CHAPTER VI: HIS TALENTS AND HIS GENIUS
The talents and genius of Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, resulted in great abilities of knowledge that included all sciences, such as the tradition, philosophy, theology, jurisprudence, high maxims, and standard morals. Moreover, it included the events the Imam had predicted before they occurred. Then they happened on the arena of life. His knowledge was vast. Though the scholars learned a lot of his pure knowledge, he found narrowness in himself because of his many sciences for which he found no way to proclaim. He, as the narrators said, heaved deep sighs and said with grief:
“If I found (carriers) for my knowledge which Allah, the Great and Almighty, has given to me, I would proclaim monotheism, Islam, religion, and Islamic laws. How can I do that? My grandfather, the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, found no carriers for his knowledge for his knowledge. Thus, he sighed deeply on the pulpit and said: ‘Question me before you lose me, for there is much knowledge among the ribs.’”
The historians and the narrators have unanimously agreed that the Imam was the richest of all the thinkers and the scholars of his time in scientific abilities and talents. Besides, the biographers have mentioned that he proclaimed knowledge and discovered its treasures and facts, as we have mentioned in the previous chapters. Before discussing the sciences which he discovered, it is necessary for us to present some important points concerning the topic.
The Scientific Life at his Time
The scientific movement at the time of the Imam was afflicted with much inactivity and dullness. In other words, it had no shade on the arena of life. That is because the political parties turned the people away from knowledge. The high houses pounced upon winning the government. So, they threw their human and financial powers into astonishing, horrible, violent battles that afflicted the community with heavy causalities and disasters. The members of the community launched armed attacks against each other. So, they turned away from knowledge and thought. In other words, they abandoned that light which Islam brought for mankind, and abandoned its orders to follow it to achieve their aims in life, such as security, welfare, and development.
The Bright Role of the Imam
Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, came to a world full of discords, disturbances, and events. He saw that the Islamic community had lost all of its qualities. It lost all the characteristics which Allah wanted for it, such as unity, perfection, and development in the fields of knowledge and production. So, through his spiritual leadership, the Imam did his best to renew the glory of the community and to rebuild its cultural entity. Thus, he proclaimed knowledge and thought. He refrained from practicing all political activities, and devoted himself to knowledge only. The orientalist, Rowit M. Ronaldson, said: “He (al-Baqir) lived honored. He dedicated himself to knowledge during his isolation in Medina. The people came to him to ask him about the Imamate.”
Some notables of the community went to the Imam to study knowledge under him. Among them was the great scholar, Jabir b. Yazïd al-Ju‘fi. When the Imam met him for the first time, he asked him:
-Where are you from?
- From Kufa.
- From which tribe?
- From Ju‘f.
- What has brought you here?
- Seeking knowledge.
- From whom?
- From you.
Then knowledge-loving deputations came to the Imam frequently to learn knowledge and sciences from him. Shaykh Abu Zahra said: “All the scholars who went to (Medina), the city of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, went to him to learn the principal features of religion from him.”
The jurists learned from him the lawful and the unlawful.
However, the Islamic world took from the Imam all the elements of its development and progress. The cultural movement that depended on the Imam was not confined to his time only. Rather it included all the times that followed him. Thus, the scientific life appeared, and sciences developed very much. For this reason, the scientific life in Islam prospered.
Surely, the cultural life in Islam is indebted to this great Imam, for he renewed and led it throughout history.
The Sciences the Imam Discussed
The Imam studied several sciences, and then he taught them to the scholars in the Mosque of the Prophet or in the yard of his house. Among these traditions are the following:
The Tradition:
Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be no him, took great care of the traditions which were reported on the authority of his grandfather, the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, and on the authority of his pure grandfathers, peace be on them. That is because the tradition is the second source of the Islamic law after the Holy Koran. It is of great importance in the Islamic law, for it specifies the general (verses) of the Book, limits its absolute (verses), it distinguishes its abrogated (verses) from its abrogating (ones), and its vague (verses) from its clear (ones). The tradition also denotes the jurisprudential rules concerning worships and dealings. It gives the general rules which the jurists use to conclude the religious opinion. It has bright rules for individual and social behavior. It has rules for organizing the family and preserving it from committing sins. Moreover, it has all what people need for their individual and social life. For this reason, Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, took care of tradition and adopted it positively. Jabir b. Yazïd al-Ju‘fi reported seventy thousand traditions on the authority of the Imam. Aban b. Taghlub reported a large group of them on his authority. Great figures from the Companions reported a large group of traditions on his authority.
The important thing is that Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, took care of understanding the meanings of the tradition. He regarded understanding the meanings of the tradition as a criterion for preferring the narration. Yazïd al-Razzaz reported on the authority of his father on the authority of Abu Abd Allah on the authority of his father, who said:
“Know the positions of the Shi‘ites according to their narration and their knowledge. Indeed knowledge is understanding the narration. Through understanding the narration, the believer reaches the maximum degree of belief. I looked at a letter that belonged to ‘Ali. I found in the letter that the value and importance of the person depend on that he should know that Allah will reckon people according to the reason He has given to them in the world.”
That the narrator understands the meanings of the narration indicates his high scientific rank.
As the Imam took great care of the tradition, he put certain rules to distinguish the correct tradition from the incorrect one when they contradict each other. We will mention that when we talk about the science of the fundamentals which the Imam treated.
The Reports of the Imams
As for the traditions which were reported on the authority of the pure Imams, peace be on them, they do not denote the personal ideas of the Imams. Rather, they denote the words of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and his ideas. Thus, the Shi‘ites have added the Imams' traditions to the sunna (practices of the Prophet). Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, referred to that in two traditions he told Jabir b. Yazïd al-Ju‘fi.
1. He, peace be on him, said to Jabir: “If we speak to you according to our idea, we will be from the perished. However, we speak to you according to the traditions we gather on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, as they gather their gold and silver.
2. He, peace be on him, said to Jabir: “By Allah, Jabir, if we speak to the people according to our opinion, then we will be from the perished. However, we speak to them according to the traditions we report on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family. We inherit the traditions successively. We gather them as they gather their gold and silver.
”
Therefore, the Imams of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, did not ascribe the traditions to themselves. Rather they ascribed them to their grandfather, the Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family. Thus, it is they who preserved the Prophet's scientific heritage. In other words they gathered it as the people gathered their gold and silver.
The Traditions of Imam al-Baqir
As for the traditions which Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfather, Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, and on the authority of Imam (‘Ali), the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, they are of two kinds:
1. (Ahadith) mursala; they are the traditions which the Imam recorded without mentioning the chain of the narrators. The Imam attributed the tradition directly to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, or Imam (‘Ali), the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him. The Imam, peace be on him, was asked about the chain (of the narrators), he said: “When I report a tradition, I do not mention the chain (of the reporters), for I report it on the authority of my father, Zayn al-‘Abidïn, on the authority of his father al-Husayn, the martyr, on the authority of his father, ‘Ali b. Abu Talib, on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, on the authority of Gabriel, on the authority of Allah, the Great and Almighty.”
2. (Ahadith) musnada; they are the traditions which the Imam recorded on the authority of his pure grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family.
Whether the Imam's traditions are mursala or musnada, they are proof with the Shi‘ites without difference. That is if the chain (of the narrators who reported) on his authority is correct; otherwise they are treated like the other traditions that may be weak or reliable or acceptable.
His Traditions from the Prophet
As for his traditions from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, they sometimes concern Islamic jurisprudence. The encyclopedias of jurisprudence and traditions have mentioned them. They sometimes concern behavior and morals. Some of them also concern the outstanding merits and obligatory love of the pure family (of the Prophet). The following are some of the Imam's traditions from the Prophet:
1. The Imam, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “The virtue of knowledge is more lovable with Allah than the virtue of worship. The best (thing) in your religion is piety.”
This tradition summons and urges people to seek knowledge, for knowledge is better than worship of which its owner makes no use. The tradition also urges people to refrain from what Allah has forbidden and to turn away from the sins that corrupt the person and deviate him from the right path.
2. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “Adding clemency to knowledge is better than adding a thing to a thing.”
Indeed knowledge and clemency raise the level of the person. They distinguish him from other than him, for there is nothing better than these two qualities.
3. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “There is obedience over every obedience. However, when (the person) is killed for Allah, then there is no obedience over that. There is disobedience over every disobedience till the person kills one of his parents. If he kills one of them, then there is no disobedience over that.”
Surely, the maximum degree of obedience is martyrdom for Allah. If the person is killed for that, then he will reach the maximum degree of obedience. Also the maximum degree of sin and disobedience is that when the person kills one of his parents. If he does that, then he will reach the maximum degree of sin and disobedience.
4. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “It is an act of generosity to reclaim property.”
The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, urges the capitalists to invest their capitals to improve the general economy, to increase the individual income, and to meet the needs of the country. Meanwhile he prevents them from wasting and freezing capitals. That is because such acts harm the economy of the country.
5. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family said: “Indeed Allah, the Blessed and Most High, has given me and my community a gift which He had not given to any of the communities. It is dignity from Allah to us.”So, his Companions said: “O Apostle of Allah, what is that?”He said: “It is breaking the fast and shortening the prayers during the travel.”
Indeed shortening the prayers and breaking the fast during the travel are among the favors of Allah, the Glorified, for this community. That is because the traveler suffers from tiredness during the travel. If Allah made it obligatory on the traveler to fast and complete the prayers, then He would add tiredness to his tiredness.
