Transcript Ashuraa and Men of Valor

Al-Baaqir
The Fifth Imam
By A.S. Hashim. MD
About this Slide Show
Discussed:
Lineage
Early childhood
Meeting Jabir Al-Ansaari
His teens and twenties
The Currency Issue
The three phases of Islam
Al-Baaqir’s Imamah
Educational input
Subjects taught
Some select sayings
Ziyarah
Lineage
Grandfather
Al-Husain
Father
Zainul Abideen
Al-Baaqir
Grandfather
Al-Hasan
Mother
Fatima
Early childhood
Born in 57 Hijrah
Was loved by grandparents and aunts
Was close to Sakeena his aunt (teenage)
At 3 years of age, accompanied his
grandfather Al-Husain, and his father
Zainul Abideen to Karbala
Witnessed the horrendous treatment dealt
to his family in Karbala
With them from Kufa to Damascus
3½ Yr, Al-Baaqir, along with a devastated family,
crosses the desert to Damascus
Sees the severed heads on tip of spears ahead
of them every day
His beloved, Sakeena (who took care of him),
dies in Damascus
Nightmares keep coming to him almost nightly
Extremely affected by Karbala and the move to
Damascus followed by returning to Medina
The Grief in Medina
3½ Yr: Al-Baaqir saw Zainab, on a vigorous
campaign, to explain what happened in Karbala
He saw his father Zainul Abideen go into
seclusion and cut off most contact with people
He observed that people of Medina were
inflamed and very angry
Everyone cried and mourned for Imam
Al-Husain.
The mind of the young Al-Baaqir could only absorb the
scenes with further apprehension and remorse.
At up to the Age of 5½ years:
Al-Baaqir is tutored by his father Zainul Abideen.
Medina had revolted, and a horrific battle took
place
His father, Zainul Abideen, takes on his shoulder
hosting 400 of Benu Umayya clan
witnesses the atrocities inflicted on Medina itself,
and how for 3 days Yazid's soldiers wounded,
killed, and destroyed much in Medina.
Yazid’s Atrocities
1. Karbala
2.
Medina
3. Mecca
With Jabir Al-Ansaari
As Al-Ansaari became old, he lost his eye-sight,
and he was often seen sitting in the Prophet's
Mosque persistently calling for Al-Baaqir
The people at the time, not knowing of any
Al-Baaqir around, thought Al-Ansaari to have lost
his mind
When Al-Ansaari finally met Al-Baaqir he
excitedly hugged him, kissed his hand, and
joyfully expressed the love and conveyed the
salutation of the Prophet to the young boy.
In his boyhood
Father, Zainul Abideen, active in teaching his children Islam
He concentrated on teaching them:
1. the Holy Quran, then
2. Tafseer, followed by
3. the Hadith and
4. Al-Ah'kaam
Al-Baaqir was extremely receptive. He not only showed an
unparalleled brilliance of mind but also the eagerness to absorb
the Islamic knowledge.
It was not only his father who tutored him, it was also the
collective effort of the whole family. His great-aunt Zainab,
great-uncle Ibn Al-Hanafiyah, or others, they all participated.
During his teens
Politically turbulent times under Al-Zubair's
rulership, for he tried to seize the Khilaafah from
Benu Umayya.
Many military clashes evolved between Abdul
Malik, and Ibn Zubair
Al-Baaqir was grieved due to the bloodshed that
took place in Mecca, and how the Ka'ba was
wrecked by the forces of Abdul Malik
Al-Baaqir continued to absorb the enormous
amount of knowledge made available to
him. Participated in the Discourses his father
was giving
In his twenties
1. the Jabriah (Emphasizing
When Al-Baaqir
was in his twenties
many divergent
ideologies
emerged in the
Islamic world and
had to be dealt
with and corrected.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Absolute Predestination),
the Qadariyah (Emphasizing
Absolute free will),
the Khariji (deviators),
Those of Al-Raa'y (the
opinionated),
Those of Al-Qiyas, (Users of
analogy), and
the Murji'ah, (acknowledgers
of Benu Umayya legitimacy,
but free to criticize them)
In his Twenties
Muhammad Al-Baaqir Marries Umm Farwa, the
great-granddaughter of Khalifa Abu Bakr.
More than a year later, in the year 83H, a boy
was born to him. They called him Ja'far.
Al-Baaqir is sought after for his enormous
knowledge.
People endearingly call him Al-Baaqir, for his
in-depth analysis of any religious problem.
Al-Baaqir also means: the one who discloses
treasures of wisdom underlying various Islamic
laws.
