The Tenth Chapter: Imam Baqir (A.S)
The Intellectual and Organizational Constructive Duration
The duration of fifth Imam, Imam Baqir (A.S), is the logical continuum of Imam Sajjad's life duration completely. Now then, a group has gathered and Shia felt their existence and personality once again. The Shia preaching which has been stopped for few years in effect of the tragedy of Karbala, the bloody events after that -like the events of Harrah and Tawwabeen- and the Caliphs' stringencies and it was not presented except behind the very thick veils, now it has rooted in a lot of the regions in Islamic countries specially Iraq, Hijaz and Khorasan, and attracted a comprehensive mob towards it even in some more limited circle has come in a form of intellectual and practical integrity which can be called "Party Organization". The time when Imam Sajjad would say that "we don’t have even 20 supporters and followers in overall Hijaz"
has passed and now when Imam Baqir enters to Masjid al-Nabi in Madina, a mob from Khorasan and other regions surround him and asks about their Jurisprudential issues. While those like Tawos Yamani, Qatadah bin Dea'mah, Abu Haneefah and others who are the famous jurisprudent ones and of course Non-Shia and Imamate orientated, had listened the fame of the Imam's scientific widespread and come towards Him to learn or even debate and demonstration. A poet likes Kumait Asadi, with his eloquent and flourishing art, the most important artistic work of his is the Laudatory Poems (Qasaed
) named by "on the virtues of Bani Hashim(Hashimiyat)
" and these poems became popular and introduced the right of Muhammad Household (All-e-Muhammad) and their science and spiritual value for people. From another side, the Marwani Caliphs has become satisfied and security after getting sovereignty of Abdul Malik bin Marwan's -died 86 A.H- 20 years old, suppressing all proclaiming ones and putting off all opponent fires. They do not give any value to this Caliphate which acquired easily despite their own predecessors and don not deal and challenge Tashayu' extensively for their entertainments which are the requisite of dignity and eminence. So, Imam and His supporters were secured from their aggressions.
Nevertheless, the condition and situations have changed in benefit of Imamate and Tashayu'. Thus, it can be concluded inevitably that Imam Baqir has stepped forward in his Imamate period and carried the Shias' endeavor and struggle to its last point. This is what forms the climax point of Imam Baqir' Imamate period.
The Righteous Leader, P. 32&33
There are a lot of discussions on Imam Baqir, but I point out two points of His Excellency's life. Firstly, His Excellency's struggle against the distortion of Islamic doctrines and rules. This is the matter which was done in wider and more extensive measure in Imam Baqir' period more than ago. What is mean of struggle against the distortion here? Its mean is that the Holy Islam by the its doctrines, rules and Quranic verses has assigned and appointed some factors and conditions for Islamic society, but rather for human life if they lean those teachings and perform them, it is impossible to bear necessarily some matters in a society so-called Islamic one. For example, the ruling of tyrants, sinners and dissolute ones, and most of reprobation’s and corruptions in Islamic societies are not compatible with Islamic rules and system.
Some emperors and rulers who got their positions by the name of Prophet's Caliphate and succession - like Bani Umayyah and Marwanies- were not deserving that at all to govern on Islamic society because they there were plenty sins, oppressions, decays (reprobation), discriminations, ignorance and in brief several kind of deviations (detours) while they were ruling. It posed and put that the Islamic rules and Quranic verses should be explained for people as they are really, it was impossible for them to continue their government, ruling and snapping power. For this reason, they used to distort. They would distort by several ways and methods. One of them was that they deceived and bought some jurisprudents, scholars, narrators, reciters and justified figures and kept with themselves, either gave them wealth or frightened them. They used to invoke some by greed and some others by fear to promote and promulgate among the people what is their interested matter. So, if you study the history of first few centuries, you will find that they were servicing cruel rulers and statesmen, and preached some wonderful and strange rules for people in the name of Islam. Just now, for example see what a strange order this that a religious scholar says the meaning of "the owner of order and command(Olo-al-Amr)
" in Quran to obey and follow them is everyone who is dominant on people with any instrument and way, even with fraud, deception, sword, force and behead. This one is the "the owner of order and command(Olo-al-Amr)
".
