His Uniqueness
Hazrat Imam Baqir is the fifth Imam of A’aliya Qadariya tradition of Sufism. He is the descendant of Nabi and Hazrat Ali and, in the Sufi practices, he was second to none. He was expert in explaining the secrets regarding the different stages in the ladder of realization. At times, he created miracles. It has been said that the explanations, of the implications, secrets of the Holy Quran and of the Sufi stages that have been given by m. are beyond any doubt. Hazrat Qazi Abu Yusuf, while quoting in Tazkirat-ul Khavas-ul Uma’at, said, “I asked Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifa, whether he met Hazrat Imam Muhammad Baqir? He said, Yes. I met him and asked him the explanation of a problem.’ The reply that he gave wo was so unique that I never heard such an explanation before that.” While testing his knowledge, many learned people asked him the explanation and solution of many riddles of life and society. His explanations were such truthful that there was no other way except their acceptance.
During ceremonial trials, many learned and expert people of Hadith asked him the meanings and implications of certain Quranic verses and, the answers from him were so convincing that they were all fully satisfied by them. Once, at Arafaat, thousands of questions were asked to him on various subjects. The answers to all of them satisfied the questioners. Ata says, “I have never seen any man having such an abundance of knowledge and yet not taking proud of it.” Ibn-e-Saha’ab Zahri, who was the first to compile the Hadiths, considers him to be the person having the fullest knowledge of Hadiths. Imam Nisai has written about him in Fiqh Ta’abein of Medinites. Ibn-e-Sa’ad writes in Tabqat that he belonged to the third level of Medinites. What can be more authentic than the proclamation which Huzur made even before his holy birth that he was going to be the banner holder of Islam. He ordered Hazrat Jabir Ibn-eAbdullah to offer his greetings to him. (Asvah-ul-Tawa’arikh)
His Habits and Virtues
He was very pious, great devotee, knowledgeable and virtuous man. His whole time was being passed in prayers and concentration on Allah, the Almighty. He was always warmly welcomed in the religious conferences. His holy son, Hazrat Imam Jafar Saadiq used to say, “My holy father used to wake up during mid-nights, weep and constantly pray for the forgiveness of Allah, the Almighty. He used to pray, “O Allah, you ordered me to do good works, but I did not put that into actions. You also ordered me to be away from bad works, but I could not keep myself aloof from that. Here I am, your obedient servant, standing to confess his mistakes. I cannot show any excuse.” (Asvah-ul-Tavarikh)
Divine virtues
He was very pious, a great devotee and a popular theosophist. Imam Mohammad Baqir, son of Imam Zainul Abedin, one of the people staying around him, says, “Once he went to perform Hajj, and I also was with him. When he entered into the Masjidul Haram, while looking at Baitullah Mubarak, he started screaming and weeping loudly. I said, ‘Huzur, please do not weep like this, because, all the people’s eyes are centralized on you.’ He said, ‘Why should I not weep? It is possible that due to my weeping, Allah, the Almighty may forgive me and may bless me with his grace so that on the Day of Judgement, I may be successful in his eyes.’ Then he performed Tawaf and offered prayer at the Maqam-eIbrahim. When he raised his head after Sajda, the place of Sajda was soaked with tears.”
Imam Baqir Supplication to Allah (Manaja’at)
One of his staunch followers describes, “When Baqir used to be free from his obligatory prayers and the routine spiritual lessons and recitations, he would loudly recite the urging prayers, and he would urge,
“O’ my Allah, the midnight is over, and the rules of all the kings are at the end. The stars have started twinkling in the sky. The human world is slumbering with great relaxation. The shouts and sounds of people were merged in complete silence. When the eyes of people were heavy with sleep, they left the Bani Umaiyya’s gate. They returned with their prayers and expectations. But O’ my Allah, you are immortal and ever-living. You are omniscient. You give everything. Laziness and sleep do not affect you. And the people who, in spite of your such divine virtues, do not recognize you, are the losers and they do not deserve any of your blessings. O’one and the only One, nothing can prevent you from your activity. Even the day and night also can not create any obstacle in your Divine Existence. The treasure of your blessings and grace are bestowed upon the ones who always pray to you. You always bless with your divine boons to the one can who keeps him in your presence. You are such a master that none of the beggars that come to you are returned without your blessings and grace. It is contrary to your dignity that poor beggar returns empty-handed from door. No one in the world can displease and stop the person who is your blessed and graced by you. Not only man but even the sky and the earth cannot go against him. O’ my Allah, the Almighty, how can I consider this finite world the means of my pleasure and satisfaction, when I concentrate on the death, the grave and the Day of Judgement and your Divine Order? I do not even remember my deeds because; they include good as well as bad ones. I leave it to the Almighty. When the angels also fear death, how I have an attachment with the finite world? Whatever I want, I beg from you because I know that you are generous. Each one of my wishes and instincts is connected with you because I do not beg before anybody else except you. I urge you to grace me with such a death in which there would not be any punishment and bless me with such a peace that on the Day of Judgement, I would not be ashamed. He used to pray and weep constantly. One night I told him, “O’ Saiyed and, master of my parents! How long will you be weeping and praying? He said in reply, ‘O’ friend! Hazrat Yaqub wept in such a way that he lost his vision, and the eyes turned into white. I have lost my nears and dears who include my holy father, i.e. Saiyedna Imam Husain and other martyrs of Karbala. How can I prevent my weeping?” ” “” (Kashaf-ul-Mahjub)
Aal-e-Qutub Aal-e-Syed Abdullah Shah Ghazi 