umayyads, especially by Caliph Hisham (Template:Reign).

Muhammad al-Baqir led a pious and scholarly life in Medina, attracting a growing number of followers, students, and visitors. He is credited with laying the doctrinal and legal foundations of Twelver Shi'ism during some twenty years of his imamate. He may also be regarded as the father of Isma'ili and Zaydi jurisprudence. Finally, he significantly contributed to Twelver exegesis of the Quran. Most of al-Baqir's disciples were based in Kufa, in present-day Iraq, many of whom later became outstanding Shia jurists and traditionists. Some of these, such as Zurara ibn A'yan, may have occasionally disagreed with al-Baqir, who disapproved of such independent views if they went beyond the general theological and legal framework provided by (Shia) imams. In Sunni Islam, al-Baqir is regarded as an authority in hadith transmission and a learned scholar.

Muhammad al-Baqir died around 732, poisoned by the Umayyads, according to most Shia reports. He is buried in the Baqi Cemetery in Medina, but the shrine that stood over his grave has been demolished twice by Wahhabis. Al-Baqir was succeeded by his eldest son, Ja'far al-Sadiq, who further developed Shia theology and law.

Template:AnchorAncestryEdit

Muhammad al-Baqir was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, through both of his grandsons, namely, Hasan and Husayn, who were the second and third of the twelve Shia imams, respectively. More specifically, al-Baqir's father was Husayn's son, Ali al-Sajjad, the fourth of the twelve imams. Muhammad's mother was Fatima Umm Abd Allah, while his maternal grandfather was Hasan.Template:Sfn

Hasan and Husayn were the eldest sons of the first Shia imam, Ali ibn Abi Talib, through his first wife, Fatima, daughter of the Islamic prophet.Template:Sfn

TitlesEdit

Muhammad's Template:Transliteration is Abu Ja'far,Template:Sfn and his honorific title is Template:Transliteration, short for Template:Transliteration, which means either 'the one who splits knowledge open' (brings it to light) or 'the one who possesses great knowledge', both of which are references to Muhammad's fame as a religious scholar.Template:Sfn

By some accounts, Muhammad was already known in his lifetime by the title Template:Transliteration. Shia sources posit that this title was designated by the Islamic prophet, who sent his greetings via his companion Jabir ibn Abd Allah, who lived long enough to meet al-Baqir in his childhood.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn According to another Shia account, Caliph Hisham, a contemporary of al-Baqir, contemptuously referred to him as Template:Transliteration (Template:Lit), which again suggests that he was known by this title in his lifetime. The occasion was the caliph's meeting with al-Baqir's half brother, Zayd ibn Ali, who reprimanded Hisham and attributed al-Baqir's title to the Islamic prophet.Template:Sfn

BiographyEdit

Muhammad al-Baqir was born in Medina in about 676 CE (56 AH).Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Twelver Shias annually celebrate this occasion on the third of Safar.Template:Sfn In 680, when Muhammad was a small child, his grandfather Husayn and most of his male relatives were massacred in the Battle of Karbala by forces of the Umayyad caliph Yazid. Muhammad was present in Karbala and witnessed the carnage. Muhammad's youth coincided with power struggles between the Umayyads, Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, and various Shia groups, while Muhammad's father, al-Sajjad, stayed aloof from politics.Template:Sfn When al-Sajjad died around 712, most of his followers accepted the imamate of his son Muhammad,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn who was about thirty-seven years old.Template:Sfn He lived a quiet pious life in Medina, like his father, but was nevertheless harassed by the Umayyads,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn especially by Caliph Hisham.Template:Sfn Muhammad, however, enjoyed certain liberties because the Umayyads were more lenient in this period,Template:Sfn or perhaps because they were busy infighting and quelling revolts.Template:Sfn During the next twenty years or so,Template:Sfn Muhammad al-Baqir thus expounded Shia doctrines and laws,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn attracting a growing number of followers, students, and visitors.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

Abd al-Malik (Template:Reign)Edit

The fifth Umayyad caliph, Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, is credited with issuing an Islamic gold coinage for the first time to replace Byzantine coins. This was likely done at the suggestion of al-Baqir.Template:Sfn

Umar II (Template:Reign)Edit

Often praised for his piety,Template:Sfn the Umayyad caliph Umar II was favorably disposed to al-Baqir. After meeting with him, the caliph apparently returned the disputed lands of Fadak to Alids, that is, descendants of Ali ibn Abi Talib.Template:Sfn In a Sunni tradition, likely circulated by anti-Alids, al-Baqir identifies Umar II as the Mahdi, the promised savior in Islam. In a Shia tradition, however, al-Baqir suggests that Umar's good deeds would not redeem him, for he had usurped the imam's right to rule.Template:Sfn