What strange is this! It is irrational and incorrect that it is not acceptable for everyone except by connecting with Islam and roots of doctrine and belief. But they connected them with Islam. There is not one or two instance of this doing, but there abundant examples for this matter in the first centuries of the history of Islam. While the Caliphs initiated these popular figures, carried them to Mecca and Madina accompanying with, present for people in public places, and then used them as an instrument of their own validity and verification and … .This is one way of distortion of religion. These like pseudo scholar, jurisprudent, saint and piteous were the servant of the Caliphs and these figures would present by the name of religion what is the interested of Caliphs. Some of these points have remained in books and regretfully a lot of Muslims believe in them yet.
Another way of distortion was that the Caliphs themselves when leaned and reclined on throne of power and felt that what they say, the people are obligated to accept and obey. They present a word, thinking and foundation by the name of Islam and made the dominant culture. They repeated and publicized at measure that it would become the mentality of people. For example, some commanders of Abdul Malik's system and government like Hajjaj and others believed or stimulated that the Caliphate is superior that Prophecy. They did not content that Abdul Malik and his offspring who were sinner and rake are not only the successors of Prophet and arrogated this name, but rather they would like to claim the Caliphate is superior than Prophecy. But you know that this was not a deserving for this dress and this claim is completely false and lie…. They carried such like distortion in religion. This mentality was the main and essential element of the continuum of Bani Umayyah's domination and Bani Abbas, and then big and huge obstacle and stone in the way of the righteous and real Islamic government.
Nevertheless, when Imams want to establish and arrange the correct Islamic government and settler Alavi system and setup, what they have to do? The first step is that they should the mentality of people, or in other word, should throw the so-called Islamic but really anti-Islamic culture and the replace it with a correct and real culture, real Quran and Unitary(Oneness and Tawhid)
. This is the very cultural war and struggle. The cultural war does not mean to sitting and expressing from Islamic rules some of them without any orientation, and revolutionary and struggling side-seeking, this is not even the war or struggle. Its mean is that to endeavor for changing the mentality of people and the dominant culture on people's minds for making plain the way of divine government and blockade the way for tyrant and satanic government. Imam Baqir has started to pave this way. He is named by "the First Cleaver (Splitter)of Science[Baqir al-Elm al-Awwaleen]
", because he is the cleaver of Qurnic facts and realities, and Islamic sciences. He would express Quran really. For this reason, anyone who just smelled the breath of Imam Baqir while he was not His follower, committed one, and not an attached to any crib, then definitely his view would change about the situation of dominant sovereignty. So, a lot people who were living in the middle class in Imam Baqir's time inclined towards the Holy progeny of the Prophet(Ahl al-Bait)
and Imamate school of thought. This is what is nowadays called Tashayu' among current term. The meaning of Tashayu' is to follow the Household of Prophet(Ahl al-Bait)
's school of thought to create the real sovereignty of Islam for real raising of Quranic ideology and to clear and practice the Quranic doctrines in society. When Imam Baqir would meet any anyone and deliver these matters, it used to change this mind. This was the first task of Imam Baqir which was so important and essential (vital) and Imam Baqir (A.S) gave his most of time for this.
Another task of Imam Baqir was the organization. What is the mean of organization exactly? i.e. a man once just throws among the people these doctrines and cultural changing and struggle, this is alike a see which is thrown in a land without any account and, one of them will be green, another one will die, one of them after becoming green will dry while another will be suppressed and die. This way of seeding has not so benefit. But sometimes not so, rather an expert and intelligent farmer takes care of them after seeding. But how is that? He should assign some people in thorough out the Islamic world to remove and present the objections of those who are affected by these superior teachings and doctrines, get more knowledge, don’t fall in the propagandas of enemies, don’t mistake and save their integrity to each other. In brief, a sufficient guaranty for greening these seeds very well in that ready and potential land to create.