The Byzantine Currency
1. The Byzantine emperor was threatening:
a. to withdraw the dominant Byzantine currency,
thus sabotage the Islamic Ummah
b. unless concessions were made by the Muslims,
(which were unacceptable).
c. Until now the currency in the Muslim world had
been predominantly the Byzantine currency.
2. Abdul Malik the Khalifa sends for Al-Baaqir to
solve the crisis (the currency problem facing the
nation).
Al-Baaqir solves the currency problem
Orientalists call it a Stroke of Genius.
1. Stop dealing with the Byzantine currency,
2. Build Muslim currency (coins) instead,
a. Inscribe on one side La Ilaaha Illa Allah,
b. Inscribe on the other side Muhammad Rasool Allah,
c. Stamp the edge of the coin with the date and locality,
and
d. Have special scales to weigh the gold currency
pieces to make sure its accurate worth.
In his Mid-thirties
Zainul Abideen and Al-Baaqir shun politics
completely
They held the contemporary rulers and their
administration as neither valid nor legitimate.
They saw Islam was violated in the name of
Islam
Therefore, they raced against time to deliver to the
people as much Islamic knowledge as possible.
Medina became an intellectual center of learning
As a result, the Piety-minded community evolved
When Zainul Abideen died Al-Baaqir’s Imamah
started at the age of 38 years
Contemporary Khulafaa
During his
Lifetime, Al-Baaqir
was contemporary
to the Following
Rulers of Benu
Umayya
Benu Sufyan:
1. Mu'awiya son of Abu Sufyan
2. Yazid son of Mu'awiya
3. Mu'awiya son of Yazid
Benu Marwan:
1. Marwan son of Al-Hakam
2. Abdul Malik son of Marwan
3. Waleed son of Abdul Malik
4. Suleiman son of Abdul Malik
5. Omar son of Abdul Aziz
6. Yazid II son of Abdul Malik
7. Hisham son of Abdul Malik
The three phases of Islam
1. Muhammad
ISLAM
Islam
3. Rest of Imams
2. Ali, Hasan &
Husain
The 1st of 3 Phases of Islam
PHASE
FIRST
PHASE
CARRIED OUT
BY:
TASKS CONSISTING OF:
Muhammad
(pbuh)
Emphasis was on teaching
Islam in depth, especially to
the
Sahaaba (Companions),
and making Islam available
to the maximum number of
people—yet, bearing in
mind that it would take an
average person a long time
to assimilate Islam.
Therefore,
Muhammad (pbuh) did not
fight the hypocrites.
The 2nd of 3 Phases of Islam
PHASE
SECOND
PHASE
CARRIED OUT BY:
Ali, Al-Hasan,
and Al-Husain
TASKS
CONSISTING OF:
They were the 3 who were
to confront the negative
forces caused by Islamicly
weak persons which
threatened to undermine
Islam: Be it during Ali's
Khilaafah, Al-Hasan's
acceptance of peaceful
terms, or the events leading
to the explosive but
anticipated Karbala as led
by Al-Husain.
The 3rd of 3 Phases of Islam
PHASE
THIRD
PHASE
CARRIED OUT
BY:
Zainul
Abideen and
the Imams
after him.
TASKS
CONSISTING OF:
Zainul Abideen took on his
shoulders the heavy task of
teaching the scholars (the
educational endeavor) once
the confrontational phase
was over. This culminated by
establishing the Islamic
Institute (Institute of Ahlul
Bayt). The main source of
information was the Corpus
of Knowledge Imam Ali
left. The Institute was to
expand and flourish by later
Imams.
During Al-Baaqir’s Imamah
1. The institute of Ahlul Bayt grows substantially
a. Up to 300 scholars graduate over a period of 18 years
b. Graduates write about 100 books
2. Al-Baaqir himself wrote the book of Tafseer, in
which he registered numerous Hadiths.
3. Numerous knowledge seekers traveled from far
away (and lived in Medina) to attend Al-Baaqir’s
discourses
4. He argued with the Kharijis (deviators) and
Ghulaat (exaggerationists).
The Institute graduates
Educational works of Al-Baaqir versus Zainul Abideen
During Al-Baaqir’s time,
300 Scholars graduated.
The 300 Scholars wrote
100 books
During Zainul Abideen’s
time 160 Scholars
graduated
The graph on the right
shows relative numbers
This is remarkable, since
it was in spite of the
heavy political pressure
on Ahlul Bayt
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
At First
Early days
Middle
Zainul Abideen Al-Baaqir
Final period
Corpus of Knowledge
Ali’s writings during:
Abu Bakr,
Omar, and
Uthman’s Khilaafah:
Corpus of Knowledge
consists of the
following:
1. Quran in chorological
2.
