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The profundity of Imam al Baqir rahimahu Llah in the sciences of knowledge was firstly on account of his perceptiveness, thirst for knowledge, and superior mental faculties; and then his acquiring of knowledge from the Sahabah of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam as well as senior Tabi’in. It is well known that a prosperous crop requires two things: fertile land suitable for the seed and a trained farmer equipped with the skills needed for farming. In this manner, Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala favoured Imam al Baqir rahimahu Llah with unique capabilities of comprehension and the best of teachers after the Prophets ‘alayh al Salam: those who he met from the Sahabah of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and the senior Tabi’in. We will now mention some of the teachers of Imam al Baqir rahimahu Llah which will make it apparent that the prowess he gained in the sciences was not a stroke of fortune or chance, but the result of strenuous effort made by both the student and his teachers.
The esteemed Sahabi, faqih, pious, mujahid radiya Llahu ‘anhu. He participated in all the expeditions alongside the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam except Badr and Uhud. His father was one of the chiefs who participated in Badr and was martyred in Uhud radiya Llahu ‘anhuma. Sufficient for him is the testimony of excellence made by the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam for him and the Companions of Hudaybiyyah radiya Llahu ‘anhum. ‘Amr narrates:
I heard Jabir say, “We were 1400 on the Day of Hudaybiyyah and the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said to us, ‘Today you all are the best inhabitants of the earth.’”[1]
He was the last of the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum in Madinah to pass away. Many esteemed scholars and pioneers of this Ummah studied under him such as: Hassan al Basri rahimahu Llah, Sa’id ibn al Musayyab rahimahu Llah, Tawus ibn Kaysan rahimahu Llah, ‘Urwah ibn Zubair rahimahu Llah, ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah rahimahu Llah, as well as many others. Imam al Baqir rahimahu Llah narrates majority of his narrations from him.
Imam al Baqir rahimahu Llah also narrates profusely from Ibn ‘Abbas radiya Llahu ‘anhu. He is known as Hibr al Ummah (Most knowledgeable of the Ummah) and Tarjuman al Qur’an (commentator of the Qur’an). He is the cousin of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He was called “Doctor” and “Ocean” on account of his vast knowledge. On two occasions the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam supplicated for him to be blessed with wisdom. He was 15 years old when the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam passed away, according to the preferred opinion of Imam Ahmed ibn Hambal. His merits and virtues are well-known, and he was extensively praised by the Sahabah and Tabi’in radiya Llahu ‘anhum.
The eminent faqih, pious, Sahabi of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He is the brother of Umm al Mu’minin Hafsah radiya Llahu ‘anha and the son of Amir al Mu’minin ‘Umar ibn al Khattab radiya Llahu ‘anhu. He is amongst those Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum who have narrated many ahadith from the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He embraced Islam with his father before he reached puberty. He was not allowed to participate in the Battle of Uhud due to his young age, but participated in the Battle of Khandaq and all the expeditions thereafter alongside the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He himself narrates:
I was presented before the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam the Day of Uhud when I was 14 years of age and he did not permit me to participate. During the Battle of Khandaq I was again presented, and I was 15 years old then, and I was permitted to participate.[3]
The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam praised him saying:
Verily ‘Abdullah is a pious man.[4]
Many of the Sahabah and Tabi’in praised him as well:
Many of the Tabi’in who lived during his lifetime also praised him:
Many esteemed scholars and pioneers of this Ummah studied under him such as: Nafi’—his freed slave, Hassan al Basri, Salim ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, Sa’id ibn Jubayr, Sa’id ibn al Musayyab, Tawus ibn Kaysan, ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah, and many others. [7] Imam al Baqir rahimahu Llah too met him and narrated from him.
Imam al Baqir rahimahu Llah met him and transmitted Hadith from him. He is the Sahabi of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and his special attendant. His mother is Umm Sulaim bint Milhan radiya Llahu ‘anha. Anas ibn Malik radiya Llahu ‘anhu attended to the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam for ten years, the entire duration of his stay in Madinah. Anas radiya Llahu ‘anhu relates his meeting with the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and coming into his service:
The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam entered Madinah and I was a boy of 8; my mother took me to him and said, “O Messenger of Allah, the men of the Ansar have all given you gifts besides me, and I could not find anything to gift to you aside from my son. Accept him, he will assist you as you deem fit.”
So, I attended to the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam for ten years; he never struck me, never scolded me, nor glowered at me.
Anas radiya Llahu ‘anhu relates another incident:
Umm Sulaim brought me to the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and I was a young boy. She said, “O Messenger of Allah, Unays[8], supplicate for him.” So, the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “O Allah, increase his wealth and progeny, and enter him into Jannat.” I saw two of these materialise and I hope for the third.”