One of Imam Baqir’ responsibility was to nurture and educate some of His pupils of His followers, pay attention to them specially -His Excellency's special pupils-, get them interrelated, send them in all over the Islamic world as a Pole (Qotub), member, His assignee, and His assistant and they get in hand His Excellency's task and undertake the preaching performs and teachings of His Holiness. This secret organizing which had been started before Imam Baqir, while it acquire more excitations in His Excellency's time and it reached at its climax point in the time of Imam Sadiq and Imam Musa bin Ja'far. This was another task of Imam Baqir which was so dangerous.
Thus, you see in the narrations that some of Imam Baqir (A.S)'s companions are known as the "companions of secret issues(Ashab al-Sirr)
" like Jabir bin Yazid Ja'fi. Jabir bin Yazid Ja'fi was the owner of secrets. Whose secrets? Secrets of these persons in all over regions and areas of Islamic world, where they present, guiding and leading and in brief fulfilling the minds and thoughts of the ready (potential) and interested people were their duties. When the authority would find them, they put them in the most dangerous pressures or tortured.
9/5/1366
In a short study on the 19 [nineteen] years old of Imam Baqir's Imamate-from95 [ninety-fifth] to 114 [one hundred and fourteenth]-, it can be summarized so: His father-Imam Sajjad- choices Him in the lastmoments of life as the Leader of Shia and His succession and specifies this position for Him in the presence of His sons and relatives. Imam Sajjad shows for Him according to the narrations a box filled with science
or having the weapon of Divine Prophet(Rasolullah)
and says: "Oh Muhammad! Carry this box to your homes" and the states towards others: "There is nothing of dirham or dinar (gold or silver) in this box but it is full of science"
. As this way and method, Imam introduces the scientific and intellectual -science- and commanding of the revolution -weapon of the Prophet- heir of the Prophet on the present people.
From the earliest moments, with the comprehensive and wide-spreading endeavor of Imam and His righteous supporters in preaching the targeted and overwhelming calling of Tashayu', a new horizon starts. Its domain of spreading was as the level that in addition to the Shia habituated regions like Madina and Kufa other regions specially the remote areas from Bani Umayyah's central command was also added to the Shia thinking school. Khorasan is one of them as very extent way where the influence of Shia preaching is observed in the several narrations.
The matter which provokes this troublous endeavor of Imam and His supporters to a secret and unknown movement and calls them every time toward their divine duty, is the regretting social and mental fact. They see in from of them the people from one side they are, in effect of the destructive and decliner nurture, sinking and down falling more and more in the range of public decadence of society and slowly the moment came that the public like their own rulers and commanders, also does not listen to the saver and rescue calling of Imamate
-
ان دعوناهم لم یستجیبوا لنا
-
-If we invite them, they don’t accept-
And from another side, all matter even the learning, and discussion, jurisprudence, theology, narration and its interpretation in that deviated movement are in along the wants and interesting of Umavi aggressors. So, there is not else ventilator of expectation toward them and if Tashayu' does not come to guide and invite them, the way of guidance
"و ان ترکناهم لم یهتدوا بغیرنا"
If we leave them, then they never be guided with anything.
On the base of very deep of unorganized social fact, Imam discloses His own dispute against the intellectual and cultural powers i.e. self-sold poets and scholars -who have carried and created the social false and incorrect social situation- and invoke the wave caution and astuteness (consciousness) of their unaware following mind and heart though not their sleeping conscience with beating taunt lash on them. Imam says demonstrating rhythm to a poet, Kaseer: you have praised Abdul Malik!? And the poet tried to justify this sin roguishly or credulously and answers: I did not call him as the leader of guidance, but rather called him "loin", "sun", "river", "dragon" and "mountain", the meaning of lion is the dog here, the meaning of sun is an insensitive body, the river means an inanimate body, the dragon means a mephitic insect and the mountain means a hard stone. Imam smiled meaningfully for this irrelevant excuse and justification and then Kumait Asadi -having specific purpose and revolutionary poet- stood up and writes one of his "Laudatory Poems (Qasaed
) on the virtues of Bani Hashim.
This dual kind of poetics and arts leaves and imprints a beautiful memory in the hearts of the audience and all those who listened or will listen about this event.