6. He, peace be on him, said: A man came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and said to him: “Why do I not like death?”The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Have you a property?”The man said: “Yes.”The Prophet said: “Have you offered it?”The man said: “No.”The Prophet said: “For this reason, you do not like death.”
Surely, if this person had offered his property for the hereafter and striven for it, he would have loved it to take the reward of what he had done. However, he had done nothing to approach him to Allah. So, he hated death and meeting Allah, the Most High.
7. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Indeed the wicked of my community are those who are honored for their wickedness. Indeed whom the people honor to avoid his wickedness does not belong to me.”
Surely, the wicked of this community are those who are honored and respected not for a virtue in them or for kindness they do for the people, but to avoid their evil or for fear of their oppression. Thus, such a kind of people do not belong to Islam that has brought mercy and kindness for people.
8. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “The head of intellect after the belief in Allah, the Great and Almighty, is showing love to people.”
How wonderful and beautiful this wisdom is! Surely, showing love to people through meeting their needs or doing good for them or saving them from oppression results in spreading love among people and strengthening the links among them. This what Islam wants to establish its society.
9. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “O Group of the readers of the Koran, fear Allah, the Great and Almighty, in respect with His Book. I am responsible and you are responsible. I am responsible for conveying the message. You will be asked about undertaking the responsibility of the Book of Allah and my sunna (practices).”
In this tradition (the Prophet) summons the readers of the Koran and all the men of religion to play an important role in guiding people and informing them of Allah's orders and prohibitions.
10. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “I and ‘Ali were created from the same light.”
Indeed Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, and ‘Ali, peace be on him, were created from the same light that has illuminated the horizons of the universe. They are the source of thought and awareness of this community. They are the pioneers of people for all what they become high through.
11. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Allah's anger and my anger are intense against him who sheds my blood and hurts me in respect with my family.”
Woe unto the traitorous group that did not keep the will of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, in respect with his family and his progeny! That is because this group killed them, cut off their limbs, took their women and children as prisoners, and violated their sacredness.
12. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “My (grand)father Abraham and ‘Ali will be gathered together. A caller will call: O Mohammed, the best (grand)father is your (grand)father and the best bother is your brother.”
Indeed, blessed is that pure fatherhood of Abraham, the friend of the Merciful (Allah), and that truthful brotherhood of the Imam, the Commander of the Faithful, towards the great Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family. On the day when the people will be gathered together on the land of the truth and justice, a caller will call Abraham and ‘Ali to show their outstanding merits and their high rank with Allah.
13. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said to ‘Ali: “Were it not for you, the believers would not be known after me.”
The Imam, the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, is the criteria of faith, the truth, and justice. No one believes in him except those who believe in their Lord, their homeland, and their community. No one disbelieves in him except those who disbelieve in justice and the interest of their community, turn away from praising Allah, and take his communications as mockery.
14. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “My daughter Fatima will be raised from the dead. Blood stained clothes will be with here. She will cling to the pillar of the throne and say: O Almighty, judge between me and the killer of my son (i. e. al-Husayn). By the Lord of the Kaaba, He (Allah) will give a judgment in favor of my daughter.”
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, announced several times the murder of his great grandson, Imam Husayn, peace be on him, among the people. In this tradition, he announces that his part, the Mistress of the Women of the World, Fatima the Chaste, peace be on her, will raise on the Day of Judgment with her son's shirt stained with his pure blood. She will request the Just Judge (Allah) to judge between her and his killer. Woe unto him against whom the pure family will bring suit on the day when the liars will be losing.
15. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Indeed Allah created the progeny of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, from ‘Ali's back.”
Surely, blessed is that progeny through whom Allah strengthened the word of truth, through whom He illuminated the way, through whom He made clear the aim, and whom He made guides to His obedience and leaders to His way.
16. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Whoever performs his ritual ablution properly, performs his prayers well, pays the zakat (alms) of his property, stops his anger, prevents his tongue, does his favor, asks (Allah) to forgive him his sins, and is loyal to the members of my House meets the facts of belief and the doors of Paradise are open for him.”
Indeed these deeds approach the servant to his Creator. The person reaches the fact of belief and is worthy of the gardens through them.
17. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Bear two strange (things): accept the word of wisdom from the fool and forgive the word of foolishness from the wise man.”
It is strange that the fool says a wise word. If he says it, we must put it into effect regardless of him. It is also strange that the wise man says a foolish word, for he is wise and perfect. However, if he says it, we must not blame him for it.
18. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “(The people are) ungrateful for two blessings: security and good health.”
Surely, the people are ungrateful for these two blessings while life is not good without them. Moreover, they do not thank Allah for them.
19. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “If two kinds (of people) from my community are righteous, my community is righteous. When they are corrupt, my community is corrupt. It was said: O Apostle of Allah, who are they? He said: the jurists and the rulers.”
Surely, social righteousness depends on the righteousness of these two kinds of people. When they are righteous, the community is happy and achieves its aims. When they deviate from the laws of the truth and justice, the community will suffer from a quick decline in all fields.
20. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “The smell of the garden is found from the walk of five hundred years. However, neither the disobedient one nor the cuckold
finds it. It was said: O Apostle of Allah, who is the cuckold? He said: He whose wife commits adultery and he knows (that).”
Indeed the person who disobeys his parents and the cuckold who has no honor are not worthy of Paradise that is the abode of the prophets and the righteous. Rather they are not worthy of anything except that they are shackled in the Fire.
21. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “There is no good in livelihood except for two men: an obeyed scholar and an aware listener.”
Surely, good in this world is for the scholar whom the people obey when he orders them to follow noble values and high ideals. When the scholar finds such a kind of people, he is successful in conveying his message and achieving his aims. Good in life is also for the listener who is aware of the noble objectives in the message of the righteous and puts them into practice.
22. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Whoever helps the poor and treats the people with justice is a true believer.”
Indeed, to help the poor materially and spiritually indicates strong perfect faith. To treat the people with justice also indicates that the person is noble and is free from selfishness and all psychological diseases. This is the reality of faith and essence of Islam.
23. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “The parents are ungrateful for their son when the son is righteous as the son is ungrateful for them.”
Surely, ungratefulness is not confined to the son when he is ungrateful for his parents. Rather, it includes the parents when they treat their son illegally. Thus, they commit a sin when they treat him in such a way.
24. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “The believer does not spend an expense more lovable with Allah, the Great and Almighty, than saying the truth during consent and anger.”
How wonderful this wisdom is! It is the rule of Islam that orders people to prefer the truth and justice to anything else.
25. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Two kinds of my community have no share in Islam. (They are) : the extremists and the fatalists.”
As for the extremists, the claim that the Imam, the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, is Allah, the Exalted, or the son of Allah. The Shi‘ites say that they do not belong to them. Rather, the Shi‘ites say that they are unbelievers and are treated like them.
In satirizing them, Sayyid al-Himyari said:
(They) are the people who have gone too far in loving ‘Ali.
Woe unto them!
They say: He (‘Ali) is the son of Allah. Great is our Creator.
He has neither son nor father.
As for the fatalists, they say that all good and evil are from Allah. (That happens) through his determination and will.
They have no share in Islam.
26. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Whoever has three qualities or one of them will be in the shade of the throne of Allah, the Great and Almighty, on the Day of Judgment, the day when there will be no shade except His shade. (These qualities are): He should treat people with justice. He should do no thing till he knows that (his deed) pleases Allah or angers Him. He should find no fault with his Moslem brother till he frees himself from that fault. For when he frees it from a fault, he finds another fault in it. It is enough for the person that his soul diverts him from the people.”
This tradition summons the persons to cleave to high moral standards and good behavior towards people. It warns him of mentioning the faults of people.
27. He, peace be on him said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Lying is good in three (cases): the trick during war, your promise to your wife, and making peace between (two) people. Truthfulness is bad in three (cases): tale bearing, your telling the person about his wife with what he hates, and your accusing the person of lying (when he tells) about good. Sitting with three (kinds of people) deadens the heart: sitting with the low, conversation with women, and sitting with the rich.”
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, permitted telling lies in these cases because of the interests that result from them. The scholars said: “Telling lies is not the perfect cause of ugliness. Rather it is a necessity for it. So, when the interests that remove its ugliness are found, the person is permitted to it. Truthfulness is also ugly in these cases because of evil that arises from it.
28. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Every eye will weep on the Day of Judgment except three eyes: the eye that weeps out of the fear of Allah, the eye that blinks at what Allah has prohibited, and the eye that stays awake at night for Allah.”
29. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “The quickest good in reward is benefaction and the quickest evil in punishment is oppression. It is enough fault for the person that he looks at what the people have while he has it, that he disgraces the people with what he cannot leave, and that he hurts his friend with that which does not concern him.”
This tradition urges people to do good, to be careful of evil and aggression against people, and to censure the person who looks for the faults of people and does not look for his own faults.
30. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “No staying up at night but for three (cases): spending the night in (reciting) the Koran or in seeking knowledge or in directing the bride to her husband.”
31. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Whoever does not have three (traits) does not belong to me nor does he belong to Allah, the Great and Almighty. It was said: O Apostle of Allah, what are they? He said: clemency through which
he drives back the ignorance of the ignorant, good manners through he lives among the people, and piety that prevents him from disobeying Allah, the Great and Almighty.”
