The period of the life of the fifth Imam, Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.), is quite the logical continuation of the period of Imam Sajjād’s (P.B.U.H.) life. Now, a group has gathered and the Shi‘ites, once again, feel their existence and character. The Shi‘ites’ invitation, which had remained halted for a few years due to the tragedy of Karbalā and the bloody events after that–like the events of Ḥarra and Tawwābīn (the Penitents)–and the caliphs’ stringencies and it was not provided except behind the very thick covering, has now taken root in many regions of Islamic countries especially in Iraq, Ḥijāz and Khurāsān, and has attracted an extensive stratum toward itself and has even turned out to be a more limited circle in the form of an intellectual and practical bond which can be interpreted as a “Party Organization”. That day when Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) said, “In all of Ḥijāz, our friends and enthusiasts, do not amount to twenty persons” has passed and now when Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.) enters Masjid al-Nabī in Medina, a dense crowd from Khurāsān and other areas surround him and ask about jurisprudential issues. People like Ṭāwūs al-Yamānī, Qatādah b. Di‘āmah, Abū Ḥanīfah and others who are among the famous jurisprudents and, of course, are considered not to be oriented toward Shi‘ism or Imamate, had heard about the reputation of the Imam’s (P.B.U.H.) vast knowledge and had come to him to benefit from this knowledge or had turned to him for argumentation and debate. A poet like Kumait Asadī, makes people acquainted with his most important artistic work which are odes named “Hāshimiyāt” which passes from one hand to another and from one tongue to another and familiarizes the people with the right of the household of Prophet Muḥammad (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) and the grace of their knowledge and spiritual values, with his eloquent tongue and overflowing art. On the other hand, the Marwanid caliphs felt safe and satisfied from this stance that after the twenty-year period of ‘Abdul Malik b. Marwān’s (d. 86 A.H.) authority and crashing all the heads of those who were claimant [of caliphate] and extinguishing all of flames of opposition, and since they did not appreciate the value of the easily achieved position of caliphate like their ancestors did, and also due to the amusements that are usually a necessary part of that dignity and eminence, they did not pay much attention to Shi‘ism, and as a result, to some extent, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) and his companions were safe from their harassment.
In short, conditions have changed in numerous senses in favor of the Imamate and Shi‘ism. Thus, naturally, it can be concluded that during his Imamate, Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.) had made advances and took the Shi‘ites’ efforts and endeavors one phase further toward its last step; and this is just what makes up the characteristics of the period of Imam Bāqir’s (P.B.U.H.) Imamate.
There is a lot to say about Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.), but I note two things from the life of his holiness. One includes his holiness’ struggle against the distortion of the Islamic teachings and Islamic practical law; this was something that was always accomplished in a more detailed and more comprehensive and wider way in Imam Bāqir’s (P.B.U.H.) era than before his holiness’ time. What does this mean, “struggle against distortion”? The meaning of “struggle against distortion” is that the holy religion of Islam with its teachings and practical laws that it has and with the Qur’anic verses it has decreed some characteristics and conditions not only for the Islamic society but for human world and human life, [in such a way] that if the people know those teachings and adhere to them, they would not tolerate some thing in a society that is [characterized as] Islamic. For example, they would not tolerate the governance of oppressors, or the governance of those engaged in debaucheries and vices, or the governance of the irreligious. Naturally, they would not tolerate discrimination and the unjust division of wealth in society and much of the corruption that exists in Islamic societies; this is not consistent with Islamic practical law and the Islamic system.
Some of the sultans and rulers who came to power as the Prophet’s (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) caliph–like the Umayyad and the Marwanid–were in no way deserving of that position to govern over the Islamic society and with all kinds of depravity, oppression, corruption, discrimination, and ignorance, and to sum it up, with various kinds of deviations that existed during their reigns. If the Islamic practical laws and Qur’anic verses were supposed to be explained for people as they are, there would be no possibility for them to continue their governorship, rule, and seizure of power; this is why they began distorting the verses of the Qur’an. Now, they were also doing this distortion in several ways. One of these ways was that they would deceive and buy some of the jurisprudents and scholars and narrators of traditions and reciters of the Holy Qur’an and justified figures and kept them with themselves, they would either give them money or frighten them. They would force some of them through greed and some of them through fear to promote the very thing that was of interest to them among the people. So, if you look at the history of the first couple of centuries of Islam, you will see a strange sight; you will see so many holy figures, famous with piety and knowledge, who were in the service of cruel rulers and statesmen, and fed the people some weird practical laws in the name of Islam. Now see for example, what kind of ruling is this that a scholar says such a thing as Allah Almighty and the Holy Qur’an have told us, “follow the ‘holder of authority (ulu al-amr)’”, this ‘holder of authority (ulu al-amr)’ is anyone who can become dominant over the people by any means possible; this is the ‘holder of authority (ulu al-amr)’. Even though with deceitfulness, trickery, sword, force, bullying, and highway robbery, and this way finally to be able to rule over the people. This becomes the so-called ulu al-amr.
