The Sun of Knowledge and the Moon of the People, the possessor of complete knowledge and the comprehensive truth.
Name
Muhammad ibn Ali (Zayn al-Abidin) ibn al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon them all).
Titles
*Al-Baqir*, meaning the one who splits open knowledge, as he was known for uncovering Its depth, origin, and hidden meanings.
Kunya (Honorary Title)
Abu Ja’far.
Birth
He was born In Madinah on the 3rd of Safar in the year 57 AH.
Children
Ja’far al-Sadiq and Abdullah, both from his wife Furwah, the daughter of Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr al-Siddiq. He also had Ibrahim, Ali, Zaynab, and Umm Salamah.
Mother
Umm Abdullah Fatimah, the daughter of al-Hasan ibn Ali (may Allah honor his face).
Tariqa (Spiritual Path)
He received the Tariqa al-‘Aliyya from his father, Imam Zayn al-Abidin Ali ibn al-Husayn.
Contemporaries
Shaykh Hasan al-Basri, Shaykh Habib al-Ajami, Sufyan al-Thawri, Sufyan ibn Uyaynah, and Imam Abu Hanifa.
Residence
Madinah al-Munawwarah.
His Spiritual Life and Mysticism
Imam al-Baqir was sincere with his Lord, serving as a role model for the Sufis In devotion and asceticism. The Prophet ﷺ had even foretold his birth, as the noble companion Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari narrated. The Prophet ﷺ said to Jabir, “You will live long enough to meet a man from my descendants who resembles me the most and bears my name. When you see him, convey my greetings to him.” When Jabir grew old and feared death, he would call out, “O Baqir! O Baqir! Where are you?” Eventually, he saw him and kissed his hands and feet, saying, “May my father and mother be your ransom; you are the image of your grandfather, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who sends you his greetings.”
Imam al-Baqir was clothed in the garments of piety and Illuminated by pure conviction. He was known for frequent remembrance of Allah, deep humility, and abundant knowledge. He prayed fifty units of prayer daily along with the obligatory ones, shedding tears easily and often, and seldom laughed. His servant Aflah narrated that once, while they were on pilgrimage, the Imam looked at the Kaaba and began to cry so loudly that his voice filled the mosque. Aflah said to him, “May my father and mother be your ransom! People are watching; could you quiet your voice a little?” The Imam replied, “Woe to you, O Aflah! Why should I not cry, hoping that Allah may look upon me with mercy and grant me success with Him tomorrow?”
Despite being the teacher of gnostics in his time, Imam al-Baqir was extremely humble before Allah. In the stillness of night, he would say, “You commanded me, and I did not obey; You forbade me, yet I did not refrain. Here I stand, Your servant before You, and I offer no excuse.”
Miracles and Blessings
The family of the Prophet ﷺ is known for miraculous acts and divine gifts. Imam al-Baqir was endowed with heavenly insights and divine knowledge, often speaking on matters of the heart.
One such instance of his miraculous knowledge occurred when Imam al-Baqir was in the mosque of the Prophet ﷺ. When al-Mansur and Dawud Ibn Sulayman entered before the Abbasid rule, Dawud approached Imam al-Baqir and said, “Why does al-Dawaniqi not come?” The Imam replied, “His heart Is hardened.” Dawud then asked, “Will he come to power?” The Imam replied affirmatively, explaining that this man would come to rule the East and West, amassing wealth like no other. Dawud conveyed this to al-Mansur, who then visited the Imam, expressing his awe. When the Abbasid rule came to pass, al-Mansur remembered the Imam’s words and was astonished.
Another example was narrated by Malik al-Juhani, who was sitting In the presence of Imam al-Baqir and thinking to himself, “Allah has truly magnified and honored you, and made you a proof over His creation.” Imam al-Baqir turned to him and said, “O Malik, the matter is greater than what you think.” The Imam was blessed with clear insight, as described in the verse: “We have removed from you your veil, and your vision today Is sharp.”
Abdullah ibn Ata al-Makki narrated that he felt an intense longing to see Imam al-Baqir and traveled to Madinah. He arrived at the Imam’s door in the middle of the night, hesitating to knock. As he deliberated, he heard the Imam call out, “O girl, open the door for Ibn Ata, for he has suffered from the cold tonight.”
Imamate for the People of Tariqa
Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) was the fourth Imam in our noble Tariqa and part of its golden lineage, carrying the divine light that flows through the purified family of the Prophet (peace be upon them all). Through this blessed lineage, many Sufi orders have been inspired, and the fragrance of their spiritual knowledge has spread widely among people of insight and conviction.
Passing
Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) transitioned to the realm of divine truth in the year 114 AH. His body was transported to Madinah, where he was buried in al-Baqi’ cemetery in his prayer garments, as he had requested, at the age of 57.
Sources:
– *Al-Kawakib al-Duriyya* by al-Manawi, Vol. 1, pp. 164–165.
– *Shadharat al-Dhahab* by al-Hanbali, Vol. 1, p. 149.
– *Wafayat al-A’yan* by Ibn Khallikan, Vol. 3, p. 314.
– *Al-Madkhal ila Dirasat al-Adyan wa al-Madhahib*, Vol. 2, pp. 341–342.
– *Tarikh al-Yaqubi*, Vol. 2, p. 320.
– *Hilyat al-Awliya*, Vol. 3, p. 182.
– *Sifat al-Safwah*, Vol. 2, pp. 78–79.
– *Jami’ Karamat al-Awliya* by al-Nabhani, Vol. 1, p. 97.
– *Tariqa al-‘Aliyya al-Qadiriyya al-Kasnazaniyya* by Shaykh Muhammad al-Kasnazani, p. 190.
