Baqiatollah the Fifth

Date: 27 July 2020 - 21:24

News ID: ۸۱۱۲۶

By: Seyyed Ali Shahbaz

"I admonish you regarding five things; if you are wronged, do not commit wrongdoing 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 sight 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.”
These bezels of wisdom are from a person who was not just the namesake of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), but also his 5th Infallible Heir, the grandson of both his grandsons – Imam Hasan (AS) and Imam Husain (AS) – and the one to whom the Messenger of Mercy had sent his greetings over half-a-century in advance through the esteemed companion, Jaber ibn Abdullah al-Ansari.
It is an irony of Islamic history that such an impeccable 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 on the 7th of Zil-Hijja at the age of 57 in the year 114 AH (733 AD) in Medina, while Hajj pilgrims were doing the rounds of the holy Ka’ba in Mecca.
Imam Baqer (AS), whose father is Imam Zain al-Abedin (AS) the Survivor of the heartrending tragedy of Karbala and whose mother is the virtuous Fatema bint Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (AS), needs no introduction.
It would be repetitive to say that the 5th Imam’s 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 column to detail the calamities of Imam Muhammad Baqer (AS) that started 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 on the Day of Ashura (Muharram 10), following which he, along with his parents, aunts, grand aunts – Hazrat Zainab (SA) and Hazrat Omm Kulsoum (SA) – was dragged in chains to the courts of the tyrants in Kufa and Damascus.
Time and space also do not allow me to dwell on his second imprisonment in Damascus – and this time along with his son and successor, Imam Ja’far as-Sadeq (AS) – and how upon his release by the caliph, Hisham ibn Abdul-Malik (not out of repentance but stupefied at the reforming of the inmates), the Imam in a memorable debate with the chief Christian monk of Syria enlightened him with the truth of Islam, forcing the Omayyad tyrant 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 I 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 the wordings of these Ayahs, the Almighty Creator by reminding mankind of the fate that befell the proud people of the once flourishing city of Midian in the northern part of Arabia in antiquity for violating the commandments of God and cheating people, draws 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 and once during the time of Prophet Saleh.
In the early years of the 2nd 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 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. The people of Midian, however, as instructed by the caliph and his agents, shut the gates.
At this Imam Muhammad 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 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 the Imam decided to curse.
At this moment a very old man came out 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 then opened the gates and allowed the 5th 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 elements including the Godless Wahhabis who have desecrated the holy graves of the Ahl al-Bayt.