Imam Muhammad Baqer (A.S.), an excellent exemplar to mankind
Imam Muhammad Baqer (A.S.), an excellent exemplar to mankind: The 7th of Zilhijja, the martyrdom anniversary of the 5th Infallible Heir of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). He was Imam Mohammad Baqer (AS), and was descended on both sides from the Prophet. If his father Imam Zain al-Abedin (AS) was the son of the Prophet’s younger grandson, Imam Husain (AS) the Martyr of Karbala, his mother Fatema (SA) was the daughter of the Prophet’s elder grandson, Imam Hasan Mojtaba (AS).
Born on the 1st of Rajab in Medina in 57 AH, and named Mohammad, he acquired the epithet Baqer al-Oloum, which means Splitter and Spreader and Sciences, which was actually given by the Prophet over a half-century before his birth. As a boy of four years, he witnessed the heartrending tragedy of Karbala, and was taken prisoner at this tender age by the Omayyad forces, along with his parents and the rest of the survivors of the massacre of Ashura. For the next 24 years, he was firmly beside his father in the safeguarding of the genuine teachings of Islam in those dark days of Omayyad tyranny. At the age of 38 years, following the martyrdom through poisoning of Imam Zain al-Abedin (AS), the divinely-decreed mandate of imamate came to rest on his shoulders. For the next 19 years, he admirably fulfilled this divine trust until he was martyred through poisoning on the orders of the self-styled Omayyad caliph, Hesham Ibn Abdul-Malek, at the age of 57 years at a time when the Hajj pilgrimage was in progress. He was laid to rest in the Sacred Baqie Cemetery of Medina, where alas, the grand holy mausoleum housing his tomb and the tombs of his father, his maternal grandfather, and his son, Imam Ja’far Sadeq (AS), was criminally destroyed by the Wahhabis in 1925.
Imam Mohammad Baqer (AS), like his Infallible Forefathers before him and Infallible Progeny that succeeded him, had no equal in knowledge and science. Learned men used to sit at his feet to acquire knowledge and sciences. Even those that were not the followers of the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt would attend his classes, for there was no restriction. One day, a person who was notorious for aversion to the Prophet\’s blessed household attended his class. The man arrogantly told the Imam: I have no attachment to the Prophet\’s Ahl al-Bayt, but since I have heard about your erudition, I have come to your class, although I am not your follower. At this the Imam smiled and replied: “Nothing remains hidden from God.” Hatred towards the Prophet’s blessed household was engrained in that person’s heart, and despite attending the Imam’s class, he continued his habit of insulting the insulting the Imam at every opportunity. After a while, the man fell sick, and despite medical treatment could not recover. One night he saw a strange and shocking dream. When he woke up he told his dream to his family, saying: I saw my soul departing from my body and death end my life, but at this moment I saw Imam Mohammad Baqer praying for my health. God answered his supplication and granted new life to me. Since I am sick and cannot move, could someone from you go to him and request him to visit me.
On hearing of such a dream and the sudden change of behavior towards the Prophet’s household by a person known for his opposition to the Ahl al-Bayt, his family and friends were surprised, but their kinsman continued to insist, saying: True, I was hostile to Imam Mohammad Baqer, but he never got angry at me and patiently endured my arrogant presence in his classes. He is so kind that even in the dream I saw him praying for me; so please request him to come. When Imam Baqer (AS) was informed of the man\’s sickness and his pleas, he went to his house early next day after performing the Morning Prayer. On seeing the radiant countenance of the Imam, the bedridden man expressed happiness. The Imam helped him to sit in his bed, and then gave guidelines to his family to prepare a certain medication. When the medicine was ready, the Imam personally gave the dose to the sick man. As Imam Baqer (AS) had given the tidings, within a few days the sick person fully recovered his health. He now became a changed man, dropped his hostility towards the Prophet’s Household and went to Imam Baqer (AS), with tears streaming down his face. In front of several students, he said in a clear voice: I testify that you are the proof of God to mankind; whoever follows anyone other than you, will be the looser.
The Infallible Imams were excellent exemplars to mankind. Their engrossment in knowledge did not make them ignore ethics and virtues, while their immersion in spirituality and worship of God, did not make them oblivious of social relations and proper enjoyment of the blessings of material life, made lawful by God. They lived a simple life, earning their own bread, despite their status as successors of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). Imam Baqer (AS), while cultivating his agricultural patch in Medina, used to work in hot weather, in order to teach people how to earn a lawful and respectable livelihood, whenever he had free time from his classes. His fame even attracted non-Muslims to Medina from various parts of the world. He thus founded a broad scientific and cultural movement, thus laying the groundwork for the Great Islamic Academy that would flower under his son and successor, Imam Ja’far Sadeq (AS). He thus revived in society the genuine teachings of Islam as presented by his ancestor, Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). As a matter of fact, he always strove to keep alive the real Sunnah and Seerah of the Prophet in those dark days of Omayyad tyranny, when the political boundaries of the realm were expanding over Asia, Africa and Europe, but the letter and spirit of Islam was being bludgeoned by the Godless caliphate.
As the righteous heir of the Prophet, Imam Baqer (AS) never kept silent against oppression and firmly opposed the deviant policies of the rulers of the usurper Omayyad regime. For this reason, he was subjected to periodic harassment by the self-styled caliphs in Damascus. When Hesham Ibn Abdul Malek, who was notorious for his enmity towards the Prophet’s progeny, became ruler, he ordered the killing of some of the disciples of the 5th Imam, as a vain measure to curtail the voice of freedom and justice. Next, he forced Imam Baqer (AS) to come to Damascus, where he tried to ignore the Imam in front of the whole court. Imam Baqer (AS), however, made his presence felt and in front of the whole court told the self-styled caliph: If for the moment you are in authority, beware that the lasting authority belongs to us, and no one has any precedence over our (God-given) authority. Hesham was angry and imprisoned Imam Baqer (AS), who now turned challenges into opportunities by reforming the inmates and enlightening them with the pure and pristine teachings of Islam. When Hesham heard of this, he became more alarmed and released the Imam, but denied permission to return to Medina. In Damascus, the 5th Imam’s knowledge and spiritual glory became manifest to the seekers of truth, including the chief Christian Monk of Syria, who became a Muslim. Hesham was further infuriated and sent Imam Baqer (AS) t him back to Medina, but at the same time, wrote to his governor to secretly poison the Imam. Alas on this day in 114 AH, exactly 1320 lunar years ago, Imam Mohammad Baqer left the world – a martyr.
