Imam Baqir (AS): Representative of the True Islam
- 8 months ago
Imam Baqir was the only source of true Islamic teachings in society. He embodied these teachings through his behavior and interactions with the people. The Imam used to pray 150 units of prayer on a daily basis. He was in constant remembrance of God and would recite, “La-Ilaha-Illal-lah”, meaning “There is no God but Allah” even while walking or interacting with the people. The Imam’s tears in prayer and his long prostrations had been witnessed by the people in the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, and next to the Ka’ba during the Hajj season. The Imam would continue to shed tears humbly despite his social status. The Imam also used to encourage his children to stay awake between dawn and sunrise to recite the Quran or other prayers. Whenever the Imam wanted to pray for a great blessing from God, he would gather his family, make his request to God, and ask his family to respond by saying, “Amin.”
Once, a Christian called Imam Baqir, “Baqara”, which means “cow” in Arabic. He continued by insulting the Imam’s mother. The Imam treated him with patience and responded to him politely by saying, “If your statement is right, may God forgive my mother and if you are wrong, may God forgive you.” The Imam’s demeanor and greatness had such an impact on that person that he chose to convert to Islam.
The Imam was always interested in providing guidance to all the Muslims. Sa’ad was an Umayyad who came to the Imam, crying and denouncing his family for their injustices to the Ahlul-Bayt. The Imam accepted him and said, “You are from us if you have the correct beliefs.” The Imam referred to the Prophet Ibrahim’s statement in the Quran [14:36], “Everyone who follows me is from me.” The Imam then advised him to seek piety and provided him with guidance. The Imam’s statements are available in a collection known as Risala Sa’ad al-Khayr.
The Imam’s generosity was renowned among the people, though his lifestyle was ordinary. No needy person would return from the Imam without a reward. The Imam was an elder in the family of the Prophet. and was the oldest among the children of Imam Hossein, so he had to financially support his relatives, who were struggling with their living expenses because they were deprived of their rights by the government. Furthermore, the Imam had to financially support some of his students who came to Medina to attend his classes and were in need. The Imam made particular emphasis for charity donation on Fridays, stating that it has a double reward, as Friday holds a special importance over the other days of the week.
Once, a Christian called Imam Baqir, “Baqara”, which means “cow” in Arabic. He continued by insulting the Imam’s mother. The Imam treated him with patience and responded to him politely by saying, “If your statement is right, may God forgive my mother and if you are wrong, may God forgive you.” The Imam’s demeanor and greatness had such an impact on that person that he chose to convert to Islam.
The Imam was always interested in providing guidance to all the Muslims. Sa’ad was an Umayyad who came to the Imam, crying and denouncing his family for their injustices to the Ahlul-Bayt. The Imam accepted him and said, “You are from us if you have the correct beliefs.” The Imam referred to the Prophet Ibrahim’s statement in the Quran [14:36], “Everyone who follows me is from me.” The Imam then advised him to seek piety and provided him with guidance. The Imam’s statements are available in a collection known as Risala Sa’ad al-Khayr.
The Imam’s generosity was renowned among the people, though his lifestyle was ordinary. No needy person would return from the Imam without a reward. The Imam was an elder in the family of the Prophet. and was the oldest among the children of Imam Hossein, so he had to financially support his relatives, who were struggling with their living expenses because they were deprived of their rights by the government. Furthermore, the Imam had to financially support some of his students who came to Medina to attend his classes and were in need. The Imam made particular emphasis for charity donation on Fridays, stating that it has a double reward, as Friday holds a special importance over the other days of the week.