Fascinating discourses from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (AS)

The Seventh Infallible Imam Mohammad Baqir (as)

Name: Mohammed Ibn Ali (as)
Title: Baqir
Sub Title: Abu Ja’far (as)
Father: Imam Zain Ul Abideen (as)
Mother: Fatima Bint Hassan (as) Thus he is the descendent of Bani Hashim both from the paternal & maternal sides.
Time & Place of birth: The 1st of Rajab or the 3rd of Safar, 57th Hijrah, in Medina.
Time & Place of martyrdom: Monday the 7th of zilhijah 114 Hijrah at the age of 57 years. Was poisoned & martyred, at behest & order of Hasham bin Abdul Malik, in Medina.
Holy Grave In Janat ul Baqi, graveyard of Medina.
The Duration of life: three years, six months & ten day .along with his grandfather Imam Hussain (as)
(2) Thirty four years & fifteen days at the service of his father Imam Sajjad (as)
(3) Period of his own Imamate was Nineteen years, ten months & twelve days he, During this age in which the Bani Omaiyed & Bani Abbas were at war & confrontation, he made good of the chance to the maximum in connection with training of pupils & students & the consolidation & expansion of Shiite school & bringing about cultural revolution.

Twenty traditions from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (AS)

1. Islam is founded & based upon five things the maintaining of prayers (salat) & the giving out of alms (zakat) & the Hajj of the House of Allah (kaabah) & the fasting of Ramadan month & the guardian ship of us the Ahle bait (Household of the Prophet (S)) So in four of those there exists excuse (leave & permission) But in (accepting & believing) guardianship no room for excuse or allowance has been given. For the person who does not possess wealth, there exists no Zakat (alms giving) & the one who is devoid of wealth, does not have to perform Hajj. And the one who is ill offers his prayers sitting & may not observe fast. Nonetheless, the guardianship is binding & obligatory while he is healthy or ill or whether he is rich & wealthy or possessing no wealth. (Wasail ul-Shia Vol. 1, P 14)

1- بُنِيَ الإسلامُ عَلی خَمسٍ:إِقامِ الصَّلاةِ،وَايتاءِالزَّکاةِ وَحَجِّ البَيتِ وَصَومِ شَهرِ الرَمَضانَ، وَالوِلايَةِ لَنا أَهلِ البَيتِ، فَجُعِلَ في أَربَعٍَ مِنها رُخصَةٌ، وَلَم يُجعَل فِي الوِلايَةِ رُخصَةٌ،مَن لَم يَکُن لَهُ مالٌ لَم تَکُن عَلَيهِ الزَّکاةُ، وَ مَن لَم يَکُن لَهُ مالٌ فَلَيسَ عَلَيهِ حَجٌّ، وَمَن کانَ مَريضاً صَلّی قاعِداً، وَأفطَرَ شَهرَ رَمَضانَ وَالوِلايَةُ صَحيحاً کانَ أَو مَريضاً أَو ذامالٍ أَلامالَ لَهُ فِهَيَ لا زَمَةٌ. (وسائل الشيعه ج1 ص14)

In (accepting & believing) guardianship no room for excuse or allowance has been given. For the person who does not possess wealth, there exists no Zakat (alms giving) & the one who is devoid of wealth, does not have to perform Hajj. And the one who is ill offers his prayers sitting & may not observe fast. Nonetheless, the guardianship is binding & obligatory while he is healthy or ill or whether he is rich & wealthy or possessing no wealth.

