26 Facts About Muhammad al-Baqir

Muhammad al-Baqir's father was Ali ibn Husayn, known by the honorific title Zayn al-Abidin, and his paternal grandfather was Husayn, while his mother was Fatima Umm Abd Allah, and his maternal grandfather was Hasan.

The honorific title Muhammad al-Baqir is an abbreviation of Baqir al-'ilm, which means either 'the one who splits knowledge open' or 'the one who possesses great knowledge'.

Ya'qubi writes that Muhammad al-Baqir received this title because he split knowledge open by scrutinizing and examining its depths.

Zayd replied that it was the prophet Muhammad who had given his brother the title al-Baqir and then reprimanded Hisham for opposing the prophet.

Al-Baqir was born in Medina about 56 AH, around the time Muawiyah I was working to secure the caliphate of his son, Yazid I 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 maintains that Muhammad al-Baqir was present at Karbala.

Muhammad al-Baqir became the focus of growing Shia loyalties as many Kufan Shia delegations visited him in Medina to attend his teaching circle and ask questions.

Muhammad al-Baqir is said to have been favourably disposed to al-Baqir and, after meeting with him, even returned Fadak to the Alids.

The traditions reported by the Twelver al-Kulayni suggest that Muhammad al-Baqir received the weapons and books of the prophet from his father in presence of his brothers, thus symbolizing authority.

Zayd, a half-brother of Muhammad al-Baqir, asserted a claim to the imamate, saying that the title can belong to any descendant of Hasan or Husayn who is learned, pious, and revolts against the tyrants of his time.

Al-Shahrastani recounts an argument between the two brothers, in which Zayd remarked that an imam must rise against oppressors, while Muhammad al-Baqir reminded him that his own father, the fourth Shia Imam, never fought to assert his claims to the imamate.

In contrast to Zayd, Muhammad al-Baqir opted for a policy of quiescence like his father and his theory of imamate was hereditary through divine designation, independent of outward political functions.

Muhammad al-Baqir became the focus of growing Shia loyalties as many Kufan Shia delegations visited him in Medina to attend his teaching circle and ask questions.

Muhammad al-Baqir 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.

The evidence suggests that al-Baqir was a prominent traditionalist, 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 Muhammad 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.

Tafsir Jabir al-Jufi is a collection of exegetical traditions ascribed to Muhammad al-Baqir and narrated by Jabir ibn Yazid al-Jufi.

Muhammad al-Baqir [al-Baqir] discoursed fully on many topics, such as the nature of the soul of man, the qualities of the and the nature and attributes of God.

Muhammad al-Baqir [al-Baqir] discouraged arguments about the divine nature, saying that it was not possible for men to understand it.

Muhammad al-Baqir said it was simply punishment, but that this anger was not to be compared to the anger of men.

Muhammad al-Baqir is occasionally criticised though for directly quoting individuals who died before he was born or when he was still an infant.

In Sunni sources, Muhammad al-Baqir is portrayed as a proto-Sunni scholar who rejected what his Shia followers attributed to him.

The Sunni attitude towards Muhammad al-Baqir is reflected in the following statements.

Muhammad al-Baqir added that even the famous traditionalist, al-Hakam ibn Utayba, despite his age and eminence, behaved before al-Baqir as so he was a pupil before a teacher.

Muhammad al-Baqir is said to have performed well-known miracles, and displayed radiant signs and distinct proofs of God.

In Sufi sources, Muhammad al-Baqir reached the spiritual stations of the gnostics.