This tradition summons the Moslem person to build his character according to noble foundations such as clemency, good manners, and refraining from what Allah has prohibited.
32. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Three (groups of people) have the right to intercede with Allah, the Great and Almighty: the prophets, the scholars, and the martyrs.”
33. He, peace be no him, said: The Apostle of Allah bless him and his family, said: “Belief is appreciation with heart, acknowledgment with tongue, and action with limbs.”
Belief is not a word on everybody's lips. Rather, it is an affair settled in the depth of the heart and inner self. It motivates man to act out of conviction and loyalty.
34. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said to Abu Dharr: “O Abu Dharr, beware of begging, for it is present abasement and quickens poverty. There will be a long reckoning concerning it on the Day of Judgment. O Abu Dharr, you will live by yourself, die by yourself, and enter Paradise by yourself. Some Iraqis will be happy because of you. They will wash and prepare you for burial. Do not beg with the palm of your hand. When a thing comes, then accept it. Then he, may Allah bless him and his family, said to his Companions: Shall I tell you about your wicked ones?”
“Yes, O Apostle of Allah.”
“Those who go about with slander, sow division among the friends, and find fault with the innocent.”
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, advised Abu Dharr to cling to abstinence and self-esteem. He, may Allah bless him and his family, recognized from behind the unseen that this great reformer would suffer from severe punishments and persecutions because of carrying out his immortal reformative message. Thus, Abu Dharr was indignant with the Umayyads who turned away from the rights of the community and possessed alone its wealth. So, they inherited successively the property of Allah and enslaved His servants. Thus, Abu Dharr defended the rights of the oppressed and the persecuted and showed their sufferings. So, the Umayyads were unable to bear him. Accordingly, they banished him to al-Rabadha and imposed a house arrest. He lived at that barren area. Then this great revolutionist died of hunger. He was banished from the home of Allah and of His Apostle. However, the Umayyads possessed the gold of the land and the wealth of the community. They spent them on their pleasures.
Abu Dharr sacrificed his life for achieving social justice, finding equal opportunities for the people, removing poverty and oppression, and returning the government of the Koran and the justice of Islam to them.
35. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “O ‘Ali, four (persons) whose supplication is not refused are: the just Imam, the father (who invokes Allah) for his son, the man who invokes (Allah) for his absent brother, and the oppressed one to
Allah, the Great and Almighty, says: By My Greatness and Might, I will support you even after a while.”
36. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said to ‘Ali: “O ‘Ali, indeed, Allah, the Great and Almighty, looked thoroughly over the people of the earth and chose me from them. Then He looked over them a second time and chose you from them after me. Then He looked over them a third time and chose from them the Imams from your children. Then He looked over them a forth time and chose Fatima from the women of the world.”
Surely, Allah, the Most High, chose His great Prophet and his testamentary trustees, the pure Imams, from His creatures. He made them keepers for His knowledge, store for His wisdom, pillars for His monotheism, signpost (of knowledge) in His earth, and guides for His pleasure and obedience. May Allah bless them all.
37. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Whoever has four (attributes) is in Allah's great light: the protection of his affair is that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Apostle of Allah. When a misfortune hits him, he says: to Allah we belong and to Him is our return. When he gains good, he says: praise belongs to Allah. When he commits a sin, he says: I ask Allah's forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance.”
38. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “Whoever has four (traits), Allah spreads His protection over him and makes him enter the garden through His mercy: good manners through which he lives among people, leniency towards the grieved, piety for the parents, and kindness to the slave.”
This tradition summons the people to cleave to good manners, good behavior among the people, and leniency and mercy towards the afflicted (with disaster) and the unfortunate.
39. He, peace be on him reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, who said: “Four (acts) deaden the heart: sin after sin, much talk with the women, disputing with the fool, (You say and he says, he never returns to good), and sitting with the dead. It was said to him: Who are the dead? He said: All the extravagant.”
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, warned (his community) of these affairs, for they deaden the conscience and stiffen the heart. However, Islam has taken great care of man's conscience. Meanwhile Islam wants man to be aware, free, educated, and merciful.
40. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said in his testamentary bequest to the Imam, the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him: “O ‘Ali, act through four: your youth before your old age, your health before your illness, your riches before your poverty, and your life before your death.”
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, summoned (his community) to do good and to seize the opportunity to do what approaches
the servant to his Creator before it is too late, so man loses the blessings which Allah has prepared for him in the eternal abode.
41. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, peace be on him, who said: “Among the signs of unhappiness are: the impudence of the eye, the cruelty of the heart, the intensity of greediness in seeking livelihood, and the persistence of the sin.”
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, warned (the community) of these things that make man far from his Lord and throw him into great evil.
42. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said on his pulpit: “Indeed the best names are: ‘Abd Allah, ‘Abd al-Rahman, Haritha, and Hammam. The worst names are: Derar, Murah, Harb, and Zalim.”
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, ordered the Moslems to call their children with blessed names and prevented them from calling them with evil names.
43. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “The servant will be asked about four (things) on the Day of Judgment before his legs disappear: in what he used up his age, in what he wore out his youth, from where he earned his money and in what he spent it, and our love, we, the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt).”
Indeed Allah, the Exalted, will ask man on the Day of Judgment about all the affairs of his life in this world. He will ask him about whether he had used up his age in the obedience and pleasure of Allah to reward him or he had used it up in committing sins and oppressing the creatures to punish him. He will especially ask him about in what he had worn out his youth. He will ask him about whether he had lawfully earned his money to reward him or he had unlawfully earned it to punish him. He will also ask him about his love for the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, for they are the source of light and good in the earth. If he (man) loves them, he will be successful; otherwise he will be unsuccessful.
44. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers, who said that the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, addressed the people on the last Friday of the month of Sha‘ban. He thanked Allah, praised Him, and then said:
“O People, indeed, a month will shade you. In it there is a night (that) is better than a thousand months. It is the month of Ramadan. Allah has imposed the fasting in it (on you). He has made performing a prayer willingly in a night of it as performing prayers willingly in seventy nights in months other than it. He has made (the reward) of him who does willingly good and kindness as the reward of him who carries out a commandment of the Commandments of Allah. Whoever carries out a commandment of the Commandments of Allah is like him who carries out seventy commandments in (months) other than it. It is the month of patience. The reward of patience is the garden. It is the month of help. It is the month in
which Allah increases the livelihood of the believer. Whoever breaks the believer's fast, with that, has with Allah, the Great and Almighty, releasing a slave and forgiving his past sins.
“It was said to him: O Apostle of Allah, not all of us are able to break the believer's fast. He said: Indeed Allah, the Blessed, is generous. He gives this reward to those of you who have nothing to break someone's fast except milk mixed with water or a drink of fresh water or few dates. Whoever helps his slave in it, Allah will commute his punishment. It is the month whose beginning is mercy, whose middle is forgiveness, and whose end is answer and releasing from fire. In it you are in need of four qualities: Two qualities through which you please Allah. Two qualities are necessary for you. As for the two (qualities) through which you please Allah, they are: Testify that there is no god but Allah, and that I am the Apostle of Allah. As for the two (qualities) that are necessary for you, they are: In it ask Allah for your needs and Paradise. In it ask Allah for good health and seek refuge with Him from the Fire.”
Surely, the month of Ramadan has holiness and sacredness with Allah. Thus, Allah has preferred it to the other months. In it the Apostle summoned the people to obey (Allah) and to do good and kindness to the poor. He distinguished it very much from the other months.
45. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said to ‘Ali in his testamentary bequest: “O ‘Ali, four (things) are in vain: eating after fullness, the lamp in the moon, planting in the salt ground, and doing a favor for the people who are not worthy of it.”
46. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “I summon (my community to follow) five (practices) till death: I will eat with the slaves at the foot (of the mountain). I will ride the donkey with saddle. I will milk the she-goat with my hand. I will greet the boys so as to be a practice (sunna) after me.”
These affairs were among the high morals through which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, became the Lord of all the prophets and made the people believe in Islam.
47. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “Whoever sells and buys should refrain from five qualities; other wise he should refrain from selling and buying: usury, swearing (by Allah), concealing the defect, praising when he sells, dispraising when he buys.”
In the light of this tradition, the jurists have given religious opinions in the Chapter on Sale as follows:
1. The seller and the buyer should understand the affairs of dealings to avoid the usurious dealings that are among the great prohibitions in Islam.
2. They should avoid swearing (by Allah) during the dealing. If they are truthful, it is hateful for them to do that. If they are liars, they commit a sin and a prohibition.
3. They should not conceal the defect whether in the cost or in the goods. When concealment occurs and then it is discovered, the deceived one has the right to repudiate the dealing.
4. The seller should avoid praising his commodity.
5. The buyer should avoid dispraising what he has bought when it is sound.
48. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers, who said that a man came to the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, and asked him:
- O Apostle of Allah, what is knowledge?
- Listening.
- Then what?
- Listening to it.
- Then what?
- Memorizing it.
- Then what?
- Putting it into practice.
- Then what?
- Proclaiming it.
49. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said to his Companions: “Feel shame before Allah very much. They said: What shall we do? He said: If you want to do (that), then no one of you should spend the night but he is in fear of Him. He should keep the head and what it has contained and the abdomen and what it has included. He should recall the grave and death. Whoever likes the hereafter should leave the embellishment of the world.”
