Islamic Scholars & Mystics Codexery

Muhammad al-Baqir

Fifth Shia Imam who shaped Twelver jurisprudence and exegesis.

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Muhammad al-Baqir was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through both grandsons Hasan and Husayn.[1] He is known by the honorific title al-Baqir, meaning "the one who splits knowledge open" or "the one who possesses great knowledge"[2] Al-Baqir is recognized for establishing the foundational doctrines and legal principles of Twelver Shi'ism.[3]

Last updated 2026-09-30 from the source article.

Life and work

Muhammad al-Baqir was born in Medina around 676 CE and was present as a small child at the Battle of Karbala in 680.[4][5] Al-Baqir died between 732 and 736, and Shia sources report he was killed, though details are disputed.[6][7] Upon the death of his father around 712 CE, the imamate was accepted for Muhammad, then roughly thirty-seven years old, by the majority of followers.[5] Despite residing in Medina and leading a devout, quiet existence, al-Baqir faced harassment from the Umayyads, particularly Caliph Hisham.[5]

Al-Baqir was summoned on multiple occasions to Damascus by Hisham and experienced at least one period of imprisonment.[8] The Al-Baqi Cemetery in Medina is the burial site of al-Baqir.[9] Al-Baqir's concept of the imamate rested chiefly on religious knowledge, not on political authority.[10]

What the cited sources add

The article cites Pierce 2016 for descriptions of al-Baqir's appearance, including medium height, delicate skin, and curly hair.[11] The article cites Taremi 2014 for accounts that al-Baqir worked in the field alongside his servants and treated relatives with good food and clothes.[12] The article cites Haywood 2024 for al-Baqir's rejection of both predestination and free will, advocating a third position.[13]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Baqir" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Kohlberg 2012a (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Baqir" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Buckley 2020; Kohlberg 2012a (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Baqir" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Daftary 2013, p. 146; Lalani 2000, p. 40; Buckley 2020; Takim 2006, p. 93; Amir-Moezzi Jambet 2018, p. 29; Lalani 2000, p. 40; Buckley 2020; Buckley 2020; Lalani 2000, p. 40; Buckley 2020 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Baqir" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Lalani 2000, p. 40; Buckley 2020; Momen 1985, p. 239 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Baqir" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Lalani 2000, p. 40; Daftary 2013, p. 146; Momen 1985, p. 239; Dakake 2007, p. 72; Kohlberg 2012a; Amir-Moezzi Jambet 2018, p. 29; Tabatabai 1977, p. 179; Jafri 1977, p. 255; Mavani 2013, p. 39; Daftary 2013, p. 146; Buckley 2020; Lalani 2000, p. 40; Dakake 2007, p. 72 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Baqir" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Kohlberg 2012a; Buckley 2020; Jafri 1977, p. 255; Momen 1985, p. 239; Jafri 1977, p. 255; Lalani 2000, p. 40; Daftary 2015, p. 176; Momen 1985, p. 239 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Baqir" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Momen 1985, p. 239; Amir-Moezzi Jambet 2018, p. 29; Momen 1985, p. 239; Kohlberg 2012a; Momen 1985, p. 239; Tabatabai 1977, p. 179; Kohlberg 2012a (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Baqir" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Kohlberg 2012a; Momen 1985, p. 239 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  9. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Baqir" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Momen 1985, p. 239; Werner 2010; Buckley 2020 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  10. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Baqir" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Momen 1985, p. 239; Mavani 2013, p. 39; Momen 1985, p. 239; Kohlberg 2012a; Momen 1985, p. 239; Lalani 2000, p. 40; Mavani 2013, p. 39; Daftary 2013, p. 146; Lalani 2000, p. 40; Dakake 2007, p. 72; Buckley 2020; Haider 2014, p. 86; Momen 1985, p. 239; Daftary 2013, p. 146; Amir-Moezzi Jambet 2018, p. 29; Lalani 2000, p. 40; Momen 1985, p. 239; Kohlberg 2012a; Lalani 2000, p. 40; Takim 2008, p. 140 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  11. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Baqir" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Pierce 2016, p. 97; Kohlberg 2012a; Buckley 2020; Jafri 1977, p. 255 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  12. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Baqir" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Taremi 2014 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  13. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Baqir" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Haywood 2024 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Muhammad al-Baqir (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Twelve ImamsIsmailismShia IslamQuranSunni IslamJurisprudenceWahhabismZayd ibn Ali

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