2. The person who loves for the sake of Allah &  despises for the sake of Allah & gives for the sake of Allah is among those whose faith has achieved completion. (Usool al Kafi. Vol. 2. P 124)

2- مَن أَحَبَّ لِلّهِ وَأبغَضَ لِلّهِ وَأَعطی لِلّهِ فَهُوَ مِمَّن کَمُل ايمانُهُ. (اصول الکافی ج2 ص124)

3. Jabir Marrates that Imam Abi Jaffar said to me ', Oh Jabir does it suffice that a person claims to be Shia & that he says he loves us, the Ahle bait, house hold of the Prophet?'
By Allah, no one is our Shia except that he has piety for Allah (guard himself against sin) & obeys HIM.
They (shias) are not known & recognized except for their humility, modesty, fear of Allah. & trust worthiness, & abundance  of remembrance of Allah. Fasting, performing prayers, kindness to the parents. Looking after the poor neighbors & afflicted people & the indebted ones & the orphans & speaking truth & reciting the holy Quran & restraining of the tongue about people except mentioning them with goodness & beneficence. And they are the trustees for their tribes in all the affairs. (Usool al Kafi Vol. 2. P 84)

3ـ عَن جابِرٍ عَن أَبی جَعفَر عَلَيهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: قالَ لی يا جابِرُ أيَکتَفي مَن يَنتَحِلُ التَّشَيُّعَ أَن يَقُولَ بِحُبِّنا أَهلَ البَيتِ؟ فَوَاللهِ ما شِيعَتُنَا إِلاّ مَن أتَّقَی اللهَ وَأَطاعَهُ، وَما کانُوا يُعرَفُونَ يا جابِرُ إِلاّ بِالتَّواضُعِ، وَالتَّخَشُّعِ، وَالأَمانَةِ، وَکَثرَةِ ذِکرِ اللهِ، وَالصَّوِم، وَالصَّلاةِ، وَالبِرَّ بِالوالِدَينِ، وَالتَّعاهُدِ لِلجيرانِ مِن الفُقَراءِ وَأَهلِ المَسکَنَةِ وَالغارِمينَ وَالأَيتامِ، وَصِدقِ الحَديثِ، وَتِلاوَةِ القُرآنِ، وَکَفِّ الأَلسُنِ عَنِ النّاسِ إلاّ مِن خَيرٍ، وَکانُوا أُمَناءَ عَشائِرِهِم فِي الأَشياءِ. (اصول الکافی ج2 ص74)

4. Indeed faithful is the one who when pleased & glad his pleasure does not make him enter into sin & falsehood (He does not commit any sin while happy). And when unhappy & angry his anger does not oust him from the word of righteousness. (He does not abandon the right course) And when he gains power his power does not make him commit excess & oppression & make him go for a thing upon which he does not have any right. (Usool al Kafi. Vol. 2. P 234)

4- إنماالمؤمن الذي إذا رضي لم يدخله رضاه في إثم ولا باطلف وإذا سخط لم يخرجه سخطه من قول الحق، والذی إذا قدرلم تخرجه قدرته الی التعدی إلی ما ليس له بحق. (اصول الکافی ج2 ص234)

Indeed faithful is the one who when pleased & glad his pleasure does not make him enter into sin & falsehood (He does not commit any sin while happy). And when unhappy & angry his anger does not oust him from the word of righteousness. (He does not abandon the right course) And when he gains power his power does not make him commit excess & oppression & make him go for a thing upon which he does not have any right. 

5. The completion, entire completion of a man lies in understanding & appreciating the religion, the patience & forbearance upon the occurrence of incidents & the appraisement & assessment of (his) economy. (Tuhaf al-Uqul. P 292)

5- اَلکَمالُ کُلَّ الکَمالِ التَّفَقُّهُ في الدَّينِ وَالصَّبرُ عَلی النّائِبَةِ وَتَقديرُ المَعيشَةِ. (تحف العقول ص292)

6. There are three things out of the values of the world & there after: 1. forgiving the one who has committed excess & aggression against you. 2. Joining the one who cuts off relations & ties with you. 3. Forbearance & tolerance for the one who committed a folly & showed insane behaviour towards you. (Tuhaf al-Uqul, P 293)

6- ثَلاثَةٌ مِن مَکَارِمِ الدُّنيا وَالاخِرَةِ: اَن تَعفُوَ عَمَّن ظَلَمَکَ. وَتَصِلَ مَن قَطعَکَ.وَتَحلُمَ اِذا جُهِلَ عَلَيکَ. (تحف العقول ص293)