Hisham (Template:Reign)Edit

Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik summoned al-Baqir to the Umayyad capital Damascus several times and imprisoned him at least once. During these visits, the caliph apparently held theological debates in which al-Baqir emerged victorious.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn On one occasion, the caliph ordered al-Baqir to join an ongoing archery practice, probably hoping to embarrass him, but was astonished by al-Baqir's excellent marksmanship.Template:Sfn

DeathEdit

File:Grave Fatema(single one) and other Imams.JPG

The imam's desecrated grave in the al-Baqi Cemetery in Medina

Although 732 (114 AH) and 735 (117 AH) are commonly reported, there is considerable disagreement about when al-Baqir died, ranging from 732 to 736.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn He was about fifty-seven years old at the time,Template:Sfn and most likely died before Zayd's revolt in 740.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Twelvers annually commemorate his death on the seventh of Dhu al-Hijja.Template:Sfn

As with the rest of the twelve imams, Shia sources report that al-Baqir was killed.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn There is no consensus about the details,Template:Sfn and different sources accuse Hisham or his successor, al-Walid II (Template:Reign), of poisoning al-Baqir.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn According to another account, al-Baqir was poisoned by his cousin, Zayd ibn al-Hasan, once the latter failed to wrest control of the Islamic prophet's inheritance from al-Baqir.Template:Sfn

Al-Baqir is buried in the Al-Baqi Cemetery in Medina.Template:Sfn A shrine stood over his grave until its demolition in 1806 and then again around 1925, both times carried out by Wahhabis.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

Template:AnchorImamateEdit

After al-Sajjad, most of his followers accepted the imamate of his eldest son Muhammad.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn These were the Imamites, who were the forerunners of Twelver and Isma'ili Shias.Template:Sfn Twelver and Isma'ili sources indeed report that al-Sajjad had earlier designated al-Baqir as his successor.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Followers of al-Baqir, however, were in minority compared to the rival Kaysanites, which was a (now-extinct) Shia group that traced the imamate through Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, son of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Khawla bint Ja'far, a woman from the Banu Hanifa tribe.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Nevertheless, al-Baqir had an advantage over these non-Fatimid claimants because of his prestigious lineage from Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima, the only surviving daughter of the Islamic prophet.Template:Sfn

Zayd ibn AliEdit

Another claimant to leadership was Zayd ibn Ali,Template:Sfn a much younger half-brother of al-Baqir.Template:Sfn It is not certain, however, if Zayd was a rival for al-Baqir.Template:Sfn Despite their disagreements,Template:Sfn relationship between the two brothers is described as cordial.Template:Sfn The quiescent al-Baqir even attempted to dissuade the politically active Zayd from rebellion.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn In 740, not long after al-Baqir's death,Template:Sfn Zayd took up arms against the Umayyads but was defeated and killed by Caliph Hisham.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

Zayd's activism initially gained him a larger following than al-Baqir,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn especially because the former accommodated some of the majority views.Template:Sfn For instance, even though Zayd regarded Ali ibn Abi Talib more qualified to succeed the Islamic prophet,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn he refused to condemn the first two caliphs, namely, Abu Bakr and Umar.Template:Sfn Such views, however, cost Zayd part of his Shia support,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn most of whom condemn Abu Bakr and Umar as usurpers of Ali's right to the caliphate.Template:Sfn Those Shia Muslims who thus rejected Zayd joined al-Baqir or his son Ja'far.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Zayd's rebellion marks the beginning of the Zaydi movement,Template:Sfn a Shia subsect that has survived to present day in Yemen.Template:Sfn Muhammad al-Baqir also challenged al-Hasan al-Muthanna and two of his sons for controlling the prophet's inheritance and for claiming to be the Mahdi.Template:Sfn

PoliticsEdit

Like his father, al-Baqir was politically quiescent,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn to the point that some have suggested that he did not claim the imamate.Template:Sfn Indeed, al-Baqir's notion of imamate was based primarily on knowledge rather than political power, although he also considered Shia imams entitled to the latter.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Al-Baqir instead focused on religious teaching,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn attracting a growing number of visitors, students, and followers.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn He is often credited with laying the foundations of Twelver and Isma'ili doctrines and law.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Among key Shia doctrines that took their definitive form under al-Baqir are imamate, sacred alliance (Template:Transliteration) and separation (Template:Transliteration), and religious dissimulation (Template:Transliteration).Template:Sfn As for law, al-Baqir is often regarded as the founding father of Twelver and Isma'ili jurisprudence.Template:Sfn In particular, al-Baqir's imamate marks the transition of the Shia community to completely rely on their own imams in matters of law and rituals.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn As for religious dues, al-Baqir accepted gifts but did not collect Template:Transliteration (Template:Lit), another Islamic alms which was likely enforced by later imams.Template:Sfn