A'kramah, the famous pupil of Ibn Abbbas who has a great validity and prestige among the people, came to see Imam and thrown himself in the lap (arms) of Imam suddenly and unwillingly in effect of Imam's dignity, spirituality and spiritual and scientific personality and says wondering: I have accompanied with a lot of great men likes Ibn Abbas and never ever got such conditions in front of them. Imam says replying:
"ویلک یا عبید الشام انک بین بیوت اذن الله ان ترفع و یذکر فیها اسم اسمه"
Woe to the diminutive slave of Syrians! You are now in the homes which got sublimity by divine order and became center of reminding God.
Imam in any occasion provokes the feelings and sentiments of unaware men, bestows wave to the died and inert blood (vein) and stimulates (motivates and invokes) the benumb hearts i.e. makes them ready for the crust (sharp) tendencies and revolutionary orientation by showing a corner of bitter and asperity of the facts and realities of Shias' lives, and explaining the pressures and arrogances from the dominant powers on Imam and His followers (supporters).
A man who asked Imam: how is going on? (In narration: how did you get in the morning?) Oh the son of Prophet! Imam replies:"the time did not reach to know that how are we and how do we get morning?! Our story is alike Bani Israel in the Pharaonic society who would kill their sons and keep alive their women (daughters)! That Bani Umayyah have killed our sons and kept alive our women (daughters)." After this impressive and stimulating expression, Imam propounds the main issue - superiority and preference of Shias' claim and the government of the Household of Prophet(Ahl al-Bait)
-:"The Arabs boast to non-Arabs (A'jam) about the Prophet, because Muhammad was Arab, and non-Arabs (A'jam) submitted, the Quraish boast to non-Quraish about the Prophet as the holy Prophet (S) belongs to Quraish tribe and they accepted. If this boasting is right and correct, then, we are superior to other branches of Quraish because we are the closest people to the Prophet and we are His family, nobody is nearer than us to the Prophet. [in other word: If the Prophet is a source for the Quraish to boast to others, if he is a source for the Arabs to boast to non-Arabs, therefore, it is a source for our superiority to others]." Methinks the man got exciting and says: by God! We love and affect your family. While Imam has brought him forward to the bound of complete intellectual, spiritual and practical cohesion -Leadership or Guardianship(Wilayat)
-, says His last awakening and sobering expression also: "Then, prepare and get ready yourself for the trial. By God! The trial and exam to our Shias is nearer than the flood to the hillside. The exam gets first us and then you as like the comfort of safety first reaches us then you."
In a more limited and convinced way, the relationships of between Imam and Shias have some other characteristics. In these relations, we observe Imam likes the thinking mind (intellect) in the living body in relating with the organs and limbs or likes the palpitating heart in feeding (nourishing) organs and body-parts.
Fuzail bin Yasar,
who was one of the closest confidant followers, accompanied Imam is the rites of Hajj. Imam glances at the pilgrims who were rounding Ka'ba (for Tawaf) and says: They would round in the time of ignorance (Jahiliyat). But the divine order is to migrate towards us, confess their coherence and affectation to us and help us. Quran says -in the state of Ibrahim-: "Oh God! Make the hearts of the people eager to Them." Imam recommends Jabir Ja'fi in his first meeting to don’t say people that he is from Kufa, but pretend to be from Madina. On this way, at the Imam teaches his novice pupil, who has a lot of ability apparently for bearing the secrets of Imamate and Tashayu', the lesion of secrecy and reservation. This potent pupil is introduced afterwards as the owner of Imam's secrets and the Caliphate setup took under pressure and control.
