Story No. 350 – Imam Baqir (pbuh) and knowledge
A man one day said to 5th Imam, Imam Baqir (pbuh) “Was the Holy Prophet Mohummad (saw) heir to all the knowledge of the Prophets?” Imam Baqir (pbuh) replied, “Yes” then he was asked whether he had inherited it. Imam Baqir (pbuh) said he had. He was then asked if he could raise the dead to life, restore sight to the blind, and cleanse the leper. Imam Baqir (pbuh) said yes, by valour of Allah (SWT), the most high. He therefore put his hand on the blind eyes of a man sitting next to him and prayed. The next moment the blind man’s eyesight was restored.
By unlawful means:
During the period when our 5th Imam, Imam Baqir (pbuh) was in the captivity of Umayyad caliph, he used to eat very little food. Once, a righteous lady who was the follower of the Ahlul Bayt prepared two loaves of bread by lawful (Halal) means and sent it to Imam Baqir (pbuh) so that he could eat them. The jail warden said to Imam Baqir (pbuh):
“A certain pious lady, who happens to be your follower, has sent these loaves as a present for you and has sworn that it has been made out of lawful means and has requested you to eat them.”
Imam Baqir (pbuh) refused to accept the loaves and asked for them to be returned to the lady. “Tell her: We know that your food is lawful; however, since you have made it reach us by unlawful means, it does not befit us to eat it,” he said.
Imam Baqir (pbuh) said:
Imam Baqir (Splitter of knowledge)”Our followers are of three kinds, one who follows us but depends on others, one who is like a glass involved in his own reflections, but the best are those who are like gold, the more they suffer the more they shine.”
Imam Mohummad Ibn Ali (pbuh) says that Imam Ali (pbuh) once said: “There were two things in this world which softened the Wrath of Allah (SWT) and prevented its descent upon man: One has been taken away from you; hold the other steadfast. The one which has been taken away from men is the Holy Prophet Mohummad (saw) and the one which is still left with them and which they must hold steadfast is repentance and atonement for sins because Allah (SWT) at one place in the Holy Book, Noble Qur’an addressed the Holy Prophet Mohummad (saw) and said Allah (SWT) would not punish them while you were among them nor while they were asking for forgiveness.” (Surah Anfal, 8:33)
Note: 5th Imam, Imam Mohummad Ibn Ali (pbuh) received the title of Baqir (Splitter of knowledge) due to his ample knowledge of Deen and his enthusiasm to teach to other people.