Well, this is so absurd and incorrect that if it is not connected to Islam and one source of faith and belief of the people, does not become acceptable to anyone. But they came, linked to Islam and said many things of this kind on these topics that are quite plentiful in the first couple of centuries of the history of Islam. The Caliphs would have these famous figures accompany them, and would take them alongside themselves to Mecca and Medina, presented them to the people in public assemblies and would pose them, and made them the instruments for the approval of their own status. One way of distorting the religion was that these types of individuals who were pedants, pseudo-jurisprudents, pseudo-saints, and pseudo-ascetic were in the service of the caliphs, who in turn would have them feed people anything that they wished them to believe in the name of religion. Some of these [beliefs] are still extant in books and unfortunately many Muslims still believe in them.
One way of distortion was that, when the Caliphs themselves seated on the throne of power and felt that the people are obligated to accept and obey whatever they say; they would set forth a word, a thought, a basis for discussion in the name of Islam in this same manner and made it the popular culture and they would repeat it over and over and it would pass from mouth to mouth over and over, until it became the mentality of the people. For instance, some of the commanders of ‘Abdul Malik’s apparatus such as Ḥajjāj and other people like them believed that or pretended that the caliphate is superior over prophethood; now these people were not satisfied with this that ‘Abdul Malik b. Marwān and the offspring of ‘Abdul Malik and those depraved and debauchers to be the successors of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.)–which was a title high above their level and a garment too large and unfit for them–and they had usurped this title, but they would not have been satisfied with this, they wanted to claim that caliphate is superior to prophethood. Such distortions had occurred in religion, and the main factor in the continuance of the rule of the Umayyads and the ‘Abbasids and the main obstacle for legitimate Islamic government was this same wrong culture that dominated the minds of the people.
Now, the Imams (P.B.U.T.) want to set up the true Islamic government; they want to establish an ‘Alawite system. What must they do? The first thing to do is to change the people’s mentality; to take away from the people the so-called Islamic culture that was against the Islamic culture that had infiltrated the minds of the people and to replace it with a good and accurate culture and with the true Qur’an and the real Monotheism. This is the very cultural struggle. Then, the cultural struggle does not mean only sitting and saying some things from Islamic practical laws without a revolutionary and fighting orientation. Rather, a cultural struggle is to endeavor to change the mentality of the people, to pave the way for a Divine rule, and close the way for tyrannical and satanic rule; and Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.) began this task. Bāqir al-‘Ilm al-Awwalīn [first one who splits knowledge open] is meant to be this; as his holiness was the cleaver of the Qur’anic truths and Islamic sciences. He virtually explained the Holy Qur’an to the people. So it was for this reason that when anyone sensed the breath of Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.), although he was not affiliated to anyone, was not a devotee, and was not under the patronage of another one, this would certainly change his view about the state of rule of the time. Accordingly, many of the people who were from among the middle class in Imam Bāqir’s (P.B.U.H.) time were converted to the school of thought of the holy Prophet’s (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) household, to the Imamate’s school of thought; to the very thing that is called Shi‘ism in our current convention today. This is what Shi‘ism means, that is following the school of thought of the Prophet’s (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) household in order to establish the real rule of Islam, for the real sublimation of the word of the Qur’an and to clarify and implement Qur’anic doctrines among the people. Whoever Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.) would make a relationship with and tell him things, his mentality would change and he would change. This was Imam Bāqir’s (P.B.U.H.) first task, which was a very important and fundamental task and this was the bulk of Imam Bāqir’s (P.B.U.H.) duty.