GhulatEdit

Several traditions of al-Baqir are against the Ghulat (Template:Literal translation).Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn These often conferred divinity on Shia imams or had other extreme beliefs,Template:Sfn such as anthropomorphism and metempsychosis.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn For instance, al-Baqir condemned Mughira ibn Sa'id al-Bajali, who said that the imam was divine.Template:Sfn Mughira has also been accused of falsifying al-Baqir's traditions.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Similarly, al-Baqir denounced Bayan ibn Sam'an, who apparently claimed to be a prophet.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

MiraclesEdit

Some miracles are attributed to al-Baqir in Shia sources. He is reported to have conversed with animals, returned sight to a blind, and foretold future events, such Zayd's death in battle, collapse of the Umayyads, and the accession of the Abbasid caliph, al-Mansur (Template:Reign).Template:Sfn

SuccessionEdit

When al-Baqir died, most of his followers accepted the imamate of his eldest son Ja'far,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn aged about thirty-seven at the time.Template:Sfn Ja'far is often known by the honorific Template:Transliteration (Template:Lit).Template:Sfn On multiple occasions, al-Baqir seems to have told his followers about his preference for Ja'far.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Apparently some did not accept al-Baqir's death and awaited his return as the Mahdi.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn After al-Baqir's death, some Ghulat figures claimed to have inherited extraordinary powers from him,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn including Bayan ibn Sam'an and Abu Mansur al-Ijli.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

Appearance and characterEdit

The Shia scholar Ibn Shahrashub (Template:Died in) describes al-Baqir as medium height, with delicate skin and slightly curly hair. He adds that al-Baqir had birthmarks, one on his cheek, and that he had a beautiful voice and a slender waist. By contrast, al-Mufid (Template:Died in), another Shia scholar, describes al-Baqir as a "well-built man," as translated by the Islamicist I.K.A. Howard, or "big-bodied," as translated by M. Pierce, another Islamicist. Such differences may reflect the changing social standards over centuries.Template:Sfn Muhammad al-Baqir is said to have been extremely generous,Template:Sfn pious,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn and peaceful by nature.Template:Sfn

According to some Shia accounts, al-Baqir did not spare himself and his family from wearing good clothes and eating delicious food, and this behavior attracted attention at a time when the tendencies of giving up the world were widespread. He used to work in the field to earn a living on par with his servants, and the motivation for this work, he said, was obedience to God and not needing people. According to a narration by Ja'far al-Sadiq, al-Baqir had less income but more expenses compared to other family members. He treated his relatives with good food and gave them good clothes. He also helped his servants in difficult tasks. According to Ibn Asakir and Ibn Qutaybah, although he was saddened by his son's illness, he did not mourn his death, because he considered this to be an act of opposition to God.Template:Sfn

ContributionsEdit

In his lifetime, al-Baqir was regarded as a prominent transmitter of prophetic traditions.Template:Sfn As a Shia imam, al-Baqir's own sayings and deeds have also been recorded in Shia sources,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn including some fifteen percent of the traditions collected in the celebrated [[Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih|Template:Transliteration]].Template:Sfn Such is the extent of his contributions that Shia traditions attributed to al-Baqir and his successor al-Sadiq outnumber all other Shia imams and the prophet combined.Template:Sfn As the first Shia imam who engaged in systematic teaching,Template:Sfn al-Baqir is also credited with laying the doctrinal and legal foundations of Twelver Shi'ism, which were further developed by al-Sadiq.Template:Sfn Contributions of al-Baqir to Twelver doctrine and law are collected in the six-volume Template:Transliteration, compiled by A. al-Utaridi.Template:Sfn Al-Baqir may also be regarded as the father of Isma'ili and Zaydi jurisprudence.Template:Sfn Finally, al-Baqir significantly contributed to Twelver exegesis of the Quran and two commentaries are attributed to him.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