Nu'man bin Bashir says: I accompanied Jabir in the journey of Hajj, he met Abu Ja'far -Imam Baqir (A.S) - in Madina. When he performed farewell with Imam, he came out while he was so happy. We moved to Kufa. A man came to us on the one of the midway lodging -Nu'man narrates some signs of that man and his short dialogue with Jabir- and gave a letter to Jabir. Jabir kissed the letter, put it his eyes, opened and starts to read. I saw that when read more, he was getting worried, finished it, wrapped and we reached in Kufa but I did not see him happy. One day after reaching in Kufa, I went to see Jabir respectfully. Suddenly, I confront to a wonderful scene that Jabir came out of his home while likes kids he was riding a bulrush (straw), putting a necklace of ankle bone of lamb and singing some meaningless and crazy poems. He looked at me and said nothing. I did not say anything also, but wept for this situation unwillingly. While the children had surrounded him, but he was just walking along the way until reached "Entrance Gate of Kufa(Rahbah)
" but the children were chasing him yet. The people were saying to each other that Jabir bin Yazeed has become insane (mad). Just after few days, the Caliph - Hisham bin Abdul Malik- sent a letter to the ruler of Kufa, where he has written: Just investigate who is man called Jabir bin Yazeed Ja'fi, arrest and behead him, then send the head for me. The ruler asked his spies and proponents about Jabir. They replied: May Allah save our ruler pleasure! He is a man who had a lot of virtues and science of Narrations, but went to perform Hajj this year and became insane. Right now, he is playing with kids and children in the entrance gateway of Kufa, riding on the bulrush. Nu'man says: the ruler went to see Jabir himself and saw that Jabir is playing while he is riding on the bulrush. Then the ruler said: Thanks God! He forgave me from killing Jabir.
This is an instance of the method of the relation of Imam with his close followers and it represents an existence of calculated and organizational integrity and relation. It is also the instance of the governmental positioning toward these supporters. It is clear that the spies of Caliphate -those who think more than everything to saving, empowering and stabilizing their own status- are not unaware of the relationships of Imam with His close followers and their group activities, get more or less information on this subject and try to discover and fight against them.
So, it creates a striking and demonstrating theme of His Excellency's life and general situation of Tashayu' also. It was good news for the beginning of another chapter of lives history of Shias' Imams.
Although, there is no mentioning clearly in the texts of Islamic histories and also in the books of narrations and etc about Imam Baqir's struggling activities and partly sharp - of course, it is emanated from some causes and reasons that the most important of them is the dominant strangulation (or asphyxia) and necessity ofTaqiyyah
(Reservation) for the Imam contemporary followers who are only the informed sources about the activities of Imam's political life- but the depth of any action always can be discovered from the calculated reactions of cautious enemy. The strong and skillful setup of Abdul Malik, who is called the strongest Umavi Caliph by the historian, when he confronts with Imam Baqir or anyone other by harsh, inevitably it is emanated from this fact that he feels some kind of threatening from himself and thus whose existence is unbearable for the Caliph. There is no doubt that if Imam Baqir would have a scientific life -not intellectual and organizational construction-, it was neither efficient and not benefit for the Caliph and rulers of Caliphate regime to do strictly and by force (arrogating). Because firstly, the strictness and force will invoke and call His Excellency to fight bitterly against them -suchlike we observe an instance of this experience in near time, which one instance is the uprising of Hussein bin Ali (Martyr Fakh)
- secondly, it will cause to be fierce of Imam's believers and followers -who are not in a litter and few numbers- toward themselves and make them malcontent of government. In brief state, it can be elicited, from the partly sharp reaction of Caliphate regime in the ends of Imam Baqir' life, that His Excellency was performing strictly and bitterly in some extents.
Calling Imam Baqir to Syria (Damascus)
The most important events at the ends of Imam’s life is to call His Excellency to Syria (Damascus) the capital of Umavi Caliphate. They ordered for Imam Baqir -and according some narrations, also Imam Sadiq, His Father’s young son and close supporter and helper- to arrest and send to Syria (Damascus) to know Imam’s orientation towards Caliphate setup. They carried Imam to Syria (Damascus) and Caliph’s palace. Imam has dictated his attendees and servants (marginal supporters) already the necessary orders for confronting Imam. It is posed that first Caliph and then the attendees to carry on the flood of blame and taunt toward Imam. The Caliph was chasing two purposes by this action:
Firstly, to weaken the spirit of Imam through theses bitter words and abuses, and make ready for what is appropriate with. Secondly, to convict and suppress his enemy in a meeting which is arranged for the highest leaders and commanders of both hostile fronts, and disarm all member of His front by releasing this news of suppression -that is possible for the Caliph with the ever-ready instruments like orators, agents and personal spies of Caliph-.