3.
4.
5.
order
Tafseer (Mus’haf Fatima)
Hadith (Saheefa of Ali)
Ah’kaam
Al-Jafr
a. White Jafr: Prophets and
early times
b. Red Jafr: Rules of war in
Islam
Golden Chain of Narration: (so far)
Ali
Al-Husain
Zainul Abideen
Al-Baaqir
Al-Hasan
Conditions of the Ummah (at his time)
1. Karbala kept haunting the Ummah
2. Yazid's bloodshed in Medina
3. Devastation done in Mecca
4. Al-Hajjaj in Iraq and Persia
5. Public works and charities exclusively in Syria
6. Syrian Troops in Garrisons all over the Ummah
7. Mawaali Resentment
The Haven to Inquiries
Often surrounded by students of different ages, many of them
scholars already, Al-Baaqir was the haven to their inquiries.
No matter what questions they asked, Al-Baaqir answered eloquently,
always giving the Islamic detail necessary.
He never got tired of their questioning, never said no, never absented
himself;
on the contrary, it was all his to give.
Intellectuals of various levels flocked to him, be it at Haj times or
others.
He was the repository of Islamic knowledge,
the one sought after by the notables of Fiqh specialists,
the forerunners of intellectuals,
as well as the ordinary seekers of knowledge.
The Intellectual Center
Al-Baaqir's son, Al-Saadiq, was an active participant, and his
contribution to the religious community, even then, was highly admired.
Many of these students continued their studies later on at the hands of
Al-Saadiq and quoted him quite often.
This dynamic Islamic education and its atmosphere brought more into
focus what Zainul Abideen had already started years back.
The growth of this Institute was such that
Medina kept being the very intellectual center
and the dynamic magnate to Knowledge,
despite the fact that the center of political power was Damascus in
Syria.
Out of this atmosphere a Piety-Minded community arose, which grew so
influential and so astonishingly entrenched that even the ruler Abdul
Malik tried to show affinity to gain their support.
Subjects Taught
1. Tafseer of the Holy Quran.
2. Hadith, as quoted by each Imam from his father, up to
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Ali, then Muhammad (pbuh).
Al-Ah'kaam, which grew with time, since new religious
problems were to be solved according to the Shari'ah.
Fiqh, as diversified due to the Ij'tihaad of the
Jurisprudents.
Halal and Haram,
Ethics, Mu'aamalaat, among other important Islamic
subjects.
Irfan (Islamic theological philosophy).
Adab: High forms of literature.
Ismah Emphasized
Ismah: Ayah of Tat’heer: Surah 33 : Ayah 33.
Ahlul Bayt are to be obeyed, not just revered;
Imamah: was of immense importance. A
designated Imam was Ma'soom, i.e.,
safeguarded by Allah from :
a.Religious error,
b.Sin, and
c.Forgetfulness.
Those who ignore the Imamah will have ignored
a basic pillar in their faith.
THE PIETY-MINDED COMMUNITY
1. They demanded equity, fairness, and
School of Ahlul
Bayt
School of Ibn
Abbas
School of Ibn
Omar
2.
3.
4.
5.
true Islamic practices.
cautioned against the self-serving and
Islamicly weak people
Often they brought Karbala's cause,
motives, and conviction to the
foreground.
They made people aware of the
atrocities committed against Ahlul Bayt.
Cries to avenge for Imam Al-Husain from
the many Mawaali and disadvantaged
Arabs.
The Institute Expands
During Al-Baaqir’s
time, 300
Scholars
graduated.
The 300 Scholars
wrote 100 books
The graph shows
relative numbers
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
At First
Early days
Middle
Final period
Regions of Religious Movements at the
Time of Al-Baaqir
IN MEDINA
Ahlul Bayt
Ibn Abbas
Ibn Omar
IN SYRIA
Jabriah
Qadariyah
Jama’ah
IN KUFA
IN EGYPT
Murji'ah
Khariji
Shi'a
Ibn Abbas
Ibn Omar
IN BASRAH
Murji'ah
Mu'tazila
Khariji
IN KHURASAN
Shi'a
Jama’ah
Jah'miyyah
Benu Umayya Attitude
Apprehensive and insecure, the ruling class (Benu Umayya and their
officials), were wary and very edgy about Ahlul Bayt, fearing their
influence.
They put surveillance and had many undercover agents against Ahlul
Bayt.
The surveillance varied in its intensity from time to time,
depending on the degree of insecurity of the ruler,
the strength of the administration,
and the paranoia of the governors among other things.
The times of Al-Baaqir were:
difficult during Al-Waleed and Suleiman sons of Abdul Malik,
but free and very friendly during the times of Omar son of Abdul Aziz.