Contributions to theologyEdit

ImamateEdit

Template:See also

Al-Baqir's doctrine of imamate, further elaborated by his successor al-Sadiq, characterized the necessary qualities of imams, particularly their divinely-inspired designation ([[Nass (Islam)|Template:Transliteration]]), their esoteric knowledge (Template:Transliteration), and their infallibility ([[Ismah|Template:Transliteration]]), all of which distinguished imams as the best of mankind, representatives of God on earth, and the only source of spiritual guidance.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn In particular, after Muhammad, they are the only authoritative interpreters of the Quran, the exalted part of which actually refers to them and Muhammad.Template:Sfn In contrast, as the executer of religious laws, imamate or caliphate is essentially a political function in Sunni Islam, where caliphs are ideally appointed by consensus,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn although hereditary caliphate is the norm.Template:Sfn

In al-Baqir's view, imamate is confined to descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, from the marriage of his daughter Fatima to his cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib. Following a divine mandate, each imam is designated by his predecessor (Template:Transliteration),Template:Sfn beginning with Ali himself who was designated by the prophet at the Ghadir Khumm. For instance, al-Baqir cited the Quranic verse 2:124, according to which, God designated Abraham as imam and also granted this favor to those of his progeny who are not evildoers.Template:Sfn Crucially, the hereditary nature of imamate in al-Baqir's doctrine closed the field to outside claimants.Template:Sfn Template:Transliteration is often accompanied in Shia sources by inheritance of secret religious scrolls and the prophet's weapons.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn The latter paralleled the Ark of the Covenant for the Israelites.Template:Sfn

In al-Baqir's doctrine, imams are distinguished by their esoteric knowledge,Template:Sfn which they inherited from Ali. In turn, Ali received this knowledge from the prophet, a reference to the well-known prophetic tradition, "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate." In particular, imams know the true exegesis (Template:Transliteration) of the Quran, a reference to the famous [[Hadith of the thaqalayn|hadith of the Template:Transliteration]], attributed to the prophet.Template:Sfn Al-Baqir's doctrine of imamate was thus primarily based on knowledge rather than political power, although he also considered imams entitled to the latter.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn The divinely-inspired knowledge of imams and prophets are similar but imams could only hear (and not see) the archangels, according to al-Baqir.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

According to al-Baqir, imams also inherit certain spiritual and primordial lights (Template:Transliteration) referenced in the Quran.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:SfnTheir divine knowledge and spiritual light protect imams from sins, for which al-Baqir cited the verse of purification.Template:Sfn Already in his lifetime, some followers of al-Baqir regarded him as infallible.Template:Sfn

By implication, al-Baqir's doctrine gave imams absolute spiritual authority over Muslims, resting on the absolute authority of the prophet. His doctrine also held imams as the sole spiritual guides in life and the source of intercession in the afterlife.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn In al-Baqir's view, imams are the highest proofs (Template:Singular Template:Transliteration) of God and guides towards Him, without whom the world cannot exist for a moment.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Not only obedience to imams is obligatory in al-Baqir's interpretation of the verse of obedience,Template:Sfn but love for them is also mandated in his exegesis of the [[verse of mawadda|verse of Template:Transliteration]].Template:Sfn Shias thus form an all-encompassing bond of spiritual loyalty ([[walaya|Template:Transliteration]]) with their imams,Template:Sfn who are both masters and supportive friends in the journey of the spirit.Template:Sfn Identifying his imam is a religious duty for every Muslim,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn and those who die without knowing their imam have died a death of ignorance (Jahilliya).Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Furthermore, willfull opposition to imams is a grave sin and staunch enemies of imams are destined for hellfire.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

To support his theory, al-Baqir relied on his interpretations of various Quranic verses and prophetic traditions. For instance, al-Baqir emphasized his interpretation of the [[verse of walaya|verse of Template:Transliteration]], according to which Ali was granted the guardianship (Template:Transliteration) of Muslims, on par with the prophet. According to al-Baqir, fearing backlash from some, the prophet was reluctant to publicly announce the Template:Transliteration of Ali until he was spurred to do so (at the Ghadir Khumm) by the verse of tabligh. The prophetic traditions that al-Baqir invoked include the hadith of the Ghadir Khumm and the hadith of the position.Template:Sfn

Nature of GodEdit

A hotly debated issue at the time was whether the Quran, thought to be the word of God, was created or eternal. Those who believed in predetermination argued that the Quran was eternal for God has always known the events referenced in the Quran. In contrast, those who advocated for free will thought that the Quran was created in time. Al-Baqir held that the Quran was neither created nor eternal. Rather, it is the word of the Creator.