Secret Organizations
There is another task in the life of Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.), namely, organization. What exactly does this mean? This means that this doctrinal knowledge (ma‘ārif), this very culture change and cultural struggle sometimes is thrown by a human being among the people just like that; well, it is like a seed that human beings pour into a land haphazardly. One of them will grow green, another one will die, one of them will be destroyed, one will dry up after growing green, one will be trampled upon after growing green, will be destroyed; this method of sprinkling seeds is not very fruitful. Sometimes, otherwise, that expert gardener, that skillful and wise farmer, in addition to dispersing seeds, he maintains them; how does he maintain it? The way to do this is that he should appoint some individuals throughout the Islamic world in order to resolve and raise the problems of those who are influenced by this propagation and superior teachings; attain more knowledge, so as not to be influenced by the enemy’s suggestions, not to make mistakes and maintain their continuity with each other; in short, to creating a sufficient guarantee for the germination of these healthy seeds in a ready and fertile land.
One of Imam Bāqir’s (P.B.U.H.) undertakings was this: to nurture those who were his pupils and to elevate his friends, to pay them exclusive attention–his holiness’ especial pupils–then connect them to each other, to send them all over the Islamic world as a pole, a pillar, and assign them as his proxy and his deputy who would pursue his holiness’ tasks and undertake the responsibility for continuing his holiness’ propagation and teachings. This was the covert organizing which had been started before Imam Bāqir’s (P.B.U.H.) time, but at the time of his holiness became more momentous and, of course, it reached its peak at the time of Imam Ṣādiq and Imam Mūsā b. Ja‘far (P.B.U.T.); this was also another undertaking that was very dangerous.
Thus, in narrations, you see that some of Imam Bāqir’s (P.B.U.H.) companions are known as the “Companions of Secret (Aṣḥāb al-Sirr)” like Jābir b. Yazīd Ju‘fī. Jābir Ju‘fī was considered to be one of the “Companions of Secret”, a confidant. Who are the confidants? They are the very individuals who are present in regions and areas of the Muslim world and who are responsible for guiding and helping and leading and, in brief, gratifying the mental of the people who have the potentiality of and are interested in Islam. Likewise, whenever the ruling authorities found them, they would put these types of individuals under the harshest pressures.
1987/31/07
In a short study, the nineteen years of Imam Bāqir’s (P.B.U.H.) Imamate–from the year 95 to 114 A.H.–can be summarized as follows: his father–Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.)–appoints him as the leader of the Shi‘ites and his successor in the final moments of his life and certifies this position for him in the presence of his other sons and relatives. Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.) shows him a chest that, in the language of narrations, was filled with knowledge or contained the weapon of the Apostle of Allah (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) and says: “O’ Muḥammad! Carry this chest to your home”. Then addressing others, he says: “There is nothing of dirhams or dinars in this chest; rather, it is filled with knowledge”. And apparently, in this way and with this language, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) introduces the theoretic and intellectual–knowledge–and the revolutionary command–the Prophet’s (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) weapon–to those present.
From the earliest moments, the comprehensive and broad efforts of the Imam (P.B.U.H.) and his righteous companions in the dissemination of a purposeful and a table-turning invitation of Shi‘ism takes on a novel initiative. The expanse of the domain of this invitation is such that, in addition to the Shi‘ite inhabited regions such as Medina and Kūfa and new regions, especially areas of the Muslim country that are far from the center of Umayyad rule were being added to the territories of Shi‘ite thinking; and in this regard Khurāsān can be named more eminently than all other places where we can observe the influence of Shi‘ite propagation in that land in the numerous narrations.