7. Certainly, Allah grants this material world to the one whom he loves & the one whom he despises. And he does not bestow his religion to anyone except whom He loves. (Tuhaf al-Uqul, P 300)

7- اِنَّ اللهِ يُعطِی الدُّنيا مَن يُّحِبُّ وَيُبغِضُ وَلا يُعطی دينَهُ اِلاّ مَن يُّحِبُّ. (تحف العقول ص300)

8. Whosoever's tongue utters the truth, his practice becomes purified & the one whose intention is decent & good, his sustenance boosts up & increases. And who ever adopts a decent & nice attitude & behavior with his family his life lengthens.(Tuhaf al-Uqul, P 295)

8- مَن صَدَقَ لِسانُهُ زَکا عَمَلُهُ. وَمَن حَسُنَت نِيَّتُهُ زِيدَ في رِزقه وَمَن حَسُنَ بِرَّهُ بِأَهلِهِ زِيدَ في عُمرِهِ. (تحف العقول ص295)

9. Beware of sluggishness, annoyance & impatience since these are the keys to all the evils.
The person who commits sluggishness & slackness does not discharges any right & the one who gets impatient & restless, does does not remain patient over the right. (Tuhaf al-Uqul, P 295)

9- إيّاکَ وَالکَسَلَ وَالضَّجرَ فَإِنَّهُما مِفتاحُ کُلِّ شَرَّ،مَن کَسِلَ لَم يُؤَدِّ حَقّاً وَ مِن ضَجِرَ لَم يَصبِر عَلی حِقٍّ. (تحف العقول ص295)

10. Humbleness (means) is to be pleased & contented with sitting in, an assembly at a place lower than ones status & honor, & saluting anybody one meets & abandoning dispute even if one is right. (Tuhaf al-Uqul, P 296)

10- أَلتَّواضُعُ الرِّضا بِالمَجلِسِ دوُنَ شَرَفِهِ، وَاَن تُسَلِّمَ عَلَی مَن لَقِيتَ،وَأَن تَترُکَ المِراءَ وَإِن کُنتَ مُحِقّاً. (تحف العقول ص296)

Indeed, Allah has hidden three things in three others. His pleasure in his obedience. So of course, do not belittle anything from his obedience, since His pleasure may be in the same one. And Allah has concealed his wrath & anger in His sin. So of course do not belittle & count any sin as small. May be the wrath of Allah is in it. And he has concealed His friends & saints among the people, so do not belittle & look down upon anyone perhaps he may be the friend & saint of Allah. 

11. Indeed, Allah has hidden three things in three others. His pleasure in his obedience. So of course, do not belittle anything from his obedience, since His pleasure may be in the same one.
And Allah has concealed his wrath & anger in His sin. So of course do not belittle & count any sin as small. May be the wrath of Allah is in it. And he has concealed His friends & saints among the people, so do not belittle & look down upon anyone perhaps he may be the friend & saint of Allah. (Bihar ul-AnwarVol. 78, P 188)

11- اِنَّ اللهَ خَبَاءَ ثَلاثَةً فِي ثَلاثِةٍ خَبَاءَ رِضاهُ فِي طاعَتِهِ فَلا تَحقرَنَّ مِنَ الطّاعَةِ شَيئاًفَلَعَلَّ رِضاهُ فيهِ وَخَبَاءَ سَخَطَهُ فِي
مَعصِيَتِهِ فَلا تَحقرَنَّ مِنَ المَعصِيَةِ شَيئاً فَلَعَلَّ سَخَطَهُ فيهِ وَخَبَاءَ اَولِيائَهُ فِي خَلقِهِ فَلا تَحقرَنَّ اَحَداً فَلَعَّلَهُ الوُلِيُّ. (بحارالانوار ج78 ص188)