More generally, al-Baqir held that all attributes of God were eternal but only as adjectives. For instance, "knowing", "hearing", and "seeing" are how God characterizes himself. These help believers understand something about God but are not to be confused with Him. In al-Baqir's view, God is beyond human imagination. He thus advised his followers to discuss God's creation rather than his nature. When asked if he has seen God, al-Baqir responded that God could not be seen by eyes but can be apprehended by the inner reality of faith.Template:Sfn On another controversial topic, al-Baqir held that God was a thing, but a thing incomparable to all other things, something neither cognisable nor delimited.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

Faith (Template:Transliteration)Edit

By definition, a Template:Transliteration (Template:Lit) and a Muslim are characterized, respectively, by the two notions of Template:Transliteration (Template:Lit) and Template:Transliteration (Template:Lit). Citing the Quranic verse 49:14, al-Baqir defined Muslims as those who confess Islam in words and outwardly practice Islamic rites, such as praying and fasting. In his view, however, Template:Transliteration is more exclusive than Template:Transliteration, that is, the former implies the latter but not vice versa. More specifically, al-Baqir held that Template:Transliteration is a Muslim with inner faith, a faith demonstrated through fulfillment of religious duties. The foremost among these duties is the Template:Transliteration to (Shia) imams.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn There are indeed numerous traditions attributed to al-Baqir about Template:Transliteration,Template:Sfn the importance of which, in his view, is such that one's good deeds would not be accepted without Template:Transliteration.Template:Sfn Yet al-Baqir also curtailed this absolutist perspective by emphasizing that Template:Transliteration cannot be attained without virtue and piety.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn In addition to Template:Transliteration, al-Baqir listed the remaining duties of a Template:Transliteration as Template:Transliteration (Template:Lit), prayer, fasting, pilgrimage (Hajj), and Template:Transliteration (striving in God's way).Template:Sfn He also listed Template:Transliteration (Template:Lit), Template:Transliteration (Template:Lit), Template:Transliteration (Template:Lit), and (Template:Transliteration) as the pillars of Template:Transliteration.Template:Sfn

Al-Baqir thus identified an intermediate state between Template:Transliteration and Template:Transliteration (disbelief).Template:Sfn This gray area was further characterized by his successor al-Sadiq,Template:Sfn who held that a Muslim who does not harbor enmity towards the Ahl al-Bayt and their followers is neither Template:Transliteration nor Template:Transliteration (disbeliever).Template:Sfn That is, such non-Shias are considered Muslims, with their due legal rights, but not (true) believers.Template:Sfn

By implication, al-Baqir considered righteous action as an integral component of Template:Transliteration, a view that sharply differed from Murji'ites and Kharijites, two contemporary currents. The former did not consider good conduct essential to Template:Transliteration, with the political implication that dissent and disobedience were discouraged, even if Muslim rulers were corrupt.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn For Kharijites, in contrast, anyone who committed a mortal sin automatically apostated.Template:Sfn

In al-Baqir's view, Template:Transliteration had degrees of perfection and could vary over time. In particular, he held that new (religious) knowledge, when put into action, would strengthen one's Template:Transliteration.Template:Sfn Later Sunni thought similarly adopted the notion of gradated Template:Transliteration.Template:Sfn

PredestinationEdit

Under Umayyads, predestination, the belief that God has pre-ordained everything, was likely promoted to justify their rule and encourage moral complacency. In contrast, there were others who believed in free will. Among this latter group, some held that all that is good is created by God and everything bad is from men. Al-Baqir rejected both views, saying that there was a third position between predestination and free will. He argued that God is too merciful to force his creatures to sin and then punish them and that He is too mighty to will a thing that would not transpire.Template:Sfn In words of his successor al-Sadiq, God predestined some things but left others to man.Template:Sfn

Closely related is the early doctrine of Template:Transliteration, that is, advancement or postponement of an act of creation, depending on circumstances, without any change to the overall design and intention of God. The doctrine of Template:Transliteration thus describes an intermediate position between predestination and free will: God's decision on some matters remain suspended, according to al-Baqir, subject to advancement and postponement, until the autonomous choice of His creatures has occurred. Only then His definite decision is made.Template:Sfn In turn, Template:Transliteration is closely tied to the concept of abrogation ([[nask (Tafsir)|Template:Transliteration]]) of some verses of the Quran.Template:Sfn