About Benu Umayya
Muhammad Al-Baaqir had to teach in subtle ways,
often leaving confrontational matters in the hands of his students
after they had left and started preaching on their own.
They pointed out to the repression of people who voiced any
opposition to the Khalifa.
Impiety of most rulers, many of whom took to indulgence in
prohibited matters.
Manner of taxation of Mawaali (the non-Arabs who embraced
Islam)
The ill-treatment the Mawaali received at the hands of the
government officials,
Flagrant ethnic preferences such as:
Benu Umayya overvalued the Arabs of Syria over the Arabs of Iraq,
and these over the ones in Medina, which were regarded superior
to non-Arabs.
More about Benu Umayya
Muslims resented the use of the public treasury to benefit mainly Syria,
public works to be mainly in Syria,
and to maintain an administrative body consisting of Benu Umayya
and their loyalist: they were greedy, self-centered, and self serving.
Muslims resented the Monarchy imposed by Mu'awiya,
and the rule of a Khalifa by military might and the tip of the sword,
and the indulgence of these officials in prohibited luxuries.
The constant cursing of Imam Ali as a State policy (demanded by Benu
Umayya) was deeply resented by people.
Bitterness, indignation, and smoldering anger grew with the years.
the people remembered the numerous Hadiths on behalf of Ali,
And the many Quranic Ayahs on behalf of Ali,
and the unique position Imam Ali held in Islam.
Omar II (son of Abdul Aziz) the Exception
Omar II ended the condemnation (cursing) of Imam Ali on the pulpits,
something that was having profound negative effect on people.
Omar returned Fadak to Ahlul Bayt. Fadak was the property which
the Prophet (pbuh) had given to Fatima as inheritance, and was
denied her as soon as the Prophet died.
Omar II scrupulously accorded the privileges to the old Medina
families (Muhajiroon and Ansaar) as Omar Ibn Al-Khattab had
granted them previously (which Benu Umayya had cut down those
privileges).
Omar II corrected numerous injustices leading to acceptable
settlement, examples:
Some Christian groups had their tribute reduced.
Church lands in Egypt were freed of certain taxes.
Other illegal taxes in Iran were remitted.
Some excess taxes already paid were restored.
Al-Baaqir Advices Omar (son of) Abdul Aziz
Pay heed to what company you like to be with when in
the presence of your Lord, and
Look at what you loathe to be with when you are in His
presence
Wish not to have a commodity that is of no use to those
before you, since it won't be of use to you.
O Omar! Open your door to the public, be accessible,
be just, and repeal all acts of injustice.
With three qualities you will have advanced your faith in Allah:
1. The satisfied person whose satisfaction does not lead him to
commit falsehood [wrong doing],
2. The angry person whose anger does not lead him to commit
wrong,
3. and The man of power who does not permit his power take what is
not his
Select sayings of Al-Baaqir
The acme of good character is reached
when:
a. a person has attained full knowledge of
religious matters when he:
b. faces the vicissitudes of life with patience and
fortitude, and
c. leads his life economically (That man should
spend according to his means, so that he may
not have to depend on others).
Select sayings of Al-Baaqir
There are three things which lead to
distinction and eminence in the hereafter:
a. If somebody treats you unjustly, and you
forgive him.
b. If somebody does wrong to you, and you
show him kindness.
c. When your place and right is unknown and
undermined, you show patience and
forbearance.
Select sayings of Al-Baaqir
When two believers meet and shake hands, Allah will place
his hand with them, favoring the one who loves his brother
the most.
When you meet each other start with greetings of peace and
shake hands, and when you part, do so with entreating
Allah’s forgiveness.
The good deed rewarded promptly by Allah is when you
keep communicating with relatives in gracious manner.
Imam Al-Baaqir said: "My father, Imam Ali Ibn Al-Husain
used to tell his children to avoid big and small lies in
earnestness or in jest; for he who tells small lies will soon
have the audacity to tell big ones."
Describing his devotees
"By Allah our Shi'a are they who obey
Allah, are pious, and upright.
Our Shi'a are recognized for their modesty,
humility, excessive worship, frequent
offering of Salat, observance of fast,
and they honor their parents.
Our Shi'a care for neighbors, the
disadvantaged, the needy, the indebted,
and the orphans,
Our Shi'a always speak the truth, recite the
Holy Quran, hold their tongue against
speaking ill of others, and
Our Shi'a are trustworthy in all matters of
social and spiritual relationship.