What prompts the Imam (P.B.U.H.) and his companions, throughout this energy consuming effort, to a dynamic movement and constantly reminds them of their Divine duty, is the miserable social and mental reality. They see people before them, who, due to corruptive and destructive training and education on the one hand become more deprived and more and more drowned in the events of the general corruption of society and little by little it reaches a point where the general public, like leaders and officials, do not even listen to the life-saving inviting calls of Imamate, either:
«ان دعوناهم لم یستجیبوا لنا»
[If we invite them, they will not accept our invitation]. On the other hand, during these deviational trend, whose everything, even learning, discussion, jurisprudence, theology, narration, and interpretation are in line with the desires and the demands of the Umayyad tyrants, there is no other window of hope open to them and if Shi‘ism, too, does not make an effort to invite and guide them, the path of guidance will be completely closed to them:
«و ان ترکناهم لم یهتدوا بغیرنا»
[If we leave them, then they will never be guided by any other means]
Based on a deep understanding of the current reality of social chaos, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) discloses his hostile stance toward those intellectual and cultural powers, that is the mercenary poets and scholars–who are the creators of the unhealthy intellectual climate of the society–and by whipping his lash of condemnation on their heads, if not to provoke a wave of admonition and awareness in their sleeping consciences, he prompts a wave of admonition and consciousness in the mind and heart of their ignorant followers. With a protesting tone, the Imam tells the poet Kathīr, “Have you praised ‘Abdul Malik?! And he cunningly and naively tried to mend his sin and replied, “I did not address him as the leader of guidance; rather, I called him a “lion”, a “sun”, a “river”, a “dragon” and a “mountain”; and [what I meant here was that] a “lion” is a dog, the “sun” is a solid object, the “river” is an inanimate body, the “dragon” is a mephitic insect, and the “mountain” means a hard stone. Then, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) gives a meaningful smile for this poor excuse and vindication and then Kumayt–this revolutionary and purposeful poet–stands up and composes one of his Hāshimīte odes and leaves a keepsake of comparison between these two kinds of art in the minds of the audience and all those who had heard about this event. ‘Ikrima, the famous pupil of Ibn ‘Abbās who enjoys great credibility and prestige among the people, goes to see the Imam (P.B.U.H.) and is so impressed by the Imam’s (P.B.U.H.) dignity, spirituality, and spiritual and scholarly personality that he involuntary embraces the Imam (P.B.U.H.), and he says with amazement, “I have sat with great men such as Ibn ‘Abbās, yet I have never experienced such a feeling in their presence. In response the Imam (P.B.U.H.) says:
«ویلک یا عبید اهل الشام انک بین یدی بیوت اذن الله ان ترفع و یذکر فیها اسمه»
[Woe unto thee, O’ humble slave of the Syrians! You are now facing the homes which have attained sublimity and have by Allah’s leave become the center of the remembrance of Allah.]
At every appropriate opportunity, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) provokes the feelings and sentiments of the negligent people, brings dead and stagnant blood to a boil and stimulates their benumbed hearts, intending to make them ready for radical and revolutionary orientation, by showing a corner of the bitter and afflicting life of Shi‘ites and explaining the pressures and the severity of the actions taken by the powers that ruled over the Imam (P.B.U.H.) and his companions.
He addresses a man who asked his holiness, “How did you get up in the morning, O’ son of the holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.)!” as follows, “Hasn’t the time come to understand how we are and how we get up in the morning?! Our story is the story of Children of Israel in the Pharaonic society who would kill their men (sons) and capture their women (daughters) alive! Know that they–meaning the Umayyads–kill our men (sons) and capture our women (daughters) alive.” And after this compelling and provocative statement, he brings up the main issue–namely the priority of the Shi‘ite claim and the rule of the household of the holy Prophet, “The Arabs thought that they are superior to non-Arabs; because Prophet Muḥammad (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) is an Arab and the non-Arabs submit to this thought. The Quraysh thought that they are superior to other Arab tribes, because the holy Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) is from the tribe of the Quraysh and they submitted to this. If they are truthful about this claim, then we are superior to the other tribes of the Quraysh; because we are the sons and the family of Muḥammad (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) and no one is a partner with us in this respect.” This man, who seemed to have become quite excited, says: By Allah, We love your family.” And the Imam (P.B.U.H.), who has brought this man forth to the brink of complete intellectual, spiritual, and practical consistency–guardianship–also utters his last informative and awakening statement to him, “Then prepare yourself for a calamity. By Allah! Calamity is closer to us Shi‘ites, than the flood is to the hillside; and calamity comes first to us and then to you just as the comfort of security comes to us first and then it comes to you.”
In a more limited and more assured circle, one of the other features is the ties that the Imam (P.B.U.H.) enjoys with the Shi‘ites. In these communications, we see the Imam (P.B.U.H.) as a human being who is in a living body, a mastermind with respect to the members and limbs, and a beating heart in the task of nourishing the organs and bodies.
The signs about the Imam’s communications with this assembly, for which there is information available, on the one hand is a display of the clarity in the field of intellectual teachings, and on the other hand it shows the continuity and calculated associations between them and the Imam (P.B.U.H.).
Fuḍail b. Yasār, one of the Imam’s closest confidential companions, accompanied the Imam to the Hajj pilgrimage. The Imam looks at the pilgrims who are circumambulating the Ka‘ba and says, “During the age of ignorance (jāhilīyya) they would circumambulate the Ka‘ba in this fashion! The Divine order is to migrate toward us and confess their continuity and affectation to us and help us. The Holy Qur’an–quoting Abraham who says, “O’ Allah! Make the hearts of the people eager toward them.” In his first visit with the Imam (P.B.U.H.), he recommends Jābir Ju‘fī not to tell anyone that he is from Kūfa, and pretend to be from Medina. In this way, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) teaches this beginner pupil, who apparently seems to have great potential for bearing the secrets of the Imamate and Shi‘ism, learns the lesson of secrecy and concealment and it is this same talented student, who is later introduced as the Imam’s confidant and winds up to this in his dealing with the caliphate system.