Religious dissimulation (Template:Transliteration)Edit

Muhammad al-Baqir is often credited with formulating the Shia doctrine of Template:Transliteration, that is, precautionary dissimulation to avoid persecution.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Transliteration was intended for the survival of Shia imams and their followers,Template:Sfn for Shias were molested in al-Baqir's time to the point that he thought that it was easier to be a nonbeliever ([[zandaqa|Template:Transliteration]]).Template:Sfn Traditions attributed to al-Baqir thus encourage his followers to hide their faith for their safety, some even characterizing Template:Transliteration as a pillar of faith.Template:Sfn For instance, al-Baqir is not known to have publicly reviled Abu Bakr and Umar,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn most likely because he exercised Template:Transliteration.Template:Sfn Indeed, al-Baqir's conviction that the Islamic prophet had explicitly designated Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor implies that Abu Bakr and Umar lacked legitimacy.Template:Sfn Al-Baqir's quiescent views sharply differed from Mu'tazilites, who held that enjoining good and forbidding wrong should be enforced by force, if necessary.Template:Sfn

The notion of Template:Transliteration was not unfamiliar to early Muslims. When Ammar, an early companion of the Islamic prophet, renounced his faith under torture, Muhammad is said to have approved his conduct. The Quranic verse 16:106 is often connected to this episode.Template:Sfn Other Quranic verses suggest that Abraham and Joseph both practice dissimulation, the former when he said he was ill and the latter when his brother was accused of theft.Template:Sfn

Religious dissociation (Template:Transliteration)Edit

Al-Baqir also taught the doctrine of Template:Transliteration, that is, dissociation from the first three caliphs and the majority of the prophet's companions as enemies of Shia imams.Template:Sfn Indeed, Imamites regard the early caliphs as usurpers of Ali's right to succeed the prophet.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

Contributions to jurisprudenceEdit

Al-Baqir founded what later developed into the Twelver school of law and consolidated some characteristic practices of the Shia. For instance, in the call to daily prayer ([[adhan|Template:Transliteration]]), al-Baqir added the expression Template:Transliteration (Template:Lit),Template:Sfn an expression that was removed by Umar, according to Shia and some early Sunni sources.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Al-Baqir also defended Template:Transliteration (Template:Literal translation) marriage, saying that it was a practice sanctioned by the Islamic prophet,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn but later abandoned by Umar.Template:Sfn In these rulings, al-Baqir thus sided with Ali ibn Abi Talib and Ibn Abbas, two influential figures in early Islam.Template:Sfn Another distinct ruling of al-Baqir was that wiping one's footwear before prayer, though common at the time, was unacceptable as a substitute for washing one's feet. Al-Baqir also forbade all intoxicants, whereas Kufan jurists of his time permitted fermented drinks (Template:Transliteration).Template:Sfn Template:Sfn He also maintained that, under threat of death or injury, self-protection through dissimulation (Template:Transliteration) is obligatory.Template:Sfn Finally, Template:Transliteration is an extant treatise on the rituals of Template:Transliteration, attributed to al-Baqir and narrated by his disciple Abu al-Jurad Ziyad ibn Mundhir.Template:Sfn

Shia imams expected their disciples to seek (and then follow) their advice about new legal questions,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn or else answer those questions by applying limited reasoning within the general framework provided by imams.Template:Sfn Al-Baqir is indeed known to have rebuked those who went beyond this framework, including Muhammad ibn al-Hakim and Muhammad al-Tayyar.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn In particular, al-Baqir discouraged his followers from Template:Transliteration (individual reasoning) or applying Template:Transliteration (Template:Lit) and Template:Transliteration (Template:Literal translation).Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn He considered these methods speculative and lacking in religious authority,Template:Sfn which, in his view, was limited to Shia imams as the only authoritative interpretors of the Quran and the prophetic tradition ([[Sunnah|Template:Transliteration]]).Template:Sfn

Contributions to Quranic exegesisEdit

Muhammad al-Baqir is credited with the Quranic exegesis [[:fa:تفسیر الباقر|Template:Transliteration]] (Template:Literal translation), narrated by his disciple Ibn al-Mundhir. Parts of this work have survived in [[Tafsir Qomi|Template:Transliteration]], written by the Twelver scholar al-Qummi (Template:Died in). This commentary is ranked first by the Twelver bibliographer al-Najashi (Template:Died in) among early Quranic commentaries.Template:Sfn Similarly, Template:Transliteration is a collection of exegetical traditions, ascribed to al-Baqir and narrated by his disciple Jabir ibn Yazid al-Ju'fi. In Template:Transliteration, an extensive Twelver exegesis of the Quran, al-Baqir is the authority for thirteen percent of its traditions, behind only the prophet and al-Sadiq.Template:Sfn