Imam enters in and despite the ordinal norm that every new guest should greet the Caliph by mentioning the specific title of the Believers' Leader(Amir al-Mumineen)
, turns toward the attendees and gesturing by hands to them, says “Peace Be Upon You(as-Salam Alaikum)
”, then sits without waiting for any permission.
This behavior ignited the fire of hatred and envy in Hisham’s heart and he starts according to the planning. “You, Ali’s offspring and heirs, have ever broken the unity of Muslims, by inviting toward yourselves, put gap and hypocrisy, and imagined yourselves as leaders and Imams by your own imprudence and puerility.” He spoke those non-sense words awhile then kept silence. After him, every one of his servants and pets spoke those words blaming and accusing Imam of being rude and arrogant.
Imam remained silent and calm during this time. When all of them kept quiet, He stood turning to the audiences and performed the praise and encomium of God and greeting on the Prophet, illustrates, in short but shaker words, their bewilderment and rambling of the scatter mob, beats like lash on heads and faces for their being incontinent instruments, clear His status and glory past of His family which accords to the highest Islamic standards -guiding-, and, at last, make their instable spirit something more shocked:
"ايها الناس! اين تذهبون؟ و این یراد بکم؟ بنا هدی الله اولکم وبنا یختم آخرکم، فان لم یکن لکم ملک معجل فان لنا ملکا مؤجلا و لیس بعد ملکنا ملک، لانا اهل العاقبة یقول اللهعزوجل: والعاقبة للمتقین"
Oh the people! Where are you going?! What is considered your ultimacy by them? God has guided your predecessors by us, and through us the final stamp will get your performs, if you have hurriedly ruling, our ruling will be forever. There is no ruling after ours. We are the owners of finale and salvation as God says: the salvation belongs to the piety ones (or and the outcome will be in favour of the God wary).
In this short but pro-found expression - which attracted plea, condemnation, promise, threat, proof and rejection at once- has influence and comprehension at measure that if it is publicized and listened by people, it is possible that every listener may become convinced for the legitimacy of the spokesman. For answering to this expression, one requires conundrum and eloquence as he needs self-confidence and assurance. Such person is not found among the audience of Imam to reply. So, there is no option and chance except appealing to asperity and force.
Hisham orders to put Imam in the prison, i.e. he confesses his weak spirit and incompetent logic. Imam deals with stating the realities and clearance, and influenced on His fellow-prisoners as there was no one who did not accept His expression very deep and did not become his attached and follower. The assignees report Hisham about the occurrences. It is not bearable for the government who has been keeping specially Syria far from Alavi’s preaching for several decades. So, Hisham orders to carry them out of prison (release). Nowhere adoptable than Madina for them, a city where they were living, of course with specific lookouts and stinging (rigors). If he becomes convicted and necessary, he will carry down the last and final strike on them, in this way, he will able to destroy and annihilate his enemy in his own home and bed without any noise and insurgence, and will able to keep him away from the curse of the accusation of “Imam-Killing”. Thus, for the order of Hisham, they get ride them on the rapid horses - which will pave the ways without any stop- and hasten toward Madina. He has ordered prior to move that nobody can have any deal with this arrogated convey (caravan) in the cities of ways and can’t sell bread and water.
They were been passing the ways thus for three days and nights, while the stock of water and break finished.
Now, they have reached in Madina. The citizens shut the doors and refuse to sell provisions (bread and water) according to the order. The followers (fellow-travel) of Imam have become hungry and thirsty as they starts to complain. Imam Himself went to the high hill of the city which is in from and viewing point of city, and urges with the expressive call the citizens: “Oh the people of suppressors’ city! I am the provision of God who said about us: What remains of Allah's provision is better for you, should you be faithful.”
