The learned, the scholars, the researchers, and the authors glorified Ima`m al-Ba`qir, peace be on him. They acknowledged his outstanding merits and his priority in knowledge to those other than him. They unanimously agreed that he was the greatest scholar whom the Islamic and the Arab world has ever known. The following are some of their words concerning him:
1. Ima`m al-Sa`diq
Ima`m Abu` 'Abd Allah al-Sa`diq, peace be on him said: "My father was then the best Mohammedan on the surface of the earth.
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This means that Ima`m al-Ba`qir was then the best of all the Moslems in knowledge, devotion, conforming to the religion, and the like through which the Moslem person becomes high.
2. Mohammed b. al-Munkadir
Mohammed b. al-Munkadir was among those who were contemporary with Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin and his son, Ima`m al-Ba`qir,
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1. Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, vol. 9, p. 309.
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peace be on him. He stated his impressions of him, saying: "I did not think that 'Ali
b. al-Husayn would leave a successor similar to him in outstanding merits, abundant knowledge, clemency, etc. , till I saw his son, Mohammed.
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3. Sudayf al-Makki
Sudayf al-Makki was among the companions of Ima`m Abu` Ja'far (al-Ba`qir). He communicated with him. He was among those who admired and glorified him. He said: "I have never seen a Mohammedan similar to him.
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4. Hisha`m b. 'Abd al-Malik
As for Hisha`m, he was among the most spiteful towards the Ima`m and among the most mortal enemies of his. Still, he acknowledge the high rank of the Ima`m and his great importance. Thus, he addressed him, saying: "O Mohammed, Quraysh will lead Arabs and non-Arabs as long as there are (persons) among them similar to you.
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5. Al-Mansu`r al-Dawa`niqi
(At an assembly), Ima`m al-Ba`qir, peace be on him, talked about the Oa`'im (the one who will undertake the office of the Ima`mate) of the family of Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, and the Mahdi (the rightly-guided one) of the this community. Al-Mansu`r al-Dawa`niqi was at the assembly. He was astonished at that. Thus, he told Sayf b. 'Umayr about what he had heard of the Ima`m, saying: "If all the people of the earth tell me (about that), I will not accept (it) from them. However, he is Mohammed b. 'Ali.
4These words indicate that he admired and glorified the Ima`m. If the people of the
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1. Roudat al-Kafi. Words similar to these have been mentionedin al-Ithaf bi Hub al-Ashraf (p. 53) and in Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 1, p. 352.
2. Al-Saduq, al-Amali, p. 297.
3. Diya' al-Amilin, part 11 on the Life of Imam Mohammed al-Baqir.
4. Al-Ghazali, al-Fara'id, vol. 6, p. 143.
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earth had told him about that, he would have not accepted (it) from them nor would he have believed them. However, the Ima`m told him about it. So, al-Mansu`r acknowledged that the Ima`m was superior to all the people in truthfulness and reliability.
6. Abd Allah b. 'Ata`'
Abd Allah b. 'Ata talked about the admiration, glorification, and humbleness of the
scholars for the Ima`m (al-Ba`qir), peace be on him. He said: "I have never seen the scholars with (a person) inferior to them. (However, I have seen them) with Abi Ja'far (al-Ba`qir), for they behaved humbly and modestly before him, knew his right and his knowledge, and learned from him. Although al-Hakam b. 'Utayba was great and old, I saw him before al-Ba`qir to learn from him. He was like the boy before the teacher.
1He added : "I saw al-Hakam with al-Ba`qir. He was like a helpless bird.
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We must mention a brief idea about al-Hakam b. 'Utayba to understand his scientific rank so that we are able to understand the vast sciences of Ima`m al-Ba`qir, peace be on him, and his high rank with the scholars. The narrators said : "Al-Hakam was among the greatest and the most important scholars of his time. "Mujahid b. Ru`mi said: "I saw al-Hakam in the mosque of al-Khif. The scholars of the people were around him. "Jarir reported on the authority of al-Mughira, who said: "When al-Hakam came to Medina, the people left the praying-place of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family , for him to pray at it. Ibn Sa'd said: "He was a reliable jurist and prominent scholar. He had many traditions."Al-Hakam had vast knowledge and a high rank. Nevertheless he was like a powerless boy before Ima`m al-Ba`qir. Therefore, the Ima`m was the most knowledgeable of all the people of his time in all sciences. The Shi'a
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1. 'Uyun al-Akhbar wa Funun al-Athar, p. 14. Similar words have benn mentioned in Hulyat al-Auliya' ( vol. 3, p. 186), Shadhrat al-Dhahab (vol. 1, p. 149), Tarikh by b. 'Asakir (vol. 51, p. 43), and Mir'at al-Jinan (vol. 1, p. 248).
2. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, vol. 2, p. 133.
3. Ibid, p. 134.
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believe in this and produce it as evidence in support of his abundant sciences.
7. Ja`bir b. Yazid
Ja`bir b. Yazid al-Ju'fi was among the most famous Moslem scholars and among the greatest reporters of traditions. He was among those who studied under Ima`m Abu` Ja'far (al-Ba`qir), peace be on him. He reported seventy thousand traditions on the authority of the Ima`m, as al-Dhahabi said.He was among those who knew the Ima`m's scientific position. Thus, when he narrated traditions on his authority, he said: "The trustee of the trustees and inheritor of the knowledge of prophets related to me.
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8. Ja`bir b. 'Abd Allah
The great companion (of the Prophet), Ja`bir b. 'Abd Allah al-Ansa`ri was famous for following the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them. He loved them very much. It was he who sent the greetings of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, to Ima`m Abu` Ja'far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, as we have already mentioned. He was among those who understood the high rank of the Ima`m, peace be on him. He glorified and respected the Ima`m from his childhood. When he addressed him, he said: "You are the son of the best of all the creatures. Your father is the Lord of the Youth of Heaven.
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9. Ibn Hajar al-Haythami
Shaha`b al-Din, Ahmed b. Hajar al-Haythami, said: "Abu` Ja'far, Mohammed, was called al-Ba`qir. The word al-Ba`qir was derived from baqara al-ard, meaning he splits open the ground and lights the hidden things in it. Thus, the Ima`m brought to light hidden things, such as the treasures of sciences, the facts of the rules, the maxims, and the good things. He made them so clear that nobody misunderstands them
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1. Ibn Shar Ashub, al-Manaqib, vol. 4, 180.
2. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 11, p. 64.
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except those with bad insight and corrupt interior. Concerning him it was said that he split open knowledge and collected it. He made famous his knowledge and raised it. His heart became clear. His knowledge and his deeds were honest. His soul became pure. His morals were noble. His times were spent in Allah's obedience. The tongues of describers fall short of depicting his marks in the positions of the gnostic. This quick talk is unable to encompass all his words on behavior and sciences.
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These words display some bright sides of the life of Ima`m Abi Ja'far (al-Ba`qir), peace be on him. Among them was that he brought to light the treasures of sciences and the facts of the rules, while the people were unable to do that. We will talk about that in the researches that follow.
10. Ibn Kuthayr
Abu` al-Fida`', al-Ha`fiz b. Kuthayr, wrote Ima`m al-Ba`qir's biography. Concerning him he said: "Al-Ba`qir
was among the leading members of the next generation. He had a great rank. He was among the great figures of this community in knowledge, deeds, leadership, and honor. He was called al-Ba`qir, for he split open knowledge and concluded the rules. He remembered Allah. He was humble and patient. He was among the progeny of the Prophet. He was of a noble lineage. He was cognizant of the hearts. He wept very much. He refrained from arguments and quarrels.
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Ibn Kuthayr talked about the vast sciences of the Ima`m. (He also talked about) his worship, his patience, his much weeping because of his fear of Allah, and his refraining from the argument and the disputes. Because of these qualities, the scholars admired and glorified the Ima`m, peace be on him.
11. 'Abd al-Hamid al-Hanbali
'Abd al-Hamid b. al-'Ima`d al-Hanbali wrote the Ima`m's
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1. Al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqa, p. 120.
2. Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, vol. 9, p. 309.
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biography. He said: "Al-Ba`qir was among the jurists of Medina. He was called al-Ba`qir because he widely split open knowledge. He was among the Twelve Ima`ms according to the faith of the Ima`mi (Shi'a).