Notable disciplesEdit

Muhammad al-Baqir may have been the first Shia imam who systematically taught Shia beliefs.Template:Sfn Even though he lived in Medina, the main following of al-Baqir was in Kufa, where he attracted a number of distinguished theologians.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Basra, Mecca, and Syria were other places where al-Baqir's students were based.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn More than four hundred and sixty names are listed as students of al-Baqir in al-Rijal, a Twelver work on biographical evaluation authored by al-Kashahi (Template:Died in).Template:Sfn

KufaEdit

Al-Baqir had several distinguished disciples in Kufa, where Jabir al-Ju'fi was his main representative. Jabir is the authority for some traditions in Template:Transliteration,Template:Sfn which parallels Infancy Gospel of Thomas in gnostic Christology.Template:Sfn 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.Template:Sfn Some have accused Jabir of extremism ([[Ghulat|Template:Transliteration]]) and his reliability is debated in Shia circles.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Transliteration is said to contain Jabir's views about Isma'ilism.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

Zurara ibn A'yan was already a prominent traditionist and theologian before joining al-Baqir's circle.Template:Sfn Zurara apparently disagreed with al-Baqir about some theological issues.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn For instance, unlike al-Baqir, Zurara argued that there is no intermediate state between a believer and a nonbeliever.Template:Sfn By some accounts, Zurara later fell out with al-Sadiq,Template:Sfn but perhaps the imam distanced himself from Zurara only in public to save the latter from persecution.Template:Sfn

Aban ibn Taghlib was another associate of al-Baqir and later of al-Sadiq. An outstanding jurist, Aban was authorized by al-Baqir to issue legal rulings for the public.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Despite his Shia tendencies, Aban's traditions have been cited in Sunni sources.Template:Sfn Abu Basir al-Asadi is among the consensus companions of al-Baqir and al-Sadiq, that is, those whose traditions are generally accepted in Shia circles.Template:Sfn Muhammad ibn Muslim, another close associate of al-Baqir and al-Sadiq, was a prominent jurist and traditionist, who is said to have transmitted some thirty thousand traditions from al-Baqir.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Fudayl ibn Yasar was another favorite of al-Baqir and al-Sadiq, whom the latter apparently compared to Salman al-Farsi, the famous companion of the Islamic prophet.Template:Sfn Abu al-Qasim al-Ijli and Abu Basir al-Muradi, both notable jurists and traditionists, were associates of al-Baqir and al-Sadiq.Template:Sfn Abu Hamza al-Thumali and Abu Khalid al-Kabuli, were two followers of al-Baqir and earlier of al-Sajjad.Template:Sfn In particular, some traditions narrated by Abu Hamza are of miraculous nature.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

Al-Kumayt ibn Zayd al-Asadi was a poet supporter of al-Baqir, praised by him for laudatory poems about the Ahl al-Bayt.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Kumayt's Template:Transliteration, in praise of the Ahl al-Bayt, is indeed considered among the earliest evidence for the doctrine of imamate,Template:Sfn and perhaps the earliest dateable reference to the Ghadir Khumm.Template:Sfn Likely to avoid persecution, Kumayt also occasionally wrote in praise of the Umayyads.Template:Sfn Mu'min al-Taq was another follower of al-Baqir, who wrote and debated about imamate.Template:Sfn Ibn Mundhir was a close disciple of al-Baqir and the principal transmitter of Template:Transliteration He later supported Zayd's rebellion and founded the Jarudiyya, the Zaydi sect closest in doctrine to Twelver Shi'ism.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

ElsewhereEdit

Basra was not a Shia center, but al-Baqir had a few notable disciples there, including Muhammad ibn Marwan al-Basri, Isma'il ibn Fadl al-Hashemi, Malek ibn A'yan al-Juhani.Template:Sfn In Mecca, al-Baqir's circle included Ma'ruf ibn Kharbuz Makki and Maymun ibn al-Aswad al-Qaddah. The latter was likely a merchant and in charge of al-Baqir's property in Mecca. One of Maymun's sons, Abdullah, is the alleged ancestor of Isma'ili imams.Template:Sfn Elsewhere, prominent followers of al-Baqir included Muhammad ibn Isma'il Bazi and other members of Bazi's family, Abu Harun and his namesake, Abu Harun Makfuf, and also Uqba ibn Bashir al-Asadi, Aslam al-Makki, and Najiyy ibn Abi Mu'adh ibn Muslim.Template:Sfn