So, a timely quale and dare destroys the underplot. A man of that city alerts his own unaware and deceived kith (brethren) and remind them that is alike the urge of Prophet Shua’ib to the heterodoxies of his period while he was instructing that you have a message like your predecessors have it once upon a day. Today you curse and malediction (imprecate) your predecessor for not accepting that message. Ok! The history has repeated itself. Now there is same like the very message, messenger and addressees. Imam on time and good advice is accepted by the people. They open their doors and accept the enemy of the government setup despite the planning of Caliphate system.
Nevertheless, Imam prevents to get involvement with the dominant power in a sharp shape and front to front war; does not take sword and advises those who are going to take on weapons hastily, then invokes them to have more vigilance and tactics. Even Imam does not speak unless if he necessary for a fundamental and essential actions. Imam does not give permission for uprising -revolt- to His brother Zaid who has an overflowing sentiments and giving up control and patience. However, Imam relies, in the most extent, on the cultural and intellectual activities in the everyday normal relationships and in relations with the novice elements (supporters), what is at the same time an ideological infrastructure and also a politicalTaqiyyah
(Reservation). But -as we pointed out before in some short extent- this wise tactic never would cause for the fact that Imam does not propound the general and main direction of Imamate movement and does not keep alive the great ideal of Shia -that is the establishing the Islamic government and Alavi ruling through the way of inevitable struggle- for the close supporters and righteous Shias who have chosen Him and loved. Even, Imam in the appropriate and proper occasions used to stimulate their sentiments and feelings as it needs.
One of Imam Baqir (A.S)’s methods is to enunciate the wished future that is not so far which illustrates meanwhile that His Excellency does know exactly what is His position in Shias’ movement and in which step.[As it is narrated] “We were with Abi Ja’far and the room was full of people, then an old man came in, greeted and said: Oh the son of Prophet! By God! I love you and your followers, and by God! This affectation is not for greed of the jewels of life. I hate your enemy, don’t love and affect him, this hatred and enmity is not for that he has hurt or killed. By God! I accept your orders and forbids and I am waiting for your victory. Do you have any order and expect toward me? May I be sacrificed on you?” Imam called him and got him sit down near, and said: “Oh the old man! Somebody has asked My Father Ali bin al-Hussein exactly this question. My Father replied: if you die awhile this waiting, you will be with the Prophet, Ali, Hassan, Hussein and Ali bin al-Hussein, then your heart will fresh, your spirit prosper and your eyes fogless. You will be relaxed and successful while your will be happy most accompanying with the divine reporting angels. If you remain alive, you will see the day when your eyes will be bright and have the highest position accompanying us.” When the old man went, Imam looked at him and said: “Anyone who wants to see an Elysian (one who goes Paradise), just see this man
”.
Even Imam sometimes goes furthermore, specifies the year of victory and makes real the fore-past appetite of Shias. Abu Hamza Thumali says: I listened that Abu Ja’far was saying: God had ascertained 70 year for this -establishment of Shiite government-. So, when Hussein is killed, God became angry to the terrestrial people and delayed it for 140 [one hundred and forty] years. We said this timing for you -close followers- then you disclosed it and put off the veil of this secret. Then God did not ascertained else and timing for us [yet]. And God erases and eliminates whatever He wants and inscribes whatever He. Abu Hamza says: I narrated this state for Abi Abdullah. He said: Yes! That was so.
Such like these statements make as an inevitable and definite future the establishment of Islamic system and Alavi government which was alike a marvelous dream in such asphyxia and killing pressure as the only motive and expecting shining in Shias’ oppressed hearts and spirits. And they increase on their power and submission for paving the long ways [to that reality].