12. Consider the world as an abode where in you have dropped down for an hour & then you have got to leave it & go ahead or (suppose it) like the wealth which you lay hands upon in the dream & get overjoyed & glad. Then you wake up and find yourself empty handed. (Tuhaf al-Uqul, P 287)

12- فَاَنزِل نَفسَکَ مِنَ الدُّنيا کَمَثلِ مَنزِلٍ نَزَلتَهُ ساعَةً ثُمَّ ارتَحَلتَ عَنهُ اَو کَمَثَلِ مالٍ استَفَدتَهُ في مَنامِکَ فَفَرِحتَ بِهِ وَسررتَ ثُمَّ انتَبَهتَ مِن رَقدَتِکَ وَلَيسَ في يَدِکَ شَيءٌ. (تحف العقول ص287)

13. Heaven is surrounded by unpleasantness & patience. So, the one who remains patient over it's unpleasantness in the world, enters the paradise. And the hell is surrounded by pleasures & lusts. So the one who allows (gives) himself its' pleasures & lustful desires enters the hell fire. (Usool e Kafi Vol. 2, P 89))

13- أَلجَنَّةُ مَحفُوفَةٌ بِالمَکارِهِ وَالصَّبرِ،فَمَن صَبَرَ عَلیَ المَکارِهِ فِي الدُّنيا دَخَلَ الجَنَّةَ.وَجَهَنَّمُ مَحفُوفَةٌ بالَّذَّاتِ وَالشَّهَواتِ، فَمَن أَعطی نَفسَهُ لَذَّتَها وَشَهوَتَها دَخَل النَّارَ. (اصول الکافي،ج2 ص89)

14. The one who teaches one chapter of guidance to the people will have the reward similar to all those who would act upon it & nothing would be lessened & subtracted from the reward of those who practice it. And the one who teaches a chapter of misguidance, he will have the burden (wrath) similar to each one who acts upon it & nothing will be lessened from their burden of sin (wrath of Allah). (Tuhuf al-Uqul, P 297)

14- مَن عَلَّمَ بابَ هُدًی فَلَهُ مِثلُ أَجرِ مَن عَمِلَ بِهِ وَلا يَنقُصُ اُولئِکَ مِن اَجُورِهِم شيئاً، وَ مَن عَلَّمَ بابَ ضَلالٍ کانَ عَلَيهِ مِثلُ اَوزار مَن عَمِلَ بِهِ وَلا يَنقُصُ اُولئِکَ مِن اَوزارِهِم شَيئاً. (تحف العقول ص297)

Consider the world as an abode where in you have dropped down for an hour & then you have got to leave it & go ahead or (suppose it) like the wealth which you lay hands upon in the dream & get overjoyed & glad. Then you wake up and find yourself empty handed

15. If people come to know what (evil) lies in begging, No one will beg from the other & if the one who is begged from, knows the evil of rejecting the one who begs, nobody will turn down anyone's request. (Tuhuf al-Uqul. P .300)

15- لَويَعلَمُ السّائل ما فِي المَسألَةِ ما سَأَلَ اَحَدٌ اَحَداً وَلَويَعلَمُ المَسُئُول ما فِي المَنعِ ما مَنَعَ اَحَدٌ اَحَداً. (تحف العقول ص300)

16. Suleman bin Khalid narrates Abi Jaffar Imam Mohammed Baqir said "May I not inform you about the Islam's principle, its derivative & its summit, apex & hump?' I said 'yes why not, may my life be sacrificed for you.'
He said "However, its principle is prayer (salat) & its derivative is alm giving (zakat) & its peak & summit is Jihad (holy war). Then he said', If you please I may inform you regarding the doors of beneficence.'
I said 'yes, I may lay my life for you.' He said ', .Fasting is a shield against (hell) fire & charity & dole removes & finishes sin, & so does the remembrance of Allah in the mid of night.(Usool al Kafi. Vol. 2. P 23)

