Martyrdom of Imam Muhammad Baqir (AS), the the explorer of Sciences

Abu Ja’far, peace be on him, recounted reports of the beginnings of history (mubtada’) and reports of the prophets. Stories of the campaigns of the Prophet (maghazi) were written on his authority. (Men) followed the practices of the Prophet (sunan) on his authority and relied on him with regard to the rites of the pilgrimage which he reported on the authority of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family.

They (also) wrote a commentary of the Qur’an on his authority. Both the Shia (khassa) and the non-Shia (amma) report traditions on his authority. He debated with the exponents of individual reasoning (ahl al-ara’) and the people learnt a great deal of theology (ilm al-kalam) from him.

[Al-Sharif Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn Muhammad informed me: My grandfather (Yahya ibn al-Hasan) told me: Al-Zubayr ibn Abi Bakr told me: Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Zuhri told me:]

Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik made the pilgrimage. He went into the Sacred Mosque leaning on the arm of Salim, his retainer. Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, peace be on them, was sitting in the mosque.

“Commander of the faithful,” Salim said to (Hisham), “there is Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn”

“The man for whom the people of Iraq are ready to revolt?” he asked .

“Yes,” replied (Salim).

“Go to him,” (Hisham) told him, “and say to him:

The Commander of the faithful (i.e. Hisham) asks you: What is it that the people eat and drink until God has finished judging them on the Day of Resurrection?

Abu Ja’far Muhammad, peace be on him, replied:

The people will gather on (earth which will be) like a loaf of pure bread. There, there will be rivers branching out. They will eat and drink until the account (with God) is settled.

Hisham realised that (Abu Ja’far Muhammad) had overcome him. So he said: “God is greater. Go to him and say to him: (Hisham) says to you: What will keep men away from food and drink on that day?”

“Those in the fire of Hell will be too occupied,” replied Abu Ja’far, peace be on him, “but they will say to those who have not been distracted from it: Bestow upon us water and some of what God has provided for you [VII 50]. “

Hisham fell silent and did not reply.

Reports have come down that Nafi ibn al-Azraq came to Muhammad ibn ‘Ali, peace be on them, and sat before him to ask him questions about what was permitted and what forbidden. Abu Ja’far, peace be on him, said in the course of his answer:

Say to these deviators (from the true course): How did you make separation from the Commander of the faithful (‘Ali), peace be on him, lawful when you had earlier shed your own blood on his behalf and in obedience to him and (you were then close) to God through helping him? Then they will answer you: He allowed arbitration with regard to the religion of God. Say to them: God, the Exalted, allowed arbitration in the law (sharia) of His Prophet, may God bless him and his family, between two of His creatures. For He said:

Send an arbitrator from his family and an arbitrator from her family if they want reconciliation (to take place) between them with the agreement of God [IV 35].

The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, appointed Sad ibn Muadh as an arbitrator over the tribe of Qurayza. He judged them according to what God had accomplished. Did you not know that the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, ordered the arbitrators only to judge according to the Qur’an and not to go beyond it? He stipulated the rejection of any of the laws of men which opposed the Qur’an. They said to him: ‘You have appointed as arbitrator over yourself, men who will judge you.’ He replied: ‘I have not appointed a creature as an arbitrator. I have only made the Book of God an arbitrator. Therefore where do the deviators find the wrong-doing in the matter of arbitration by the Qur’an, when he stipulated the rejection of whatever opposed it, unless they are persisting in a false accusation?

“By God”, said Nafi ibn al-Azraq, “these are words which I have never heard before and which have never occurred to my mind. It is the truth, God willing.”

The scholars report that ‘Amr ibn Ubayd came to visit Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, peace be on them, to test him with questions. He said: “May I be your ransom, what is the meaning of the words of Him, the Exalted:

Do not those who disbelieve realise that the heavens and the earth were ratq and we made them fitq? [XXI 30] What is this ratq and this fitq?”

“The heaven was ratq (means) that no rain came down from it,” answered Abu Ja’far, peace be on him, “and the earth was ratq (means) that no plants came out of it.”

Amr stopped. He could not find any opposition. He went away but then came back.

“May I be your ransom,” he said, “tell me of the words of Him, the Mighty and High: On whomsoever My anger alights, he falls (to disaster) [XX 82]. What is the anger of God, the Mighty and High?”

“The anger of God, Amr, is His punishment,” replied Abu Ja’far, peace be on him. “Whoever thinks that anything changes God, is an unbeliever.”