Indeed man can accomplish shame through fearing his Lord, holding back his tongue from telling lies, preventing his eyes from looking at the unlawful, and recalling the grave and the fright therein. When man does that, he feels shame before Allah.
50. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, was asked about the best servants. So, he said: “When they do good, they are cheerful (about it). When they misbehave, they ask Allah's forgiveness. When they are given, they thank. When they are tested, they are patient. When they are angered, they forgive.”
51. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers, who said that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said to ‘Ali in his commandment:
“O ‘Ali, there are six qualities in fornication: three of them are in the world, and the others are in the hereafter. As for those in the world, they take away glory, hasten ruin, and stop livelihood. As for those in the hereafter, (they will lead to) evil reckoning, the wrath of the Merciful (Allah), and immortality in the Fire.”
Indeed fornication is a social catastrophe that destroy morals. Thus, Islam has intensely forbidden it and threatened those who commit it with various kinds of torment in the hereafter.
52. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “Monopoly is in six things: Wheat, barley, dates, raisins, (cooking) fat, and (animal) oil.”
Monopoly is among the factors that paralyze the economic movement in the country and spread poverty and need among the people. Islam has severely forbidden monopoly, and ordered the rulers of the Moslems to price commodities so as not to harm the people.
53. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “Ill-gotten property is the price of the dead animal, of the dog, and of wine. (It is) the prostitution rate, the bribery in government, and the wage of the magician.”
Islam has forbidden spending money on these affairs, for they ruin morals and spread corruption in the earth.
54. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfather on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “Allah and every prophet with accepted (prayers) have cursed six (persons): the one who increases the Book of Allah, the one who accuses the determination of Allah of lying, the one who leaves my practices (sunna), the one who regards as lawful what Allah has prohibited concerning the members of my House (ahl al-Bayt), the one who dominates through tyranny to degrade those whom Allah has consolidated, to strengthen him whom Allah has lowered, and to possess alone the booty the Moslems gain without fighting and regards it as lawful.”
55. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said to ‘Ali: “O ‘Ali, seven things of the sheep are prohibited: blood, the penis, the bladder, the spinal cord, the glands, the spleen, and the gall bladder.”
Islam has forbidden these parts to preserve public health and to guard society against diseases. Modern medicine has proved that they harm public health. Thus, it advises people to refrain from eating them.
56. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said to ‘Ali: “O ‘Ali, indeed, Allah has given me seven qualities concerning you: You and I are the first to whom the grave will split open. You will be the first to stop with me on the path. You will be the first to be clothed when I will be clothed and to live when I will live. You will be the first to dwell with me in the highest gardens. You will be the first to drink with me from the pure drink that is sealed (to others), whose sealing is musk.”
57. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostles of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “Allah, the Great and Almighty, is not worshipped with a thing better than reason. The believer is not wise till ten qualities come together in him: good from him is hoped, evil from him is safe, regards little good from other than him as much, regards his own good as little, is not tired of
seeking knowledge throughout his life, is not fed up with those who request needs from, humbleness is more lovable for him than high rank, poverty is more lovable for him than riches, his portion of the world is food, the tenth (quality), what is the tenth (quality)? When he sees someone, he says: he is better and more pious than me. People are two men- one man is better and more pious than him, the other is more evil and lower than him. So, if he sees the one who is better and more pious than him, he should behave humbly towards him to follow him. If he sees the one who is more evil and lower than him, he should say: perhaps the good of this (person) is hidden, and his evil hidden. May (Allah) make his final result good. If he does that, his glory becomes high and he is the lord of the people of his time.”
This traditions, like the other Prophetic traditions, urges (people) to reform their souls and to educate them with good manners and deeds to be the source of guidance for people.
58. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “Ten (persons) are cursed because of wine: the one who plants it, the one who guards it, the one who presses it, the one who gives it, the one who drinks it, the one who carries it, the one to whom it is carried, the one who sells it, the one who buys it, and the one who takes its price.”
Islam has strictly prohibited all the above-mentioned cases of wine. That is because wine is among the social catastrophes that harm public health and corrupt values and morals.
59. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “Blessing is ten parts: ten parts are in trade and one part is in the skins (i. e. sheep).”
60. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Islam has been built on ten parts: Testifying that there is no god but Allah- it is the religion, the prayer- it is the religious duty, fasting - it is the garden, zakat (alms)- it is purity, the hajj- it is the Islamic law, jihad (armed struggle) - it is invasion, enjoining (people) to do good deeds - it is the fulfillment, forbidding (them) from doing bad deeds - it is the proof, unity - it is familiarity, and infallibility - it is obedience.”
61. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “When you ask Allah, then you ask Him with the palm of the hand. When you ask him for protection, then do not ask him with the outside of the hand. ”
62. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “If my community does fifteen qualities, the tribulation will afflict it: if they steal properties successively, regard the deposit of booty and zakat (alms) as loss, the men obey their wives and disobey theirs mothers, treats his friend with kindness and turns away from his brother, the voices become loud in the mosques, a man is honored out of fear of his evil, the leader of the people is the lowest of them, silk is worn, wine is drunk, female singers and stringed instruments are adopted, and the last
(generation) of this community curses the earlier (generation) of it, after that, they must look forward to three qualities: red wind, transformation, and humiliation.”
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, warned (his community) of these affairs, for they ruin nations and peoples. If the Islamic community commits them, then Allah will punish it.
63. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “Whoever spends the night tired from earning the lawful spends the night forgiven.”
Islam has also urged the community to earn its livelihood lawfully. It has regarded such a kind of livelihood as jihad and honor for its owner. Whoever strives to earn (the livelihood) of his family spends the night forgiven.
64. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, was asked about the best creatures. So, he, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “When they do good, they are cheerful. When they are given, they are grateful. When they are tested, they are patient. When they are angered, they forgive.”
Whoever has these qualities is the best of all the people and the most honorable than them. In other words he possesses the rein of his soul and his reason controls his desire.
65. He, peace be on him said, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “You are unable to encompass the people with your money, so encompass them with your ethics.”
How high this wisdom is! It makes people love each other and unifies their feelings and sentiments. The power of money is unable to achieve that. However, morals are the strongest factor in building society on sound bases.
66. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, passed by a group of people raising stones, so he said: “What is this?” “With that we know the strongest of us,”they said. “Shall I tell you about the strongest of you?”asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. “Yes,”they said. He, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “The strongest of you is he whose content enters him in neither sin nor falsehood when he is pleased, he whose discontent does not prevent him from saying the truth when he is displeased, who he does not take other than his right when he is powerful.”
Islam takes care of only the strength of conscience towards the truth. As for the boast of the muscles is among the customs of the pre-Islamic times. However, Islam has forbidden them.
67. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Sitting with the people of religion is the honor of here and the hereafter.”
Sociology has proven that man has an effect on the environment. Meanwhile the environment has an effect on him. Thus, it is natural that the righteous have an effect on those who makes friends with them. They protect them from practicing evil habits and make them love doing good. So, with that, they obtain the honor of here and hereafter.
68. He, peace be on him, said: [The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] “Indeed this religion is strong. So, go deeply into it gradually. Do not make the servants of Allah hate worshipping Allah.”
69. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “Whoever wants to seek access through me (to Allah) and that there will be a hand for him, through which I intercede for him (with Allah) on the Day of Judgment, then he should keep in contact with the members of my family and make them happy.”
70. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said to ‘Ali: “O ‘Ali, I am the city of knowledge and you are the gate. He who claims that he can reach the city not through the gate tells lies.”
71. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of Umm Salama on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “The hajj is the jihad of every weak (person).”
72. He, peace be on him, said: [The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] “Whomever Allah moves from the abasement of sins to the glory of (religious) devotion, then He (Allah) makes him rich without money, strong without a tribe, and entertains him without a close friend. Whoever fears Allah, Allah makes everything afraid of him. Whoever does not fear Allah, Allah makes him afraid of everything. Whoever is satisfied with the little livelihood of the property of Allah, He (Allah) is satisfied with his little deed.”
73. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: “Indeed I and twelve members from my family, of whom ‘Ali is the first, are the stakes through which Allah prevents the earth and its people from sinking. If the twelve members from my family depart, the earth and its people will sink.”
74. He, peace be on him, said: The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “Twelve chiefs are from my family. They narrate traditions. Among them will be the one who will undertake (bring about) the truth (al-Qa'm bi al-Haqq).”
With this we end our talk about the traditions Imam al-Baqir, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfather, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family.
His Traditions on the Authority of the Imam, the Commander of the Faithful
On the authority of his grandfathers, Imam al-Baqir, peace be on him, reported a group of the maxims of his grandfather, Imam (‘Ali), the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him. The following are some of them:
1. He, peace be on him, said: A man from the people of Basrah rose and said to Imam (‘Ali), the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him:
“O Commander of the Faithful, tell us about the brothers (i. e. friends).”
The Imam, peace be on him, answered him: “The brothers are of two kinds: the reliable brothers and the laughing brothers. As for the reliable brothers, they are the hand, the wing, the family, and the property. If you have a reliable brother, then sacrifice for him your property and your body, be sincere to those who are sincere to him, make an enemy of those who make an enemy of him, conceal his secret and defect, and show his good (deeds). O Questioner, know that they are less than red sulfur. As for laughing brothers, you obtain your pleasure from them. Do not stop that from them. Do not request what is beyond that from the most lowly of them. Give them what they give you such as cheerfulness and sweet words.”