Many virtues have been transmitted about him, may Allah be pleased with him.[9]
Esteemed Sahabi of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He was too young to participate in the Battle of Uhud [under fifteen at the time]; however, his father was martyred in the same Battle. He participated in all the expeditions thereafter alongside the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, 12 expeditions in total. Imam al Baqir rahimahu Llah has transmitted Hadith from him. Abu ‘Amr ibn ‘Abdul Barr stated:
The first encounter he participated in was Khandaq and he accompanied the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in 12 expeditions. He preserved from the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam a significant portion of his Sunnah and a treasure of knowledge. He was from the select of the Sahabah, their ‘Ulama’, and notables.[10]
One of the teachers of Imam al Baqir rahimahu Llah. He was a Sahabi of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and son of the Martyr of Mu’tah, Dhu al Janahayn (Possessor of two wings) Jafar ibn Abi Talib radiya Llahu ‘anhu. ‘Abdullah ibn Jafar was titled Qutb al Sakha’ (Leader of the Generous) on account of his magnanimity and open-handedness. He was noble, descended from nobility, benevolent, and one who rushed towards carrying out good. He was born in Abyssinia, the place of the first emigration. It was about him that ‘Abdullah ibn Qais recited the following couplets:
تقدتبي الشهباء نحو ابن جعفر سواء عليها ليلها و نهارها
تزور امرأً قد يعلم الله أنه تجود له كفٌّ قليل غرارها
فوالله لولا أَنْ تزورَ ابن جعفر لكان قليلًا في دمشق قرارها
أتيتك أُثني بالذي أنتأهله عليك كما أَثنى على الروض جارها
ذكرتك إذ فاض الفرات بأرضنا وجلَّل أعلى الرقتين بحارها
فإن مِتّلم يوصلْ صديقٌ و لم تقم طريقٌ من المعروف أنت منار
The white camel set off with me in the morning toward the son of Jafar, (it travelled continuously) as though the night and the day was the same for it.
It was going to visit a man about whom Allah knew that his hand spent generously, and that very few hands matched it.
By Allah, if it did not visit Ibn Jafar, its stay in Damascus would be very short.
I came to you to heap praises upon you which you deserve, just as the neighbours of orchards praise the orchards.
I remembered you when the Euphrates river in our lands was over-flowed and its waters covered the upper of the two Raqqahs (a place in Iraq).
If you die no relationship with a friend will ever be fostered and no path of goodness, of which you are the lamp post, will ever be straight.[11]
It is impossible to encompass all the people who have praised him. Muawiyah radiya Llahu ‘anhu said about him:
A man from the Banu Hashim is ‘Abdullah ibn Jafar. He is worthy of all nobility. By Allah, anyone who tried to surpass him in nobility failed.[12]
Her name is Hind and she was among the Ummahat al Mu’minin (Mothers of the Believers, i.e. the honourable consorts of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Abu ‘Amr stated that her name was Ramlah, but that is not correct. The name of her father was Hudhayfah, some have said Suhayl, and he was titled Zad al Rakab (Provision for the Rider) on account of his generosity. When he would travel, he would ensure that all who accompanied him were provided with sufficient provisions. Her mother was ‘Atikah bint ‘Amir ibn Rabi’ah ibn Malik al Kinaniyah from the Banu Firas. She married the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in Jamad al Akhirah 4 A.H, and it has been said 3 A.H. She is among the early forerunners to Islam, along with her husband. They both migrated to Abyssinia where Salamah was born. They then all returned to Makkah and emigrated to Madinah. It has been said that she is the first woman to travel with a howdah on her camel. After emigrating to Madinah, her husband was martyred in one of the battles, after which the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam proposed to her.[13]
I have already discussed the biography of this illustrious Imam rahimahu Llah previously; however, I wish to make mention of a few of his students: Zaid, ‘Umar, ‘Abdullah, Muhammad (al Baqir) radiya Llahu ‘anhum—who are all his sons—Abu al Zinad ‘Abdullah ibn Dhakwan, ‘Amr ibn Dinar, Muhammad ibn Muslim al Zuhri, and others.
Among his students are: Jafar (al Sadiq) ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali, Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn al Hanafiyyah, Zaid ibn ‘Ali ibn Hussain, Muawiyah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Jafar ibn Abi Talib.
NEXT⇒ Students of Imam al Baqir
[1] Sahih Muslim, # 3453.
[2] Tahdhib al Tahdhib, 5/244.
[3] Sunan Ibn Majah, # 2533.
[4] Sahih al Bukhari, # 3458.
[5] Tahdhib al Kamal, 15/339.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] It is the diminutive of Anas, used to convey affection.
[9] Tahdhib al Kamal, 3/353.
[10] Tahdhib al Kamal, 10/295.
[11] Tahdhib al Kamal, 14/367.
[12] Tahdhib al Tahdhib, 5/150.
[13] Al Isabah fi Tamyiz al Sahabah, 8/342.
[14] Tahdhib al Kamal, 11/66.
[15] Taqrib al Tahdhib, 1/364.
[16] Tahdhib al Kamal, 26/147.
[17] Tahdhib al Tahdhib, 9/316.
[18] Tahdhib al Kamal, 2/94.
[19] Tahdhib al Tahdhib, 1/107.
[20] Tahdhib al Kamal, 32/270.
[21] Tahdhib al Tahdhib, 11/323.
[22] Tahdhib al Tahdhib, 11/328.
[23] Tahdhib al Kamal, 19/34.
[24] Tahdhib al Tahdhib, 7/10.
[25] Tahdhib al Kamal, 20/125.
[26] Tahdhib al Tahdhib, 7/194.
[27] Tahdhib al Tahdhib, 2/203.
[28] Tahdhib al Kamal, 14/449.
[29] Tahdhib al Tahdhib, 5/172.
[30] Tahdhib al Kamal, 29/488.