ViewsEdit

Sunni viewEdit

Muhammad al-Baqir is regarded as a reliable (Template:Transliteration) traditionist in Sunni Islam,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn distinct in that he accepted only those prophetic traditions that had been reported by his predecessors.Template:Sfn Among those scholars who drew from al-Baqir's traditions are al-Shafi'i (Template:Died in) and Ibn Hanbal (Template:Died in), the eponymous founders of the Hanbali and Shafi'i schools of law, respectively,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn and the famed Sunni historian al-Tabari (Template:Died in).Template:Sfn In particular, al-Baqir is the authority for over a hundred traditions in the six canonical collections of Sunni hadith.Template:Sfn However, some have criticized al-Baqir for directly quoting individuals who had died before him.Template:Sfn

Despite al-Baqir's reputation as a reliable traditionist, he is rarely cited in Sunni collections of hadith, compared to their Shia counterparts.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn This might be because Sunni traditionists "picked and chose" from traditions attributed to al-Baqir,Template:Sfn or perhaps because they intentionally discarded the numerous Shia-colored traditions attributed to him.Template:Sfn Those traditions of al-Baqir that do appear in Sunni collections have different chains of transmission compared to their Shia counterparts.Template:Sfn These Sunni traditions portray al-Baqir as a proto-Sunni scholar who denounced Shias and their beliefs.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn For instance, unlike Shia sources, later Sunni authors maintain that al-Baqir supported Abu Bakr and Umar, called them imams, and said that one should pray behind Umayyads.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn

In Sunni Islam, al-Baqir is also regarded as an authority in jurisprudence.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn For instance, Abu Hanifa (Template:Died in), the eponym of the Hanafi school of law, Ibn Jurayj (Template:Died in), and Awza'i (Template:Died in) deferred to al-Baqir in legal matters.Template:Sfn

The Sunni attitude towards al-Baqir is reflected in the following reports. The exegesis attributed to al-Baqir tops the list of Quranic works compiled by the Sunni bibliographer Ibn al-Nadim (Template:Died in).Template:Sfn Abd Allah ibn Ata al-Makki thought that other scholars felt humbled in al-Baqir's presence.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn According to the Sunni traditionist Muhammad ibn Munkadir (Template:Died in), al-Baqir was the only scholar who surpassed his father, al-Sajjad.Template:Sfn Sunni sources also describe Abu Hanifa as a prominent disciple of al-Baqir, even saying that the latter prophesied that the former would revive the Template:Transliteration.Template:Sfn

Twelver and Isma'ili viewEdit

Muhammad al-Baqir is an imam for Twelvers and Isma'ilis,Template:Sfn who constitute the overwhelming majority of Shia Muslims.Template:Sfn For them, after the prophet, Shia imams are regarded as the sole source of religious guidance, fostering an all-encompassing bond of loyalty (Template:Transliteration) with their Shias.Template:Sfn Al-Baqir is also regarded as a founding authority in Shia jurisprudence,Template:Sfn and a significant contributor to Shia theology.Template:Sfn Al-Baqir is considered here as the foremost religious authority of his time, unlike Sunnism.Template:Sfn His status is such that a tradition with interrupted or broken chain of transmission would be deemed reliable when narrated by him.Template:Sfn

Zaydi viewEdit

Muhammad al-Baqir is a prominent figure in Zaydism.Template:Sfn His traditions appear in some Zaydi works,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn and he has heavily influenced Zaydi jurisprudence.Template:Sfn Template:Sfn However, the quiescent al-Baqir is generally not recognized as an imam in Zaydism,Template:Sfn Template:Sfn Template:Sfn for Zaydi imams are required to be politically active.Template:Sfn In Zaydi works, al-Baqir acknowledges Zayd's superior knowledge and implicitly Zayd's claims to the imamate.Template:Sfn

Sufi viewEdit

Muhammad al-Baqir is regarded as a founding figure in Sufism,Template:Sfn where he is noted for his asceticism and piety.Template:Sfn In Sufism, al-Baqir is portrayed as an authority in esoteric sciences and the hidden dimensions of the Quran, and a gnostic who performed miracles (Template:Transliteration).Template:Sfn It is related that al-Baqir defined Sufism as "goodness of disposition: He that has the better disposition is the better Sufi."Template:Sfn

FamilyEdit

Muhammad al-Baqir was married to Umm Farwa, who bore him two sons. One of them was Ja'far, who later succeeded al-Baqir. Umm Hakim, daughter of Usayd al-Thaqafi, was al-Baqir's other wife, from whom two more sons were born, although both died in childhood. Al-Baqir had three more sons, all of whom were born to a concubine. According to the Shia genealogist Alawi al-Umari, al-Baqir's lineage has continued only through Ja'far.Template:Sfn Template:Ahnentafel

FootnotesEdit

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SourcesEdit

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