As for the laughing brothers at this time, they are the overwhelming majority. Ambitions, interests, and desires move them. As for the aspects of their friendship, they are cheerfulness and smooth words, as Imam ‘Ali said.
2. He, peace be on him, said: The Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, said: “The temptations are three (kinds): the love of women- it is the sword of the Satan, drinking wine- it is the brain of the Satan, the love of the dirham and the dinar- it is the arrow of the Satan. Whoever loves women does not make use of his livelihood. Whoever likes drinking (wine) is deprived of Paradise. However loves the dirham and the dinar is the slave of the dinar. He, peace be on him, added: Jesus, son of Marry, said: The ailment of religion is in the dinar. The (religious) scholar is the doctor of religion. When you see the doctor perform the ailment against himself, then accuse him. Know that he is not loyal to other than him.”
3. He, peace be on him, in ‘Ali's letter there are three qualities: Their owner will never die till he sees their evil results: oppression, estranging blood relatives, and false oath through which (the person) fights with Allah. Linking blood relatives is the quickest obedience in reward. Perhaps the people are sinners. However, they link each other. Thus, their properties grow. They treat each other with kindness. So, their lives increase. False oath and estranging blood relatives make houses empty of their people. They disturb blood relatives. Disturbing blood relatives stops birth.”
This paragraph of the letter of Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, is full of commandments on kindness, religious devotion, and what does general good for man in this life.
4. He, peace be on him, said: The Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, said: “Religion depends on four (persons): The scholar who proclaims and uses it. The rich one who does not refrain from granting his favor to the people of the religion of Allah. The poor one who does not sell his life in the hereafter for his life in this world. The ignorant one who does not abstain from seeking knowledge. If the scholar conceals his knowledge, the rich one refrains from granting his money, the poor one sells his life in the hereafter for his life in this world, and the ignorant one abstains from seeking knowledge, then the world moves backward. So, many mosques and the different bodies of a certain group of people should not tempt you. It was said: How will (we) live at that time? He, peace be on him said: Associate with them apparently and oppose them internally. The person will have what he earns. He will be with those whom he loves. Nevertheless, wait for the ease from Allah, the Great and Almighty.”
Indeed such kinds of people are able to reform the world when they shoulder their responsibilities and carry out their religious duties. However, if they deviate from that, life will move backward and all the high values in it decline.
5. He, peace be on him, said: The Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, was questioned: “How much is between truth and falsehood.”He, peace be on him, replied: “Four fingers.”He put his hand on his eyes and ears, and then he said: “What your eyes see is true. Most of what your ears hear is false.”
6. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, who said: “The Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, mentioned ten qualities concerning me. Each is more lovable for me than what the sun rises over. He said to me: You are my brother here and in the hereafter. You are the closest of all the creatures to me in the standing. You are my helper and successor and inheritor about my family and property. You are the carrier of my standard here and in the hereafter. Your friend is mine. My friend is Allah's. Your enemy is mine. My enemy is Allah's.”
Allah, singled out Imam (‘Ali), the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, with many outstanding merits. He granted him many favors. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, mentioned some of them in this tradition.
7. He, peace be on him, said: [The Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, said:] “The pious have signs. They are known with them: truthful talk, paying the deposit, fulfilling the promise, little pride, miserliness, consideration for blood relatives, having pity on the weak, little sleeping with women, doing favors, good manners, vast clemency, adopting knowledge that bring (them) closer to Allah, the Great and Almighty. ‘A good final state and a goodly return shall be theirs.’”
8. He, peace be on him said: [The Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him said:] “Indeed ambitions control the hearts of the ignorant. Desires take them as security. Tricks cling to them.”
This tradition pictures the condition of the ignorant. It includes their qualities of which are: ambitions control their feelings and sentiments. Desires take their hearts as security. Tricks convince them easily, for they have little experience and knowledge.
9. He, peace be on him, said: [The Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him said:] “All good has been gathered in three qualities: thinking, silence, and speech. So, every thinking that has no viewpoint is inattention. Every silence that has no idea is heedlessness. Every speech that has no praise (of Allah) is nonsense. Therefore, a good final state shall be for him whose thinking is a viewpoint, silence is an idea, and speech is praise (of Allah), who weeps over his sin, of whose evil people are safe.”
These are the qualities of those who know their Lord and turn to Him in repentance. They are appropriate for the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, and those who follow them.
10. He, peace be on him, said: The Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, said: “We, the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), are the tree of
the Prophet, staying place of (Divine) Message, descending place of angels, sources of knowledge.”
11. He, peace be on him, said: [The Commander, peace be on him, said:] “The one who acts with oppression, the one who supports him, and the one who is satisfied with him are three partners.”
His Narration from his Grandfather al-Husayn
He (Imam al-Baqir), peace be on him, reported on the authority of his father on the authority of his grandfather Imam Husayn, peace be on him, who said: [I heard my grandfather Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, say:]
“Act according to Allah's obligations to be the most pious of all people. Be satisfied with Allah's apportionment to be the richest of all people. Refrain from what Allah has forbidden to be a believer. Be a good friend of him who makes friends with you to be a Moslem.”
His Narration from his Father
He reported on the authority of his father ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, who said: “He whose eyes shed tears for the murder of al-Husayn, Allah will settle him at the highest place in the garden. The believer whose eyes are filled with tears for the persecution our enemy practiced against us, Allah will settle him in the seat of honor. The believer who suffers from persecution for us and then his eyes shed tears for us, Allah will not punish him on the Day of Judgment and make will him safe from the wrath of the Fire.”
His Narration from Jabir al-Ansari
He, peace be on him, reported a group of traditions and events on the authority of Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah. Among them are:
1. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of Jabir, who said: “Indeed, when Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, stopped at al-Safa (a hill in Mecca near the Kaaba), he exclaimed three times:‘Allah is Great’, and then he said: ‘There is no god but Allah. He is One. There is no partner with Him. Supreme power and praise belong to Him. He has power over all things.’ He (the Prophet) did that three time. He did the like of that at al-Marwah (a hill near the Kaaba).”
2. He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of Jabir, who said: “Indeed, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, wore a ring on his right finger.”
3. He, peace be on him, asked Jabir about what had happened between ‘Ali and ‘A'isha. So, Jabir said: “One day I went to ‘A'isha and asked her about her opinion concerning ‘Ali. She bowed her head. Then she raised it and composed:
When gold is rubbed against a touchstone
its adulteration appears without doubt.
Corruption is in us, and ‘Ali, the purified gold,
is like the touchstone among us.”
His Narration from ‘Umar
He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of ‘Umar b. al-Khattab, who said: [I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, say:] “Every means and lineage will break on the Day of Judgment except my means and lineage.”
His Narration from b. ‘Abbas
He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Abbas, who said: [‘Ali looked at the faces of the people, and then he said:] “Indeed I am the brother of Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, and his helper. You know that I was the first to believe in Allah and his Apostle. Then you entered Islam one by one after me. I am the cousin of Allah's Apostle may Allah bless him and his family, his brother, and his partner in his lineage. (I am) the father of his (grand)sons, and his son-in-law (being married to his) daughter, the mistress of his children and of the women of the garden. You know that when we went out with Allah's Apostle and came back, he loved and trusted me more than you. I was the most intense of you in defeating the enemy and affecting the equipment. You know when he sent me to Bara'a. He made the Moslems associate with each other as brothers. He chose nobody other than me. Then he said to me: ‘You are my brother and I am your brother in this life and the hereafter.’ He took the people out of the mosque and left me. Then he said to me: ‘Your position to me is as Aaron with Moses, except that there will be no prophet after me.’”
His Narration from Zayd b. Arqam
He, peace be on him, reported on the authority of Zayd b. Arqam, who said: [We were sitting before the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. He, peace be on him, said:] “Shall I show you him whom if you ask for advice you will not go astray nor will you perish?” “Yes, O Allah's Apostle,”they said. He said: “This.” He pointed to ‘Ali b. Abï Talib. Then he said: “Associate with him as brothers, help him, believe him, and be loyal to him. Indeed Gabriel has told me about what I have said to you.”
His Narration From Abï Dharr
He, peace be on him, reported a group of sayings of the great reformer, Companion (of the Prophet), Abï Dharr. Among them are the following:
“O you who seek knowledge, do not let your family and your money divert you from your soul. On the day when you leave them, you will be like the guest. (You will) spend the night among them, then you will leave them to other than them. Here and hereafter are like the house from which you move to other than it. There is nothing between death and raising from the dead except a short sleep, then you will wake up. O You who seek knowledge, indeed, the heart without knowledge is like the ruined house.”
These are some of the traditions which have been reported on his authority. They concern the rules of conduct, morals, and the outstanding merits of the pure family that is equal to the Holy Book.