16-عَن سُلَيمانِ بنِ خالدٍ،عَن أبي جَعفَرٍ عَلَيهِ السَّلامُ:قالَ:أَلا اخبِرُکَ بِالإسلامِ أَصلِهِ وَفَرعِهِ وَذِروَةِ سَنامِهِ؟ قُلتُ:بَلی جُعِلتُ فِداکَ.قالَ:أَمّا أَصلُهُ فَالصَّلاةُ وَ فَرعُهُ الزَّکاةُ وذِروَةِ سَنامِهِ الجِهادُ،ثُمَّ قالَ :إن شِئتَ أَخبَرتُکَ بِأَبوابِ الخَيرِ قُلتُ نَعَم جُعِلتُ فِداکَ قالَ: الصَّومُ جُنَّةٌ مِنَ النّارِ،وَالصَّدَقَهُ تَذهَبُ بِالخَطيئَهِ، وَقِيامُ الرَّجُلِ في جَوفِ اللَّيلِ بِذِکرِ اللهِ. (اصول الکافی ج2 ص23)

17. There is no servant except that there exists a white spot upon his heart. So when he commits a sin a black spot arises into that white spot. So when he repents this black spot moves away. And if he continues on committing sins the blackness of this spot increases till such time it overwhelms & over rides the whiteness. When the whiteness is covered over (by the blackness) the owner of it (heart) does never at all return towards beneficence & goodness. And this is what Allah means when he says:
Nay! Rather, what they used to do has become like a rust upon their hearts (83:1).' ( Surah Mutafafin -Verse: 14, Bihar ul-Anwar, Vol. 73, P 332)

17- ما مِن عَبدٍ إِلاّ وَفي قَلبِهِ نُکتَةٌ بَيضاءُ،فَإِذا أَذنَبَ ذَنباً خَرَجَت فِي النُّکتَةِ نُکتَةٌ سَوداءُ،فَإن تابَ ذَهَبَ تِلکَ السَّوادُ، وَإِن تَمادی فِي الذُّنُوبِ زادَ ذلِکَ السَّواد حَتی يُغَطِّيَ البَياضَ،فَإذا غَطّی البَياضَ لَم يَرجِع صاحِبُهُ إِلی خَيرٍ أَبَداً، وَهُوَ قَولُ اللهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ: ( ( کَلاّ بَل رانَ عَلی قُلُوبِهِم ما کانُوا يَکسِبُونَ)). (بحار الانوار ج73 ص332)

18. Indeed, when a man earns the wealth from Haram (prohibited) sources, no Hajj & no umrah & no strengthening of his blood kinship is accepted & approved. (By Almighty God). (Bihar ul-Anwar. Vol. 99. P 125)

18- اِنَّ الرَّجُلَ اِذا اَصابَ مالاً مِن حَرامٍ لَم يُقبَل مِنهُ حَجٌّ وَلا عُمرَةٌوَلا صِلَةُ رَحمٍ... (بحار الانوار ج99 ص125)

Indeed, the most terrifically sorry of all the people on the resurrection day will be the servant who defines & shows the way of justice to the people but he opposes it himself.

19. Indeed, the most terrifically sorry of all the people on the resurrection day will be the servant who defines & shows the way of justice to the people but he opposes it himself. (Tuhaf al-Uqul, P 298)

19- اِنَّ اَشَدَّ النّاسِ حَسرَةً يَومَ القِيامَةِ عَبدٌ وَصَفَ عَدلاً ثُمَّ خالَفَهُ اِلی غَيرِهِ. (تحف العقول ص298)

20. Indeed, faithful is the brother of faithful. He does not abuse him & does not deprive him & does not mistrust & develop a bad opinion about him.(Tuhaf al-Uqul, P296)

20- إِنَّ المُؤمِنَ أَخُوالمُؤمِنِ لا يَشتِمُهُ وَلا يَحرِمُهُ وَلا يُسيءُ بِهِ الظَّنَّ. (تحف العقول ص296)