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One of the imams of the Ahl al-Bayt; the fifth imam of the Twelvers and the fourth of the Ismailis.
His full name was Abû Ja'far Muhammad b. 'Alî b. Husayn b. 'Alî b. Abî Tâlib. He was born at Medina on 3 Safar or 1 Rajab of the year 57 (16 December 676 or 10 May 677). His mother was Fâtima bint Hasan; thus his descent reaches 'Alî on both the father's and the mother's side.
The epithet al-Bâqir means one who splits knowledge open and reaches its depths, one of vast learning.
As a small child he witnessed the event of Karbalâ on 10 Muharram of the year 61 (680).
He undertook no actual movement against Umayyad rule, and he did not support the rising of his brother Zayd b. 'Alî either. He passed his life at Medina in learning.
He died at Medina in Dhu al-Hijja of the year 114 (January-February 733).
His Circle of Influence — Sunnî and Shî'î sources agree that he was a great scholar. Among his teachers and those in his circle of learning 'Atâ b. Abî Rabâh and Ibn Shihâb al-Zuhrî are named, together with Abû Hanîfa. He had seven children by Umm Farwa bint Qâsim, Umm Hakîm bint Asad and two concubines; his son Ja'far al-Sâdiq, who is among those who transmitted from him, is held to be his successor.
His Works — The chief text attributed to him is the Tafsîr of Abu'l-Jârûd, which his student Abu'l-Jârûd wrote down from what he dictated and which was transmitted by way of Abû Basîr; its content has been partly preserved through its entry into the commentary of 'Alî b. Ibrâhîm al-Qummî.
His Tomb and Complex — He was buried in the cemetery of Jannat al-Baqî'.
The tombs and gravestones at the Baqî' were demolished in 1806 by Su'ûd b. 'Abd al-'Azîz; the structures later rebuilt were destroyed again in 1926 in the time of 'Abd al-'Azîz b. Su'ûd. Today there is neither tomb nor gravestone in the cemetery, and the ground continues to be used for burial.
Differing Scholarly Views
🔴 THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SUNNÎ AND SHÎ'Î ASSESSMENTS. The source records the view of each of the two traditions separately; the atlas passes no judgement between them (rule #9, principles 3 and 5).
In the Sunnî sources he is seen as a conservative and trustworthy transmitter within the Sunnî circles of learning at Medina.
In the Shî'î sources he is held to be an infallible imam whose knowledge came wholly from a divine source; it is reported that he foretold events to come and displayed extraordinary things.
The attribution of doctrines. Principles such as the designation of a successor by the imams, taqiyya, mut'a and certain practices concerning ablution are traced back to him.
Disagreement over the dates. Two different days are given for his birth (3 Safar / 1 Rajab), and for his death some sources give between one and four years after the year 114.
Sources
- TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (DİA) — Mustafa Öz · vol. 30, pp. 504-505, entry “MUHAMMED el-BÂKIR”
- TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (DİA) — Mustafa Fayda · vol. 7, p. 387, entry “CENNETÜ'l-BAKĪ'”
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Permanent ID: EA-Z-000169 · this address reaches the same record even if its name changes; use it when citing.