The Exegesis of the Holy Koran
Among the sciences which Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, presented during his lectures was the exegesis of the Holy Koran. Indeed he devoted a time of his times to it. He discussed all of its affairs. The scholars of exegesis, though they had different opinions and trends, studied under him. Thus, he was the most brilliant explainer in Islam. Among his studies on the Koran are the following:
The Virtue of Reciting the Koran
Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, urged (the community) to recite the Holy Book, for it is the abundant source that guides people to righteousness, enlivens their hearts, and supplies them with abilities of light and awareness. He, peace be on him, reported what his grandfather Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said concerning the virtue of reciting the Koran. He, peace be on him, said: [Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said:] “Whoever recites ten verses on a night is not written among the heedless. Whoever recites fifty verses is written among those who praise (Allah). Whoever recites a hundred verses is written among the obedient. Whoever recites two hundred verses is written among the humble. Whoever recites three hundred verses is written among the successful. Whoever recites five hundred verses is written among the strivers. Whoever recites a thousand verses, a hundredweight of gold is written for him.”
Traditions similar to this have been reported on the authority of the Imams of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them. They urge Moslems to recite the Koran and to consider carefully its verses and to understand their secrets. Without doubt the verses of the Koran develop intellect, educate souls, protect them from deviation, and guide them to the right path.
Repetition of Reciting the Koran
As for repeating and reciting the Koran with a good voice, it penetrates the depth of the heart and inner self. It reacts with sentiments, for the Koran has maxims and sciences necessary for life.
The Imams of the members of the House (ahl al Bayt), peace be on them, took care of reciting the Holy Koran. Thus, Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, was the best of all the people in reciting the Koran with a good voice.
Abu Basïr reported: I said to Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir): “When I recite the Koran loudly, Satan comes to me and says: with this (recitation) you want to please your family and the people.”Imam al-Baqir, peace be on him, said: “Recite the Koran in an intermediate recitation. Let your family listen (to that). Read the Koran with a good voice. Indeed Allah likes reciting the Koran with a good voice.”
The Koran far above Falsehood
The Holy Koran is the great miracle of Islam. “(This is) a Book, whose verses are made decisive, then are they made plain, from One Wise, All-aware.” “(This Book), there is no doubt in it, is a guide to those who guard (against evil).”There is no contradiction in its rules nor is there any incompatibility in its verses. “And if it were from any other than Allah, they
would have found in it many a discrepancy.” “Surely this Koran guides to that which is most upright.” “Falsehood shall not come to it from before it nor from behind it.”Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, explained this verse, saying : “Falsehood does not come to it from before the Torah nor before the Bible and the Zabur (David's psalms). Nor from behind it means that no Book will come after it to abrogate it.”In a narration from al-Sadiq, peace be on him: “There is no falsehood in what the Koran has told about the past nor is there falsehood in what it has told about what will happen in the future.”
The Imam dispraised those who distort the Koran
Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, dispraised those who distort Allah's Book. It is they who interpret its verses according to their own desires. Thus, he, peace be on him, wrote a letter to Sa‘d al-Khayr: “Among their neglecting the Book is that they have rectified its letters and distorted its penal law. Indeed they see the Koran but they do not conform to it. The ignorant admire memorizing the narration. The religious scholars are sad when they leave the care.”
Figurative Usage in the Koran
Figurative usages are famous in the language of Arabs. They are famous in many matters such as figurative predication, figurative word. Among them is the chapter on allusions. It is said that allusions are more eloquent than direct expressions. These expressions are among the nice usage and beauties of this language. The Holy Koran has a large group of figurative usage. Among them is the following Words of Allah, the Exalted: “He said: O Iblis! what prevented you that you should do obeisance to him whom I created with My two hands?”The meaning of the word hand is the special organ. However, this is impossible for Allah, the Most High. That is because the hand is in need of a body, while this is rationally impossible for Allah, the Exalted. Mohammed b. Moslem asked Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir) about that. So, he, peace be on him, replied: “The word hand (yad) in the speech of Arabs means power and blessing. Allah, the Exalted, said: “And remember Our servant Dauwd with hands.”He said: “And the sky We built it with hands.”It is said: “So-and-so has many hands with me, favors and kindness. He has a white hand with me, meaning blessing.”
This means that the word hand (yad) is not used in its real meaning. Rather it is used in other than it, either figuratively or truly. That is because it includes all these meanings the Imam mentioned.
The Basmalah is Part of the Suras of the Koran
Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, and all the Imams of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, believed that the basmalah (i. e., in the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful) is part of the chapters of the Holy Koran. A large mass of the Moslem scholars and readers followed them in that.
Yahya b. Abï ‘Umran al-Hamadani wrote a letter to Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him. In the letter he mentioned: “May I be your ransom, what is your opinion of a man (who) started his prayers with: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, in the mother of the Book (i. e., the first
sura of the Holy Koran), and when he reached to a sura other than the mother of the Book, he left it (the basmalah)? The ‘Abbasid (man) said: There is no harm in that.”So, the Imam, peace be on him, replied to him with a letter in which he mentioned: “He (i. e., the man who left the basmalah) should repeat it twice in spite of him (the ‘Abbasid man).
The traditions of the two parties (Sunna and Shi‘a) have unanimously agreed on that the basmalah is part of the suras of the Holy Koran. Those who deny that are irregular.
The Koran was revealed in Seven Letters
The commentators have made known that the Koran was revealed in seven letters. They claimed that Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, said: “The Koran was revealed in seven letters.”
The ideas in this connection are so many that Abu Hatam has mentioned that they are thirty-five.
It is necessary for us to give a brief idea about the meanings of the seven letters to know whether they are truly attributed to Imam Mohammed al-Baqir, peace be on him, or not.
The Seven Letters
There are various views about the meanings of the seven letters. The following are some of them:
1. The seven letters are: promise, threat, order, prohibition, stories, controversy, and proverbs. Ibn ‘Atiya weakened this idea. He said: “These are not called letters.”
2. They are the differing words that have close meanings such as aqbil and halum (come! come on!), ‘ajjil and asri‘ (be quick). Al-Tabari chose this meaning.
However, this meaning is untrue. That is because man, according to this meaning, has the right to read the Koran in various ways. So, this will lead to a big difference such as adding a verse or omitting it. That is because the differing words bring about differing sentences, as al-Qurtubi said.
3. They are the seven chapters which the Koran brought: the prevention, the order, lawful, the unlawful, the clearly defined (verses), the ambiguous (verses), and the proverbs.
These chapters are not called letters. Besides the prevention and the unlawful are one chapter. They are therefore not seven chapters.
4. They are the classical dialects from the dialects of the Arab. They are differing in the Koran. So, some of the Koran was revealed in the dialect of Quraysh; some of it in the dialect of Hudhayl; some of it in the dialect of Hawzan; some of it in the dialect of the Yemen; some of it in the dialect of Kinana; some of it in the dialect of Tamïm; some of it in the dialect of Thaqïf. This idea is ascribed to al-Bayqahi, al-Abhari, and the author of al-Qamus. However, ‘Umar opposed this idea when he said that the Koran was revealed in the dialect of Madar.
5. They are seven recitations. Our master, the Professor, opposed that when he said that the famous recitations are more than seven.
These are some of the opinions. Our master, the Professor, numbered ten opinions. However, he disproved them and proved that they did not lead to
any result. Abu Shama wrote a book on these meanings and refuted most of them.
The Imam denied the Seven Letters
Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, denied the seven letters. What was attributed to him that he reported them is incorrect. In the (book) al-Sahïh, Zarara reported on the authority of the Imam, who said: “Indeed the Koran is one. The One (Allah) revealed it. However, the reporters have brought about these differences.”
It was reported on the authority of the Imam al-Sadiq, peace be on him, that he denied that. Al-Fudayl b. Yasar asked him: “Surely, the people say: The Koran was revealed in seven letters.”So, al-Sadiq, peace be on him, said: “The enemies of Allah have told lies. However, the Koran was revealed in one letter from the One and Only.”
The Method of Exegesis
The trends of the commentators of the Holy Koran are different. In that they followed differing methods. Among them are:
The Exegesis through the transmitted Sayings
By that we mean interpreting the Koran through the traditions reported on the authority of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and the Imams of guidance. Most Shi‘ite commentators followed this method. Among them were al-Qummi, al-‘Askari, and the like. Their proof was that the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, were professional in the real knowledge of the Koran. Those other than them had no share in that. Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, referred to that when he said: “No one can claim that he has the deep and the surface (knowledge) of the Koran except the testamentary trustees of authority.”
It is therefore the testamentary trustees of the authority who had the deep and surface knowledge of the Book. The proofs have unanimously agreed that it is incumbent on the explainers to refer to them on interpreting the Koran. Shaykh al-Tusi said: “Interpreting the Koran is not permitted except through the authentic traditions from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and the Imams whose words were similar to those of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family.”
The Exegesis through the Opinion
By that we mean following the hypothetical rational considerations that belong to the approbation.
The Mu‘tazilite and the Batanian commentators adopted that. They did not follow the traditions reported on the testamentary trustees of Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, in their exegesis. Rather, they depended on the rational approbation. Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, prevented them from that. Qattada, the famous jurist, came to the Imam. So, the Imam said to him:
“Are you the jurist of the people of Basrah?”
“Yes, such they claim.”
“I have heard that you interpret the Koran.”
“Yes.”
So, the Imam blamed him for that, saying:
“O Qattada, If you interpret according to your own opinion, then you will be perished and perish (the people). If you interpret it according to the opinions of the men, then you will be perished and perish (the people). Qattada, woe unto you! Those who have been addressed in the Koran know it.”
Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, confined the knowledge of the Holy Book to the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them. That is because they knew the clearly defined (verses), the ambiguous (verses), the abrogating (verses), and the abrogated (verses). The people other than them had not such knowledge. It was reported on the authority of the Imams, peace be on him, who said: “There is nothing farther from the mind of the men than the exegesis of the Koran. The beginning of the verse is on a thing and its end is on other thing. It is a coherent speech with various meanings.”
As for following the surface of the Book is not numbered of the exegesis through the opinion which is forbidden. Some traditionalists opposed its proof. They cleaved to proofs which the fundamentalists refuted.
Imam al-Baqir's Exegesis
Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, wrote a book on the exegesis of the Holy Koran. Mohammed b. Ishaq al-Nadïm mentioned the book in his book al-Fihrast when he mentioned the books written on the exegesis of the Holy Koran. He said: “Abu al-Jarud Zyad b. al-Munzir, the head of the Jarudiya, reported the book of al-Baqir Mohammed b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn.”Sayyd Hasan al-Sadr said: “A group of the reliable Shi‘ites reported the book from him from the days of his righteousness. Among them was Abu Basïr Yahya b. al-Qasim al-Asadi. ‘Ali b. Ibrahïm b. Hashim al-Qummi mentioned it in his book al-Tafsïr on the authority of Abu Basïr.
The narrators said: “Jabir b. Yazïd al-Ju‘fi wrote a book on the exegesis of the Holy Koran. He learnt the exegesis from the Imam.”
Examples of al-Baqir's Exegesis
The explainers reported many verses of the Holy Koran interpreted by the Imam. The following are some of them:
1. The Words of Allah, the Exalted, : “These shall be rewarded with the ghurfa (house) because they were patient.”
Al-Baqir, peace be on him, said: “The ghurfa (house) is the garden. It is a reward for them, for they were patient towards poverty in the world.”
2. The Words of Allah, the Most High: “And to whomsoever My wrath is due he shall perish indeed.”
Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, was asked about the wrath of Allah. So, he peace be on him, replied: “His dismissal and His punishment.”
3. The Words of Allah, the Exalted, “And most surely I am most Forgiving to him who repents and believes and does goods, then continues to follow the right direction.”
The Imam, peace be on him, interpreted “following the right direction”as following the Imams of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt). Then he said: “By Allah, if a person worships Allah throughout his life between the corner (of the Kaaba) and the standing place
(of Abraham) and does not follow us, Allah will throw him down on his face into the fire.”
4. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “O Apostle, deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord.”
He, peace be on him, said: “By that Allah meant what He revealed to the Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, concerning the outstanding merits of ‘Ali.”
He, peace be on him, reported that Allah revealed to His Apostle to appoint ‘Ali successor. However, he was afraid that that would be difficult for a group of his Companions. So, Allah, the Most High, revealed this verse to encourage him to carry out His order.
5. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “Leave Me and him whom I created alone.”
This verse was revealed concerning al-Walïd b. al-Mughïra al-Makhzumi, who accused the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, of magic. The people called al-Walïd the alone. Thus, the verse was revealed to threaten him. Mohammed b. Moslem reported on the authority of Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), who said: “The alone is the illegitimate child.”Zarara said: “Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir) was told that one of the Hashimites said in his oration: “I am the son of the alone.”So, the Imam said: “Woe unto him! If he knew who the alone was, he would not boast of him.”Thus, we said to him: “Who is he?”He said: “The unfathered child.”
6. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “The angels and Gabriel descend in it by the permission of their Lord.”
He, peace be on him, said: “The angels and the recorders descend to the lower world. They record the affairs that hit people within a year. That is up to Allah's will.”Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is the mother of the Book.”
7. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “So, they shall be thrown down into it, they and they erring ones.”
The meaning of the verse is that the erring ones and the atheist powers will be thrown all together into the fire. Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, said: “The verse was revealed concerning the people who described just things with their tongues, and then they did other than them.”
8. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “And they did not do Us any harm, but they made their own souls suffer loss.”
Interpreting this verse, the Imam, peace be on him, said: “Allah is not oppressed, for He is Great and Powerful. However, He mixed us with Himself. So, He regarded the oppression against us as oppression against Him and our authority as His authority. So, He said: ‘Only Allah is your authority and His apostle and those who believe.’”He meant the Imams from us. In another place He said: “And they did not do Us any harm, but they made their own souls suffer loss.”
9. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “So, ask the people of the reminder if you do not know.”
Mohammed b. Moslem said: I said to Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir): “Some of us claim that this verse concerns the Jews and the Christians.”He said: “Therefore they summon you to their religion.”Then he, peace be on him, pointed to his chest and said: “We are the people of the reminder and we are the people who are questioned.”
10. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “Are those who know and those who do not know alike? Only the men of understanding are mindful.”
He, peace be on him, said: “It is we who know and our enemy is he who does not know. Our followers are the men of understanding.”
11. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “Nay! these are clear communications in the breasts of those who are granted knowledge.”
Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir) said that “those who are granted knowledge”concerns the Imams of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them.
Abu Basïr reported that Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir) recited this verse and pointed with his hand to his chest.
12. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “(Remember) the day when We will call every people with their Imam.”
Jabir b. Yazïd al-Ju‘fi reported on the authority of Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, who said: When this verse was revealed, the Moslems said: “O Allah's Apostle, are you not the Imam of all people?”He, may Allah bless him and his family, said: “I am the Apostle of Allah for all people. However, there will be Imams over the people. They will be from my Household. They will assume the Imam over the people. However, the people will accuse them of lying. The Imams of unbelief and misguidance and their followers will oppress them. So, whoever supports, follows, and believes them will belong to me, be with me, and meet me. Whoever oppresses them, accuses them of lying will not belong to me nor will he be with me. Moreover, I will disown myself of him.”
13. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “Then We gave the Book for an inheritance to those whom We chose from among Our servants, but of them is he who makes his soul suffer a loss, and of them is he who takes a middle course, and of them is he who is foremost in deeds of goodness by Allah's permission.”
Salim asked Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir) about this verse. So, he, peace be on him, said: “He who is foremost in deeds of goodness is the Imam. He who takes a middle course is he who knows the Imam. He who makes his soul suffer a loss is he who does not know the Imam.”
Zyad b. al-Munzir reported on the authority of the Imam, peace be on him, who said: “As for him who makes his soul suffer a loss is he who does a good deed and another bad one. As for him who takes a middle course is he who worships (Allah) very much. As for those who are foremost in deeds of goodness are ‘Ali, al-Hasan, al-Husayn, and those who died martyrs from the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family.”
14. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “Surely in this are signs for those who examine.”
He, peace be on him, said: The Commander of the Faithful said: “Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, was the one who examined. I, after him, and the Imams from my progeny are the ones who examine.”
15. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “And that if they should keep to the (right) way, We would certainly give them to drink of abundant water.”
He (al-Baqir), peace be on him, said: “By that Allah meant that if they should keep to the authority of ‘Ali b. Abï Talib, the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, and the testamentary trustees of authority from his sons, and obey their orders and prohibitions, He would certainly give
them to drink of abundant water, namely He would fill their hearts with belief. The (right) way is the belief in the authority of ‘Ali and the testamentary trustees.”
16. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “Say: Allah is sufficient as a witness between me and you and whoever has knowledge of the Book.”
Barïd b. Mu‘awiya asked Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, about those whom the Words of Allah the Exalted: “And whoever has knowledge of the Book” concern. So, he, peace be on him, said: “He meant us. ‘Ali was the first of us, the most meritorious of us, and the best of us after the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family.”
17. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “But indeed We have given to Abraham's children the Book and the wisdom, and We have given them a grand kingdom.”
Barïd al-‘Ajali asked Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, about this verse. So, he, peace be on him said: “He made Abraham's children Apostles, Prophets, and Imams. Why do they accept that in the family of Abraham and refuse to accept it in the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family?”Barïd said: “What is the meaning of ‘And We have given them a grand kingdom?’”The Imam replied: “llah made them Imams. Whoever obeys them obeys Allah. Whoever disobeys them disobeys Allah. That is the grand kingdom.”
18. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “And I breathed into him of My spirit.”
The Imam, peace be on him, was asked about the spirit. So, he said: “It is the power.”
19. The Words of Allah, the Exalted: “Were it not for that he had seen the manifest evidence of his Lord.”
The Imam, peace be on him, said to Jabir al-Ju‘fi: “What do the Iraqi jurists say concerning this verse?”Jabir replied: “He (Joseph) saw Jacob biting his thumb.”Thus, the Imam, peace be on him, said: [My father related to me on the authority of my grandfather, ‘Ali b. Abï Talib, who said:] “As for the manifest evidence which Joseph saw when she made for him and he made for her was that she went to an idol crowned with pearls and corundum in the house to cover it with a white garment so that it would not see her or she felt shame of it.”So, Joseph asked her: “What is this?”She replied: “It is my lord. I feel shame of it when it see in this manner.”So, Joseph said: “Do you feel shame of an idol that does not avail nor does it harm nor does it see? Then why do I not feel shame of my Lord Who has the power over every soul? By Allah, you will never obtain that from me.”That is the manifest evidence.
These are some of the verses which Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, interpreted. With this we end our talk about his exegesis of the Holy Koran.