‫وهللا ما شيعتنا إال ّ من إتقى هللا‬
ّ ‫ُعرفون إال‬
َ ‫وأطاعه وما كانوا ي‬
‫بالتواضع والتخشع وأداء‬
‫أألمانة وكثر ِة ِذكر هللا‬
ِّ‫والصوم والصالة والبر‬
‫من‬
َ ‫بالوالدين وتعهُّد الجيران‬
‫الفقراء وذوي ال َمسْ كن ِة‬
‫والغارمين واأليتام‬
‫وصدق الحديث وتالوة القرآن‬
ِ
‫وكفِّ األلسن عن الناس إال من‬
‫خير‬
Imam Al-Baaqir dies
Just as the case with Zainul Abideen and Al-Husain,
Imam Al-Baaqir died at the age of 57 years.
His death was mourned by numerous people
Al-Baaqir designated his son, Al-Saadiq, as the
subsequent Imam
He gave him a will containing a treasure of wisdom
He handed him the books constituting the Corpus of
Knowledge which Imam Ali had previously written.
Imam Al-Baaqir was buried in Al-Baqii, by the burial site
of Imam Al-Hasan and Imam Zainul Abideen.
Picture of Al-Baqii Before and After 1925
Al-Baqii after it was destroyed
Al-Baqii before 1925
‫‪Ziyarah of Al-Baaqir in Baqi’i‬‬
‫ال َّسالَ ُم َعلَ ْي ُك ْم أَ ِئ َّم َة ْالهُدَ ى ال َّسالَ ُم َعلَ ْي ُك ْم أَهْ َل ال َّت ْق َوى‬
‫ال َّسالَ ُم َعلَ ْي ُك ْم أَ ُّي َها ْالح َُج ُج َعلَى أَهْ ِل ال ُّد ْن َيا ال َّسالَ ُم َعلَ ْي ُك ْم أَ ُّي َها‬
‫ْالقُوَّ ا ُم ِفي ْال َب ِر َّي ِة ِب ْال ِقسْ ِط‬
‫هللا ال َّسالَ ُم‬
‫ال َّسالَ ُم َعلَ ْي ُك ْم أَهْ َل ال َّ‬
‫ُول َّ ِ‬
‫ص ْف َو ِة ال َّسالَ ُم َعلَ ْي ُك ْم آ َل َرس ِ‬
‫َعلَ ْي ُك ْم أَهْ َل ال َّنجْ َوى‬
‫هللا َو ُك ِّذ ْب ُت ْم‬
‫ص َبرْ ُت ْم ِفي َذا ِ‬
‫ت َّ ِ‬
‫صحْ ُت ْم َو َ‬
‫أَ ْش َه ُد أَ َّن ُك ْم َق ْد َبلَّ ْغ ُت ْم َو َن َ‬
‫َوأ ُ ِسي َء إِلَ ْي ُك ْم َف َغ َفرْ ُت ْم‬
‫ُوض ٌة‬
‫َوأَ ْش َه ُد أَ َّن ُك ُم ْاألَ ِئ َّم ُة الرَّ ِ‬
‫اع َت ُك ْم َم ْفر َ‬
‫ون َوأَنَّ َط َ‬
‫اش ُد َ‬
‫ون ْال ُم ْه َت ُد َ‬
‫َوأَنَّ َق ْولَ ُك ُم الص ِّْد ُق‬
‫َوأَ َّن ُك ْم دَ َع ْو ُت ْم َفلَ ْم ُت َجابُوا َوأَ َمرْ ُت ْم َفلَ ْم ُت َطاعُوا‬
Finally: Ziyarah of Al-Baaqir in Baqi’i
Peace be upon you O Leaders of Guidance; Peace be upon you O
Masters of Piety,
Peace be upon you O Proofs of Allah on the people of the earth;
Peace be upon you who were Steadfast in dealing with justice.
Peace be upon you O people of the Chosen One.
Peace be upon you the Family of the Prophet of Allah,
Peace be upon you O people whose souls converse to the Almighty,
I bear witness that you had Proclaimed and Advised and had
Persevered for the sake of Allah
And that you were belied and mistreated, yet you forgave
And I bear witness that you are the rightly guided leaders; and that
obedience to you is incumbent and that your speech is correct and you
had invited to the Truth but were not answered and you commanded
but were not followed……
In Conclusion
Al-Baaqir: the one who delved in Islam to its
very heart. Discussed was the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Brief Account of his early life
Delved in Quran and its sciences
Narrated numerous Hadiths
Categorized and classified Faith and Rituals
Explained the Halal and Haram in detail
His Du’aas and Sayings as the guiding light
For Details Go to:
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Be in Allah’s Care
Thank you and May God Bless you.
Dr. A.S. Hashim