Imam Baqir (PBUH) has said, \u201dLearn the\nknowledge from the knowledgeable and teach it to your brothers in faith, as the\nknowledgeable have taught you (1)\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imam Baqir (PBUH) is\nknown to be the founder of the cultural revolution of the Shia. Although the\nShia knowledge was mainly spread by Imam Sadiq (PBUH), it was founded by Imam\nBaqir (PBUH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the life of Imam\nBaqir (PBUH), the kingdom of the Umayyads was declining, and people hated them\nas well. Due to the ruling of a person such as Umar bin Abd al-Aziz, there was\na severe disturbance amongst the Islamic nation, and there were a lot of uprisings,\nand the governors were changing rapidly. For instance, during the Imamate of\nImam Baqir (PBUH), five different caliphs governed within 19 years. Therefore,\nbeing free from the oppression of the Umayyads, Imam Baqir (PBUH) found a\nprecious opportunity to establish the scientific revolution; the Shia and Sunni\nscholars gathered around him and spread the teachings of Islam. This was the\nreason the nickname of Baqir was given to the Imam (PBUH) by Prophet Muhammad\n(PBUH&HP). According to Lisan al-Arab, a well known Arabic dictionary,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201dImam Baqir received this\nnickname because he dissected the knowledge. He recognized the foundation of\nIslamic knowledge, understood its enlightenment, and spread it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imam Baqir (PBUH) was\ncalled Baqir because he established the spread and expansion of Islamic\nknowledge. In the Book of Irshad, Shaykh Mufid says that, “Those\ncompanions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) who were still alive, such as\nJabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari, the prominent Tabi\u2019in (2), the leaders of the\nMuslims from the scholars to the non-scholars such as Jabir Ju\u2019fi, Kisan\nSakhtiani, Amin Mubarak, Zahri, Ouza\u2019ei, Abi Hanifah, Malik, Shafi\u2019i, and Ziad\nbin Mundhir have narrated Hadiths from Imam Baqir (PBUH). Also, authors such as\nTabari, Biladhuri, Salami, Khatib, Abi Dawood, Iskafi, Marwazi, Al-Isfahani,\nBasit, Naqash and others have narrated Hadiths from Imam Baqir (PBUH). These\npeople were Sunni scholars, some of which found the opportunity to visit the\nImam (PBUH).\u201d Numerous Sunni scholars have confessed that Imam Baqir (PBUH) was\nthe most knowledgeable person in his time. When interpreting the verse \u201cSurely\nin this are signs for those who examine (3),\u201d Hakam ibn Utaybah, one of the\nmost eminent Sunni scholars, has stated that,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201dI swear by Allah that\nMuhammad al-Baqir is one of the Mutasawwimin (those who examine; the smart and\ngenius people).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moreover, Abdullah bin\nAta, who is also a Sunni scholar, has said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201dI never saw scholars\nhumble themselves in front of a person as they did before Imam Baqir (PBUH);\nHakam ibn Utaybah was only a student of Imam Baqir (PBUH).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The companions of Imam\nBaqir (PBUH) and those who have narrated Hadiths from him are more than several\nthousand people; however, there are extraordinary ones amongst them who should be\ncalled the treasures of Shia, such as Muhammad ibn Muslim who has narrated\nthirty thousand Hadiths from Imam Baqir (PBUH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The status of the Imams\n(PBUT) has been unappreciated throughout the history; nevertheless, Ibn Hajar,\nthe fanatic Sunni scholar, has stated in this regards, \u201dHe (Imam Baqir (PBUH))\nwas the container, dissector, and spreader of knowledge. He was the sign of the\nknowledge, and he elevated its status. His heart was purified, and his\nknowledge and acts were chaste. He was pure and purifying; he was highly\ndecent, and he spent his life in worshiping Allah. He was so knowledgeable in\nspirituality that its level cannot be described. He has so many statements in\nregards to spirituality and moving towards Allah that it is not possible to cover\nthem all in this saying.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Selection taken from the\nworks of Ayatullah Safi (4))<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Roshd Website offers condolences\nto all the Muslims upon the 7th of Dhi al-Hijjah, the anniversary of the\nmartyrdom of the heir of the knowledge of the messengers, the fifth Imam of the\nShiites, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (PBUH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Usul al-Kafi,\nVol. 1, p. 35<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Tabi\u2019in are\nthose people who did not see Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) but were companions\nof his companions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. The Holy\nQuran, (15:75)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. This article\nis also narrated in the website dedicated to Ayatullah Safi, www.safi.net.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Imam Baqir (PBUH) has said, \u201dLearn the knowledge from the knowledgeable and teach it to your brothers in faith, as the knowledgeable have taught you (1)\u201d. Imam Baqir (PBUH) is known to be the founder of the cultural revolution of the Shia. Although the Shia knowledge was mainly spread by Imam Sadiq (PBUH), it was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28248],"tags":[21389,20937,21391,17964,20800,21390,18418,17873,21388],"class_list":["post-4381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","tag-2006-12-28","tag-imam-baqir","tag-kingdom","tag-knowledge","tag-knowledgeable","tag-learn","tag-occasion-letters","tag-shia","tag-the-heir-of-the-knowledge-of-the-prophet"],"yoast_head":"\n