The nineteen years of Imam’s leadership period pass such way like a straight, connected and distinct line which has both of ideological training [teaching] and the personal constructing, both of struggling tactic and organizing the mob and creating formulation, both of saving and continuing the political direction, andTaqiyyah
(Reservation) and increasing the expect more and firmer than ever. In brief, it was the nineteen years long struggle and passing by endeavor from the impassible rocky. At last, when this short and fertile ages come over and finishes, and when the sworn enemies of Alvi movement imagined with going the head of the movement that they will have a relaxing moment and free from Shias’ preaching struggles, and will be able to deal with the countless difficulties and involvements in interior areas of the country and boundary lines, but the hot and burning cinder of this canon carries down its final and last fatal electricity on the bases of Umavi Regime. Imam had passed a long time of his in disclosing and expressing, while He is chasing His performance even after death. He had made people conscious, while He is continuing His endeavor even after death. He sends new lesson and message for His supporters and unaware crowd of people who want to understand and contemplate. This message is calm and deep like His own general map of life. It is benefit for the followers and needy ones but does not disturb the dream of enemy [does not awaken enemy]. What I said is an instance of Imam Baqir’s Reservation (Taqiyyah
) and a diagram for His general behavior and performance on that specific step and period of time.
Those who reported Imam’s life history have neglected or pretended negligent from side corner of this great endeavor which is mentioned in a short narration. Is it possible that they did not see that? In a short way, I just mention the situation. Imam gives order to His son Ja’far bin Muhammad to expend a part of His property -800 Dinars- during the ten years for mourning and lamentation for Him. The place of mourning (A'za) in the desert of Mina and the time of such performance is the season of Hajj
. That is all and enough. The season of Hajj is the meeting time of unfamiliar brothers who live in the remote regions. Thousands “persons” try to be “gathered” at that place on such time. These multi-languages sympathy people call and worship God in one language and observe the miracle of the gathering of nations. If it is posed that a message should be sent in all over Islamic world, then there is not chance better than this. The rites of Hajj are done in some continuous days and few points, which one of these days and places is more appropriate for such thing? Mecca is a city where people are busy and scattered. In addition, they are performing Hajj, Tawaf (Rounding Ka'ba for seven times), Sa'y (walk haste between Safa and Marwa), prayer and Masha'r is place where people stay at night, so there is little chance and impossible to do something special. In Mina, people stay for short time. Arafat is though for day but the time is very short, because pilgrims stay only for a day while they are tired of travelling in the morning and ready to more in the afternoon. So, Mina is more appropriate than other places. Because the pilgrims stay there for three days and they have more chance to introduction, dialogue and sympathy. No one bears to go to Mecca and return there at night. Thus, staying and visiting the every group, circle and caravan is more suitable according to the day and place. Everyone can be traced easily toward the mourning assembly which is been done for three days annually. So, the people become informed of that gradually. A group of Madina people -the center of Islam and the base of outstanding Companions, jurisprudents and narrators- is been arranging this assembly on these days for several years. Whose is this? For the one of outstanding figures of Islamic world, Muhammad bin Ali bin al-Hussein who was a great man of the Prophet dynasty, pre-eminent of jurisprudents and narrators, and the teacher of all well-known ones in jurisprudence and narrations. Why are the people coming here and why are them remembering Him here? What is He being reminded basically? Can any say if His death was naturally or ordinal? Who has killed or poisoned Him? And why that? What would He do and say? Had he any claiming? Would he call and preach? Was His existence dangerous for the Caliph? And thousands of suchlike questions. Dozens of interrogation and ambiguity which rise on perpetually or question and researching. Then flood of reply and answers downfalls from those who have arranged this mourning and the informed ones who are scattered among the crowd, dense and darkness on here and there. Those who came from Madina or Kufa here, their main purpose is to answer such questions. They came to explain, on this golden chance, the issues for the people of throughout Islamic world who have gather here. Another aim of them was to see and meet their own religious friends and brothers; to give new information or acquire an order. In brief, this was the Shiites calling by the thousands greatest channels and preaching networks at the worldwide level of those days. This was the successful planning of Imam Baqir (A.S) -the sketch of Jihad after His death-, and this is the fruitful and blessing existence of one whose both life and death were for and in the way of God. ""
وجَعلَهمُبارَكاًاينَماکانَوسَلامٌعَليهيوَمَوُلدَويوَمَيمَوتويوَميبُعثحياٌّ.
His existence is blessing wherever he is. Peace and Greeting to be on the day when he is born and when he dies and when his will be resurrected.
The Righteous Leader, P. 33-54
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Author: Seyed Ali Khamenei
