Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s)

IMAM MUHAMMAD BIN ALI AL-BAQIR BIOGRAPHY
The Holy Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, born on Tuesday the first of Rajab, A.H. 57, in Madinah, is the fifth Imam of the Shiites. His epithet was Abu Ja’far and he was popularly titled al-Baqir. His mother was the daughter of Imam Hasan (A.S.), thus the only Imam connected to Hadrat Fatima Zahra, both from his paternal and maternal side.[

HIS EARLY UPBRINGING
Imam Muhammad al-Baqir was brought up in the holy lap of his grandfather Imam Hussain (A.S.), for three years. For thirty four hears he was under the gracious patronage of his father, Ali Zayn al-Abidin.

IMAMATE
Al-Baqir Mohammad b. Ali b. Hussain, peace be on them, was out of (all) brothers of his father, Ali b. Hussain, his testamentary trustee (Wasi), and the one who undertook the office of Imam after him. He surpassed all of them through his outstanding merit (fadl) in traditional knowledge, asceticism and leadership. He was the most renowned of them, the one among them who was most esteemed by both non-Shia and Shia, and the most able of them. None of the sons of Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain, peace be on them, showed the same ability in knowledge of religion, traditions, Quran and the life of the Prophet (sira) and the techniques of literature, as Abu Jafar (Muhammad al-Baqir) showed. The surviving companions (of the Prophet), the leading members of the next generation (taabiun) and the leaders of the Muslim Jurists reported the principal features of religion on his authority. By virtue of his outstanding merit he became a sign post (of knowledge) to his family. Proverbs were coined about him and reports and verses were written to describe him.
Concerning him al-Qurazi says:O (you) who split open (baqir) knowledge(making available to the people of piety and the best of those who seek to answer the call of the Exalted.
Malik b. A’yan al-Juhni said in the praise of him, peace be on him: When the people seek knowledge of Quran, Quraysh rely upon him.[2]
In the testamentary bequest (Wasiyya) which the Commander of the faithful peace be on him, made to his children, mention was made of Mohammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn and of his trusteeship. The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, name him and caused him to be known as the one who split open (religious) knowledge as the narrators of tradition report. [3]
The Shia give an account of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, from heaven (The Apostle) gave it to Fatima, peace be on her. In it are the names of the Imams after (The Apostle) and in it is Muhammad b. Ali, the Imam after his father.
The Shia also report that God, the Mighty and High, sent down to His Prophet, the blessings and peace of God be on them, a document sealed with twelve seals. He ordered him to give to the Commander of the faithfully, peace be on him, and to tell him to break the first seal, and he should act according to what is in (that part of the document). At the time of his death, he should pass it on to his son, al-Hasan, peace be on him, and tell him to break the second seal and act according to what is in (that part of) document. At the time of his death he should pass it to his brother al-Husayn, peace be on him,. He should tell him to break the third seal and act according to what is below it. Then at his death, he should pass it to his son, Ali b. Hussain al-Akbar (the elder) and he should instruct him in a similar way. Then he should pass it to his son right down to the last of the Imams.[4]

HIS MERITS
Ibn Hajar al-Haytami, a famous scholar belonging to the Sunnite School says: Imam Muhammad al-Baqir has disclosed the secrets of knowledge and wisdom and unfolded the principles of spiritual and religious guidance .Nobody can deny his exalted character, his God-given knowledge, his divinely-gifted wisdom and his obligation and gratitude towards spreading of knowledge. He was a sacred and highly talented spiritual leader and for this reason he was popularly titled al-Baqir which means the expounder of knowledge. Kind of heart, spotless in character, sacred by soul and noble by nature, the Imam devoted all his time in submission to Allah (and propagating the teachings of the Holy Prophet and his descendants). It is beyond the power of a man to count the deep impression of knowledge and guidance left by the Imam on the hearts of the faithful.[5]
The Holy Imam managed to collect the teachings of the Holy Prophet and his Ahl al-Bait in the form of books. His pupils compiled books on different branches of science and arts under his instructions.
In the excellence of his personal purity and godly traits, the Holy Imam Muhammad al-Baqir was a model of the Holy Prophet and his great grandfather, Ali ibn Abi Talib. His admonitions created a spiritual sensation among the Muslims in general.[6]
The Holy Imam gave much importance to convening majalis (meetings) in commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn. Kumayt ibn Zaid al-Asadi, one of the most famous and highly talented poets of that time used to recite the elegy of Imam Hussain in those majalis.[7]
Abu Jafar, peace be upon him, recounted reports of the beginnings of history and reports of the prophets. Stories of the campaigns of the Prophet (maghazi) were written on his authority. People followed the practices of the Prophet on his authority and relied on him with regard to the rites of the pilgrimage which he reported on the authority of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family. They (also) wrote a commentary of the Quran on his authority. Both the Shia  and the non Shia report traditions on his authority. He debated with exponents of individual reasoning (ahl al-ara) and the people learnt a great deal of theology (ilm al-kalam) through him. Imam Sadiq on the authority of his father, peace be upon them, narrates that the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, used to say: The best works are three: Looking after brothers with money; giving the people justice on your own account; and remembering God in every circumstance.[8]
It is reported on his authority, peace be upon him, that he was asked about traditions which he put forward and did not support with a chain of authorities. He said: If I report a tradition without giving it a chain of authorities then my chain of authorities is in fact my father on the authority of my grandfather on the authority of his father on the authority of his grandfather, the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, on the authority of Gabriel, peace be on him, on the authority of God, the Mighty and High.[9][10]

Footnotes:
[1] Brief History of Fourteen Infallibles, Ansariyan Publications, Qum Iran., p.117.
[2] Kitab-al-Irshad Shaikh Mufid. p. 393.
[3] Ibid. p. 394.
[4] Ibid. p..395.
[5] A brief History of Fourteen Infallibles, Ansarian Publications, Qum, Iran, p. 118.
[6] Ibid. p. 119.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid. 401, Bihar al-Anwar, Vol, 74, p. 45,سَيِّدُ الْأَعْمَالِ ثَلَاثُ خِصَالٍ- إِنْصَافُكَ النَّاسَ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ وَ مُوَاسَاتُكَ الْأَخَ فِي اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ ذِكْرُكَ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ
[9] Ibid.
[10] http://www.shiachat.com/forum/topic/48365-imam-muhammad-bin-ali-al-baqir...