Nu‘mān b. Bashīr says: I accompanied Jābir on the journey to Hajj. He entered the presence of Abū Ja‘far–Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.)–in Medina and said goodbye to his holiness on the last day and left him quite happily. We set out for Kūfa. In one of the caravansaries along the way someone met up with us–Nu‘mān narrates some signs of that person and his short dialogue with Jābir–and gave a letter to Jābir. Jābir kissed the letter; put it over his eyes, and then he opened it and read it. I saw that the more he read it he became more and more worried. He finished the letter, wrapped it up and we continued our way and reached Kūfa; but I did not find Jābir happy. The day after arriving in Kūfa, in respect for Jābir, I rushed to see him. Suddenly I was faced with amazing scene. I saw that Jābir was riding a stick horse like children and was wearing a necklace of the ankle bone of a lamb hanging from his neck and he was reciting meaningless and nonsensical poems, he came out of the house; he glanced at me and said nothing. I did not say anything either, but I wept involuntarily when I saw this situation. Children surrounded him and me, and he set out carefree and walked until he reached Raḥba and children were chasing him everywhere. People were telling each other that Jābir b. Yazīd has gone mad. A few days had not yet passed when the letter of the caliph–Hishām b. ‘Abdul Malik–had reached the governor of Kūfa, in which he had written, “Investigate and find out who this man called Jābir b. Yazīd Ju‘fī is; arrest him and behead him and send his head to me”. The ruler asked border dwellers about Jābir. They replied, May Allah save our governor! He is a man who had a lot of virtues and knowledge of narrations; he went to perform Hajj this year and became insane and at the moment he is riding a stick horse and is playing with children at Raḥba. Nu‘mān says, To make sure for himself the governor went to see Jābir himself and saw that Jābir was riding on a stick horse and was busy playing. Then the governor said, Thank Allah that I am exempt from murdering Jābir.
This is an example of how the Imam (P.B.U.H.) had a relationship with his close companions, representing the existence of association and a calculated and organizational relationship; and it is also an example of the position of the government toward these companions. It is clear that the agents of the caliphate–who thought of safeguarding, empowering, and stabilizing their own status more than anything else–did not remain totally uninformed of the Imam’s (P.B.U.H.) relationships with his close companions and their group activities and more or less heard about this subject and tried to uncover and deal with it. Gradually an invasive visage arises in the life of his holiness and also in the general climate of Shi‘ism and promises the beginning of another chapter in the history of the lives of the Shi‘ite Imams (P.B.U.T.).
Although there is no explicit statement about Imam Bāqir’s (P.B.U.H.) aggressive and relatively severe activities in Islamic historical texts or in the books containing narrations etc.–and of course, this itself is due to several causes and factors, the most important of which is the strangulation that is dominant over that atmosphere and the necessity of taqīyyah (prudential concealment) for the companions contemporary to the Imam (P.B.U.H.) who were the only sources informed about the events of the Imam’s (P.B.U.H.) political life–however one can always discover the depth of any person’s action always from the calculated reactions of a cautious enemy. If a powerful and resourceful system like that of Hishām b. ‘Abdul Malik, whom the historians consider to be the most powerful Umayyad caliph, faced Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.) or anyone else with harsh faces, it is undoubtedly resulted from the fact that he sees a threat in his method and action for himself and thus his existence becomes intolerable for him. There can be no doubt that if Imam Bāqir (P.B.U.H.) was preoccupied only with a scholarly life–not with intellectual and organizational construction–the caliph or the heads of the regime of the caliphate would not have found it in their interest nor to their advantage firstly, to provoke the Imam (P.B.U.H.) against themselves with a harsh opposition–just as we will soon witness; such as the uprising of Ḥusayn b. ‘Alī (martyr of Fakh)–secondly, they infuriated a group of friends and those who believed in the Imam (P.B.U.H.)–who were not few in number–toward themselves and made them dissatisfied with their system, with the strictness and severity that they employed. In short, one can deduce the Imam’s (P.B.U.H.) rather severe and serious action from the relatively severe reaction of the regime of the Caliphate in the latter part of Imam Bāqir’s (P.B.U.H.) life.
