IMAM MUHAMMAD AL-BAQIR (A.S.)

He was born in 57A.H. in Madinah. He was 4 years old in the Great Tragedy of Karbala. He lived with his father, Imam Ali Zain-ul-Abedin (a.s.) for 39 years. His mother, Umme Abdullah was the daughter of Imam Hasan al-Mujtabah (a.s.). Period of his Imamate was 18 years. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) informed his companion, Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari and said: “You will live and meet one of grandsons who will be the grandson of (Imam) Husayn (a.s.), who will spread knowledge. When you meet him, give my “Salaam” to him”

Miracles of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.):

In Amali, Muhammad ibn Sulayman narrates from his father that there was a Syrian who used to visit the Imam. He was an enemy of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) but was impressed by the Imam’s knowledge and good manners. He fell sick and told his companion to request the Imam to pray his Namaz-e-Janaza. By next morning, his body was cold and was presumed dead. When the man came to the Imam (a.s.), the Imam told him not to rush to prepare his burial. The Imam (a.s.) prayed two rakaat namaz and came to the Syrian’s house and called him by name. He replied the Imam, who sat with him and comforted him. The Imam returned home. After some time, he came to the Imam and wished to speak in seclusion. He narrated: “O Imam, you are the Hujjat of Allah and the Right Path. I was in a semi sleep condition when I heard someone saying ‘return his soul as Muhammad ibn Ali had requested for him!” Same was also reported by “Manaqib Shaher Ashoob”.

According to “Kashfil Ghima and Shaher Ashoob” Abdullah ibn Ata Makki wanted to meet the Imam in Madinah, hence he reached near the Imam’s house when it was mid night and raining. He was about to return when he heard the Imam asking his slave to open the door for me (ibn Ata).

Abu Baseer was a blind man. He went in the presence of the Imam and inquired as he was the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and inheritors of the miracles of all prophets, can he cure a blind man. The Imam replied that with the permission of Allah, he can cure him. The Imam asked Abu Baseer to come near him and moved his hand over his eyes. He became normal and could see. The Imam said to him: “Do you want to live like normal seeing person and rise on the Day of Resurrection with hope and despair or go to Paradise as a blind man?” Abu Baseer replied that he wanted to revert to the previous condition. The Imam again moved his hand over his eyes, and he became blind again.” (A’alam ul Wara, Manaqib)

Result of enmity with Ahlul Bayt (a.s.):   

Abu Utaibah narrates in “Al-Kharaij”: “I was sitting in the presence of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) when a Syrian man came and told the Imam that he was his Shiah but his father loved Bani Umayyad. He had a garden in Ram Allah. After his death he searched for his father’s wealth but could not find it.” The Imam asked if he wished to meet his dead father, he replied in affirmative. The Imam gave him a letter and told him to go to Baqiyyah Graveyard the same night and call “Darjaan”, a man in turban will appear, give the letter to him. Next morning, Abu Utaibah came in the presence of the Imam to know as to what had transpired with that Syrian. They both entered the Imam’s house simultaneously. The Syrian said: “Only Allah knows whom to give His knowledge. I went to the graveyard last night and a man came, took the letter and asked me to wait. After a wile he brought a man who was black and said that he was my father. I refused to accept it. The man told me that because of the fire and smoke of Hell, his complexion had changed. I inquired from the man if he was my father. He replied that he was my father. But because he loved Bani Umayyad and I loved Ahlul Bayt hence he developed enmity with me and wanted to deprive me of his wealth. Hence he had safely buried it in the garden under the olive tree.”

   

Miracle Thread of Musa and Haroon:

Ja’bir ibn Yazeed Ja’afi narrates in “Manaqib Shaher Ashoob” that people complained to Imam Zain-ul-Abedin (a.s.) about the opressions of Bani Umayyad. The Imam called his son Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) and gave him a thread and directed him to slowly move it. The Imam came in the mosque, prayed two rakat namaz, placed his cheek on the soil, recited some thing. After the prayer, he drew a thread which smell like musk, and gave one end to me to hold it and slowly moved the thread. There was an earth-quake, sounds of crying of the people could be heard, and many houses were demolished. The Imam went up the minaret and loudly said; “You Liars” and recited the Ayah 26 of Surah al-Nahl: “Their ceilings toppled on their heads and torment struck them from a direction which they have never expected.” People imagined it to be a voice from skies and fell on their knees. The Imam told Ja’bir the thread belonged to Prophet Musa and was given to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) by Jibra’eel.

Omar Bin Abdul Aziz’s respect for AhlulBayt (a.s.):

According to “Qurb-ul-Asnad”, the only caliph of Bani Umayyad, who was not oppressive like the rest, Omar Bin Abdul Aziz, openly said that he had heard the traditions about the Lady of Paradise, Bibi Fatima Zahra (s.a.) that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) loved her immensely and had said that whoever makes her unhappy, that person makes the Prophet himself unhappy.

Return of Fadak to AhlulBayt (a.s.):

The Imam was visiting Omar Bin Abdul Aziz and saw him crying. The Imam asked for the reason. He replied that he was crying for some of the actions of Husham. The Imam said: “O Omar, this world is a bazaar, people buy beneficial and harmful things, so fear Allah and remember two things; watch for and send those deeds which you want to be with you in the presence of Allah on the Day of Judgment, and watch and exchange those deeds which you do not want to be with you in Allah’s presence. Help the oppressed and stop the oppressor.

The Imam further said: “Remember three things for perfect faith; do not be happy in committing wrong, let not your anger distract you from righteousness, when you have power, do not acquire a thing which does not belong to you.” Hearing this, Omar Bin Abdul Aziz summoned the writing material and wrote:

               In the name of Allah, the Beneficent the Merciful

I, Omar Bin Abdul Aziz, am hereby returning the property of Fadak, which was acquired by oppression and without justification, to Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.)

On way to Syria, a priest asked the Imam (a.s.) that in Paradise, people will eat and drink but there will not be any defecation, is there any resemblance in this world like that? The Imam (a.s.) replied: “a baby in mother’s womb!” He further asked: “A woman gave birth to twins, who were born, died and buried at the same time, their ages were 150 and 50 years, who they were?

Imam (a.s.) replied: “These were two brothers; Uzair and Uzaira. Both lived together for 30 years. Then, Allah made Uzair dead for 100 years while Uzaira remained alive. After Uzair was brought back to life, both brothers live for another 20 years!” The priest told the people that he did not see any one more knowledgeable than this person (Imam).

The Noble Qur’an

Bihar-ul-Anwar                                    Allama Muhammad Baqir Majlisi