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12. Al-Nabaha`ni
Shaykh Yousif b. Isma`'il al-Nabaha`ni said: "Mohammed al-Ba`qir b. 'Ali, Zayn al-'Abidin, b. al-Husayn was one of the Ima`ms of our masters, the noble members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), and was among the prominent scholars.
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13. Al-Qirma`ni
Ahmed b. Yousif Al-Qirma`ni wrote the Ima`m's biography. He said: "He was called al-Ba`qir, for he split open knowledge. He was, out of (all) his brothers, the successor and testamentary trustee of his father. He undertook (the office of) the Ima`mate after him. None of the sons of al-Hasan and al-Husayn showed the same ability in knowledge of religion, the laws, the knowledge of the Koran, the ways of life, and the techniques of literature, as Abi Ja'far (al-Ba`qir) did. The surviving Companions (of the Prophet) and the leading members of the next generation reported the principal features of religion on his authority.
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14. Al-Dhahabi
In many of his books, al-Dhahabi has written the Ima`m's biography. However, he was irregular in some of his words, which are as follows:
A. He said: "Al-Ba`qir was the best of the Ha`shimites at his time in outstanding merit, knowledge, and righteousness.
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1. Shadharat al-Dhahab.
2. Jami' Karamat al-Alawiya', voll 1, p. 97.
3. Akhbar al-Diwal, p. 111.
4. Tadhib al-Kamal, 3/Q4/262 (manuscript).
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B. He said : "Al-Ba`qir was the lord of the Ha`shimites of his time. He was known as al-Ba`qir, for he split open knowledge. Thus, he knew its hidden origin.
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C. He said : "Al-Ba`qir was among those who had knowledge, deeds, righteousness, honor, trust, and sedateness. He was appropriate for the succession (to authority). He was among the Twelve Ima`ms whom the Ima`mi Shi'a respect and in whose infallibility and knowledge in all religion they believe.
Abu` Ja'far (al-Ba`qir) was a qualified Ima`m. He recited Allah's Book. He was of great importance. However, he was not the same level with b. Kuthayr in the Koran, nor was he the same level with Abi al-Zanna`d and Rai'a in jurisprudence, nor was he the same level with Qatta`da and b. Shaha`b in memorizing and knowing the traditions.
2 Al-Dhahabi deviated from the truth when he preferred b. Kuthayr, Abi
al-Zannad, Rai'a, Qatta`da, and b. Shaha`b to the Ima`m. Indeed these eminent men are not compared with his students, such as Zarara b. A'yun, Mohammed b. Moslem, and Ja`bir b. Yazid al-Ju'fi. This is because knowledge and outstanding merits which have been reported on their authority are much more than those which have been reported on the authority of Qatta`da and his group. The Ima`m (al-Ba`qir) debated with Qatta`da and defeated him. However, al-Dhahabi was narrow-minded. He bore malice and hatred against the family of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, and their followers. He has mentioned that in many of his researches. How wonderful what has been said concerning him is!
You are today called al-Dhahabi.
This name was derived from dhiha`b al-'aql (madness)
not from al-dhahab (gold).
15. Mohammed b. Abi Bakr
Mohammed b. Abi Bakr, known as b. Hamma`d Dakkin died 700 A. H. , said: "Our master Ima`m Mohammed, son of Ima`m Zayn al-
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1. Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, vol. 1, 124.
2. Siyar A'lam al-Nubala', vol, 4, p. 241.
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'Abidin, peace be on him, showed an outstanding merit in knowledge, asceticism, and righteousness. He was of noble reputation and great importance. None of the sons of al-Hasan and al-Husayn, peace be on them, showed the same ability in the knowledge of religion, traditions, the sunna, the knowledge of the Koran, the life of the Prophet, and the techniques of literature, as Abu` Ja'far showed. The scholars of religion, the surviving Companions (of the Prophet), the leading members of the next generation, and the heads of the jurists of the Moslems reported on his authority. By virtue of his outstanding merit he became a signpost (of knowledge) to his family. Proverbs were coined about him and reports and verses were written to describe
him.
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