Martyrdom of the 5th Infallible Imam

Heartfelt condolences to you on a doleful day. Today is the 7th of the sacred month of Zilhijja, the anniversary of the departure from the mortal world of the 5th Infallible Heir of the Almighty’s Last and Greatest Messenger, Prophet Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny). He was the Prophet’s namesake and descended from the Prophet on both sides, that is, through his father and his mother.

Now we have a feature on the life and times of Imam Mohammad Baqer (AS) who reposes in peace in the now demolished sacred cemetery of Jannat al-Baqie in the Prophet’s city Medina.

“I admonish you regarding five things; if you are wronged, do not commit wrong doing to others, if you are betrayed, do not betray anyone, if you are called a liar, do not be furious, if you are praised, do not be jubilant, if you are criticised do not fret and think of what is said in criticism, if you find in yourself what is criticised about you, then you are falling down in the eyes of God; when you are furious about the truth, it is much greater calamity then your falling down in the eyes of the people. And if you are opposite of what is said (in criticism) about you, then it is a merit you acquired without having to tire yourself in obtaining it.”

What you heard were bezels of wisdom from the person who was not just the namesake of Prophet and his 5^th Infallible Successor, but the Splitter and Spreader of the Sciences of the Prophet as his epithet “Baqer al-Uloum” suggests.

Born in in the Prophet’s city Medina in 57 AH (corresponding to 676 AD), he was the grandson of the two Impeccable Grandsons of the Prophet, that is, Imam Hasan and Imam Husain the “Leaders of the Youth of Paradise”. '

To be precise, if his father Imam Zain al-Abedin (AS) was the son of Imam Husain (AS), his mother Fatema (peace upon her) was the daughter of Imam Hasan Mojtaba (AS).

He was the peerless person to whom over a half-a-century before his birth the Messenger of Mercy had sent his greetings through the esteemed companion, Jaber ibn Abdullah al-Ansari .

It is an irony of Islamic history that such an Immaculate Figure, who was the most virtuous and knowledgeable person of his age, at whose feet philosophers and jurisprudents sat to learn the genuine laws of Islam, was martyred today at the age of 57 years in the year 114 AH in Medina, while Hajj pilgrims were doing the rounds of the holy Ka'ba in Mecca.

It would be repetitive to say that the 5^th Imams epithet Baqer al-Uloum, foretold by the Prophet means Splitter and Spreader of Sciences, and that he spared no efforts in enlightening the ummah in the most appropriate way.

It is outside the scope of this brief radio programme to detail the calamities that befell Imam Mohammad Baqer (AS), starting at the tender age of less than four years, when he was present in Karbala in 61 AH and witnessed history's most heart-rending tragedy, as his grandfather, grand uncles, maternal and paternal uncles, and other kinsmen and loyalists were brutally slaughtered, following which he, along with his parents, aunts, grand aunts, Hazrat Zainab (AS) and Hazrat Omm Kulsoum (SA) was dragged in chains to the courts of the tyrants in Kufa and Damascus.

In 95 AH, the divine mantle of Imamate that is beyond the reach of any usurper, came to rest on the 5^th Imam's shoulders on the martyrdom of his father through a dose of poison by the Godless Waleed, who masqueraded as caliph despite his blasphemous riddling of the holy Qur'an with a volley of arrows and his desecration of the sanctity of the prayers by ordering his drunk and ritually unclean concubine to lead the men's congregation.

For the next 19 years till his own martyrdom, the magnetic personality of Imam Baqer (AS) groomed such leading lights of Islam who could be called immortals. Names that come to mind are Zurara the master theologian, Mohammad bin Muslim bin Riyyah the eminent jurisprudent, Burayd the prominent jurisprudent, Abu Basir Lais al-Bakhtari the famous traditionist. These four have been described as the “Tent Pegs of the World.”

Then there was Abu Hamzah Thomali who held an esteemed place among the companions of the 5^th Imam and through whom some moving supplications have been conveyed to posterity including the famous one recited by the faithful to this day before Sahar or late midnight in the fasting month of Ramadhan.

Among the 5^th Imam's companions was also the renowned poet and master of Arabic literature Kumayt bin Ziyad al-Asadi, whose panegyrics titled “al-Hashemiyaat” are still recited to this day.