Theology
Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir) researched many theological matters during his lectures. He was asked about the most complicated matters in this science. He answered them. Worth mentioning, the time of the Imam was the most sensitive of all the times. That is because the Islamic conquer included most areas of the world and the peoples of the earth. That moved a wave of spite in the souls of the enemies of Islam, from the helpless peoples and other than them. Thus, they launched a propagating campaign against
the Islamic thought. They proclaimed doubts and imaginations among the children of the Moslems. Meanwhile the Umayyad governments encouraged anti-Islam thoughts. No one has mentioned that the Umayyad rulers resisted these thoughts and prevented them from spreading among the Moslems. In the meantime nobody was ready to save the Moslems from these thoughts except Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, who refuted them with strong proofs. We will mention that in detail when we talk about the time of the Imam.
However, the following are some of the theological researches which the Imam did:
Monotheism
Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, studied the most important matters of monotheism. He uncovered them. He refuted the doubts and imaginations which were raised about them. Among what he studied are:
1. Allah is not attained through Reason The unquestionable thing is that man is unable to know with all his intellectual the reality of Allah, for reason has limited imaginations. Al-Shafi‘i said: “Indeed reason has a limited end as the eye has.”
All things which man senses are found at a certain place and time. Reason cannot imagine beings without a place or things without time. Thus, reason is unable to attain the reality of Allah, for neither time nor place can encompass it. In other words, Allah created the time and the place. Besides reason is unable to understand the reality of many things in the universe. Among them is the unseen reality which reason has not understood yet.
The conceptualization of the heart, though it has vast imagination, is unable to attain the essence of Allah. The eye is unable to attain it, too. Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, stated that when he was asked about these words of Allah, the Exalted: “The eyes attain Him not, but He attains the eyes.”
He, peace be on him: “The conceptualization of hearts are keener and sharper than the perceptions of the eyes. Through the conceptualization of the heart you can perceive countries like Sind, Hind (India) and other cities which you have never visited, although you have not seen them with your eyes. How can your eyes see Him when the conceptualization of your heart cannot attain Him?”
Indeed the eye shall come back confused and fatigued when it tries to perceive the essence of Allah, the Most High, the Creator of the cosmos, and giver of life. Ibn Abï al-Haddïd said:
O Miracle of the cosmos, thinking has become unsound concerning You.
Whenever my thinking moves toward You a span of the hand, it escapes for a mile.
You have perplexed men of understanding and confused intellect.
There is nothing remoter than attaining the essence of Allah, the Exalted, for reason is unable to attain it. Thus, ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Abï al-Najran asked Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, about Allah, the Most High. He said: “Should I think of anything (to understand Allah)?”The Imam, peace be on him, replied: “Yes, but you have to imagine a thing which the mind cannot contain and which is without limit. He is unlike whatever comes into your mind. Nothing resembles Him nor can any thought reach
Him. How can He be perceived when He is totally different from whatever is conceived and is the reverse of whatever is imagined. (Because Allah cannot be limited through the limitations of the mind or the senses.) Certainly, the thing which cannot be encompassed by the mind and which is without limits is that which should be imagined.”
2. The Eternity of the Necessary Being As for the Eternity of the Necessary Being, it is among the keenest theological and philosophical studies. A man asked Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him: “Tell me from when your Lord has been in existence?”The Imam replied: “Woe unto You! The question when and how long arises only in respect of things that (previously) were non-existant. Verily, my lord, the Blessed and Exalted, has always been Ever-living, without time or modality. Coming into existence does not apply to Him Who exists eternally nor does ‘how He exists’ apply to His existence nor does ‘where He exists’ apply to him, for He is neither in a thing nor on a thing. He did not invent a place for His location, nor was there any enhancement in His might after He had created the universe, nor had He been weak before its creation, nor was He alone before His act of creation, nor does He resemble anything that can be remembered, nor was He without dominion before creating the universe, nor will He be bereft of dominion after the universe passes away. He is Ever-living, Self-subsisting, the Almighty Lord without the category of life. He was the Almighty Lord before creating things, and He is the Absolute Lord after the creation of the universe. None of the categories of ‘how’ or ‘where’ or ‘when’ or ‘how much’ nor any ‘limit’ apply to his existence. He is not recognized by resemblance with anything nor does He become decrepit due to His endless existence. Nothing can strike awe in Him. Rather, all things are awe-struck by fearing Him. He was in existence before the appearance of life as such. Neither is He in existence such as can be described, nor can it be confined to any state and condition. He does not rest anywhere nor does He abide at a place that is in the neighborhood of another place. However, He is known as Living, the Lord whose might and dominion will never end. He has created of His own will whatever and whenever He desired. He can neither be confined, nor fractioned, nor can He be destroyed. He is the First without any modality and the Last without any space. ‘And all things are perishable except His face.’ ‘His are the creation and the command. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of all beings.’
“O Questioner, woe unto you! Surely, my Lord can never be encompassed by the imagination. Doubts cannot descend upon him. Nor can He be affected (by anything). Nor is He anybody's neighbor. Nor can events happen to Him. He can neither be questioned about anything nor is He ashamed of anything. ‘Slumber seize Him not, neither sleep.’ ‘To Him belong all that is in the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and all that is underneath the soil.’”
This wonderful paragraph of the speech of the great Imam has encompassed the eternity of the Necessary Being and His Unity. It has deemed Him far above comparison with His creatures which genus and species limit, and which are in need of the cause in their existence and non-existence. Moreover, they are in need of time and place. Allah is far above
all that, for He is the first and the last, outward and inward, and He knows all things. A researcher asked the Imam: “Who is Allah?” He replied: “The One and Only.” It was said to him: “How is He?” He answered: “He is a Powerful King.” It was said to him: “Where is He?” He replied: “He is watching.” So, the researcher said: “I am not asking you about this.” He said: “These are the attributes of Allah. Other than them are the attributes of creatures.”
They wanted to know the essence of Allah through their senses and reason. They did not know that He was far above what reason attains and what conceptualization perceives. There is no god but He, the Ever living, the Self-subsisting.
However, in this speech, the Imam, peace be on him, discussed the most important theological matters which no one of the Moslem theologians and philosopher had discussed before him except his grandfather Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him. As for encompassing and explaining the speech of the Imam, peace be on him, it needs a detailed study. The Moslem philosophers have taken care of the points which the Imam has mentioned in his speech. They have produced evidence in support of them.
3. Talking about the Essence of Allah is forbidden Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, prevented Moslems from talking about the essence of Allah, the Most High. That is because that depends on a deep philosophy which the reason of the simple people is unable to understand. In other words they have little knowledge. Thus, they fall into the tricks of the Satan. Then they go out of belief and come into polytheism. In this connection the Imam, peace be on him, said: “Talk about all things, but do not talk about the essence of Allah.”
He, peace be on him, said: “Talk about the creation of Allah, but do not talk about Allah Himself, for that increases the owner of the talk nothing except perplexity.”
Indeed talking about the essence of Allah increases man nothing except perplexity and throwing destructive manners and doubts. As for thinking of the creation of Allah and considering carefully the universe, they will lead man to belief in Allah. That is because the creation of all creature indicates the Great Creator. Darwin said: “It seems that all the creatures that live in the earth belong to one eternal shape. The Creator has breathed life into them.”
It is false to say that chance has created all these worlds. It is impossible for chance to find a well-woven regulation that depends on knowledge. Why does chance not create the plane and modern sets which thinking and science have found?
4. The Knowledge of Allah The knowledge of Allah has encompassed all things. The knowledge of Allah is the same before and after the creation of things. That is because He has created them. He knows what souls and hearts have. Mohammed b. Moslem reported on the authority of Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, who said: “Allah, the Great and Almighty, was there when nothing else existed. He has been eternally knowing whatever come into being. And His knowledge of a thing before it comes into being is exactly the same as it is after its being.”
5. The Essence of Monotheism Jabir b. Yazïd al-Ju‘fi asked Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, to teach him something of monotheism. So, he, peace be on him, said: “Indeed Allah, whose names are blessed and Who is Exalted in the transcendence of His Essence, is the One (the only One). He is unique in Oneness, and He attributed Oneness to Himself when He was alone. Then, He made His Unity evidently known to His creatures. Thus, Allah is One, Unique, Self-dependent, and All-holy. All things worship Him and turn to Him in repentance. And His knowledge embraces all things.”
6. The Attributes of Allah Surely, the attributes of the Wise Creator are exactly the same as His Essence. There is no number among them, as it has been proved in theology. Some Iraqis deviated from the right path. So, they proclaimed that Allah, the Most High, heard with other than with He saw, and saw with other than with He heard. In that He is similar to His creatures. Mohammed b. Moslem told Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on, about that. So, the Imam said: “They have told lies, become atheists, and likened (Allah to His creatures). Far is Allah above that. Indeed He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. He hears with what He sees, and sees with what He hears.”
Then Mohammed b. Salim said: “They claim that He sees according to what they think.”So, the Imam, peace be on him, refuted their claims, saying: “Be Allah Exalted, the one who has the attribute of the creature perceive, but Allah is not such.”
7. Doubt and Unbelief Surely, the doubt and unbelief in Allah, the Creator of the skies and the earth, have bad final results. Among them is that no deed is accepted from the one who doubts Allah and the one who disbelieves in Him. Their deeds will not avail them on the Day of Judgment. For this reason, the Imam, peace be on him, said: “The deed with doubt and unbelief is useless.”
With this we end our talk about the words of Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, on monotheism.
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Author: Baqir Sharif al-Qarashi