Interestingly, it was Imam Baqer (AS), who conveyed to posterity the dynamic Ziyarat Ashura or the standard form of salutation on the 10^th of Muharram for his grandfather, Imam Husain (AS), through his disciple Alqama bin Hazrami

Time does not allow us to dwell on various other aspects of the life of the 5^th Imam on whose authority the accounts of the prophets of the past were written and who expounded to the seekers of truth the correct interpretation of the holy Qur’an.

Over fifty years after his first imprisonment in Damascus as a hardly 4-year body, Imam Baqer (AS) was subjected to another imprisonment in the capital of Syria and this time along with his son and successor, Imam Ja'far as-Sadeq (AS).

When he reformed several prisoners, the horrified caliph, Hisham ibn Abdul-Malik released him, but did not allow him to return to Medina. The 5^th Imam took this as an opportunity to hold a memorable debate with the chief Christian monk of Syria and enlightened him with the truth of Islam. Hesham was stupefied at the Imam’s popularity, and decided to send the Prophet's rightful successor back to Medina, but with instructions that he should not come into contact with any township on the way.

Here we quote ayahs 84 to 86 of Surah Houd, regarding an incident of the remote past and its invoking by Imam Muhammad Baqer (AS) while on his way to Medina from Damascus, while passing the ancient town of Midian.

"And to Midian (We sent) Shu‘ayb, their brother. He said, ‘O my people! Worship Allah. You have no other god besides Him. Do not diminish the measure or the balance. Indeed I see that you are faring well, but I fear for you the punishment of an all-embracing day.’

"O my people! Observe fully the measure and the balance, with justice, and do not cheat the people of their goods, and do not act wickedly on the earth, causing corruption."

"Baqiatollah (what remains of Allah’s provision) is better for you if you are believers…."

As is clear by these ayahs, the Almighty Creator, reminding mankind of the fate that befell the proud people of the once flourishing city of Midian in the northern part of the Arabian Peninsula for violating the commandments of God and cheating people, draws our attention in the last mentioned ayah towards “Baqiatollah”, which is the refuge of all believers.

Unfortunately, the Midianites had disobeyed God and spread mischief and corruption in the lands for which Divine Wrath swiftly struck them. At least twice they were the targets of great catastrophes that wiped out their flourishing civilization for having deviated from the path of “Baqiatollah”; once during the days of Prophet Shu’aib (Jethro of the days of Prophet Moses) and once during the time of Prophet Saleh.

Thus, in the early years of the 2^nd century AH, Midian (Mada’en Saleh as it is known today), although a mere shadow of its ancient glory, was spared another catastrophe thanks to a timely reminder of one of its senior citizens of the folly of wronging “Baqiatollah” by obeying the tyrannical caliph in Damascus.

When the 5^th Imam’s entourage neared Midian, they found they had run out of provisions and it was impossible to continue the journey without replenishing the necessary stocks. But the people of Midian, as instructed by the caliph and his agents, shut the gates.

At this, Imam Mohammad Baqer (AS) climbed the nearby hillock that overlooked the city and recited the above mentioned ayahs. He then emphasized in a loud voice that reverberated throughout the city: "Ana wallahe Baqiatollah (By God, I am the Baqiatollah).

The people were perplexed. They were at their wit’s end. On the one hand were the caliph’s orders to have no contact with the Prophet’s successor, while on the other hand, the wrath of God was sure to strike them if he decided to curse. At this moment a very old came from his house and seeing the Imam atop the mountain told the terrified citizens that he was standing on the same spot that Prophet Saleh had stood in antiquity while warning the Midianites of divine punishment. He said disobeying the caliph’s order maybe considered an act of lawlessness by a regime that in the first place has no authority to rule, but disobeying the “Baqiatollah” is a sure sign of impending doom and ending in the bowels of hell. The people opened the gates and allowed the 5^th Imam’s entourage to buy whatever he needed for the journey ahead.

Glory to Imam Baqer (AS) for keeping aloft the torch of true guidance even during adversities! Although shortly after reaching Medina, he was martyred as a result of a poisoned saddle sent by the dastardly Hisham, his path was kept alive by his son and successors, the last of whom is Imam Mahdi (AS) – the “Baqiatollah” of our age – whose reappearance we are eagerly awaiting for establishment of the global government of peace, prosperity and justice, that will end corruption and oppression on Planet Earth by all satanic including the heretical Wahhabis who desecrated his holy grave.

AS/ME